by Joel Thomas of The Dragoman
Anyone who has ever lived in a foreign country knows that bilingual friends can be a godsend. When we get stuck they interpret for us, but more often than not they end up being our guides and advisers.
To the palaces of the Middle East in centuries past, the dragoman was just as indispensable. The word means “interpreter”, but they were much more than that. Usually from minority backgrounds, they would serve as mediators between Eastern governments and Western diplomats. As such they could often be the only party to grasp the perspectives of both sides simultaneously, while they themselves would represent neither (at least in theory).
In a way, all of us act as dragomans from time to time. Most of us have been in the position of watching two of our close friends have a clash of opinions while we ourselves can understand both viewpoints. There may even be a misunderstanding. But, inevitably, helping our friends to see what we have seen can be easier said than done.
Every day we see examples of how the language divide is not the only obstacle to mutual understanding. Even people who speak the same language but who never interact or genuinely try to understand one another’s way of thinking end up leading parallel lives in parallel worlds. But those who make the effort to cross the divide avoid meaningless conflicts, discover hidden opportunities and lead richer lives.
Understanding Turkey’s many “worlds” is important not just for researchers and businesspeople but for anyone who wants to fully experience this diverse country. Particularly if we cannot speak Turkish, we need someone who grasps the various points of view but can still step back from them and explain them to us as they are. A 21st century dragoman, if you will.
As a foreign-born, locally resident translator I produce The Dragoman, which tries to be just that. It’s an English-language, 5-day a week review of the Turkish front pages and Twitter trends. More than just a news roundup, it compares what people of various viewpoints are writing and reading about. You could say it keeps a finger on the pulse of the people’s soul.
Of course, this is just my small contribution to those trying to get the inside view of Turkey, a unique arena of ideas at a pivotal crossroads in a vital region of the world. To anyone who wants to succeed in this endeavor all I would say is, keep asking, keep listening and keep reading. And be sure to choose your dragomans well.
