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Ladino; the five-hundred-year-old language of Istanbul
One of the oldest languages of Istanbul, Ladino has a 550-year history in Istanbul. Ladino is the common name used for Judaeo-Spanish. Language, like all other cultural assets, is a living organism and evolves over time. Like other languages, Ladino too went through many changes. Even before the Spanish Jewry had abandoned their homeland, the foundations of the modern Spanish were not yet laid. The political unity of the Spaniards in 1492 was the first step on this path. Ladino’s backbone was predominantly a sub-branch of the Castilian Spanish. Spanish King Ferdinand The story of Judeo-Spanish or Ladino in...
Basic Turkish phrases to survive your first Turkish interaction
All right. So you are going over to a Turkish friend’s home for dinner, and you want to show off some Turkish skills? Or your fiancée is Turkish, and you want to impress your future in-laws. Or perhaps you are traveling to Turkey or even moved to Turkey. You want to be familiar with your neighborhood. You are ready to go to step B: make friends with the Turks!Turkish people are rather warm and welcoming. As you may already have the chance to experience, they love to chat, drink tea and share their food. So, do not be surprised if...