Former TRT Announcer Sırrı Er: “A Nation That Loses Its Language Also Loses Its Identity”

The language used by politicians — especially in the Grand National Assembly of Turkey — the tone adopted by individuals who claim to be journalists on television debate programs, the corrupted language spread across social media, and the reckless destruction of the Turkish language are among the fundamental causes of the moral and cultural decay we experience in society today. That is precisely what I wanted to express.

While explaining the value of Turkish, Yahya Kemal Beyatlı uses a remarkably powerful expression:
“Turkish is like my mother’s pure milk in my mouth.”
He then continues:
“Turkish should be as pure and beautiful in our mouths as our mother tongue.”

These words are not merely about a language; they are the expression of an identity, a sense of belonging, and an entire civilization. Language is the memory, culture, and soul of a nation.

Indeed, he deepens this idea further with the following words:
“Where Turkish is spoken is homeland. The true body and soul of the homeland is Turkish; every people speaks the language of its own climate.”

The moment a nation loses its language, it also begins to lose its memory, identity, and spirit.

Because language is the strongest bridge between the past and the future. That is why Yahya Kemal Beyatlı reminds us how vital Turkish is for the Turkish nation.

He sees protecting it, preserving it, and using it correctly as a responsibility.

When we look back today, we clearly see how vital this issue truly is.

Turkish…
is our memory.
is our identity.
is our character.
is our homeland.
It is the value that makes us a nation.

In the closing lines of the poem “Living in the Realm of Turkish,” published in Türk Dili magazine in 1959, Fazıl Hüsnü Dağlarca summarizes everything in a single verse:

“My Turkish, my flag of sound.”

#MyTurkish

Başta TBMM olmak üzere siyâsilerin hitap dili, televizyonlardaki açık oturumlarda gazeteci olduğunu iddia eden kişilerin üslûbu, sosyal medyada kullanılan yoz dil ve Türkçenin hoyratça tahrip edilmesi; bugün toplumda yaşadığımız çürümenin en temel sebeplerinden biridir. Ben de… pic.twitter.com/bFp4lKtQwO

— Sırrı Er (@konusmasanati) May 28, 2026