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YAKIŞIR
Word of the Week May 29, 2026

YAKIŞIR

Some Turkish words are as sharp and clear as a gleam of a knife. Others confuse you. Yakışır is a particular gem in the latter category. Literally, it means “befitting” or “suits well.” But intonation does all the heavy lifting here. With a twinkle in the eye, yakışır becomes high praise: a friend gets a long-deserved promotion? “Yakışır!” A suave female CEO in her sixties starts dating a younger man with abs and ambition? “Yakışır vallahi!” But delivered with a dry brow and pursed lips, the very same yakışır morphs into biting derision, the sort you might lob at a corrupt bureaucrat who gets caught rigging tenders again or the son of one of the president’s close allies landing an ambassadorial job.

Editorial Team
CTP SPILLS THE BEANS IN NORTHERN CYPRUS: FAVORS FEDERATION
Foreign Affairs May 8, 2026

CTP SPILLS THE BEANS IN NORTHERN CYPRUS: FAVORS FEDERATION

Following Tufan Erhürman’s landslide victory in the presidential election with almost 63% of the vote in Northern Cyprus, the Republican Turkish Party (CTP)—which Erhürman formerly led—is preparing to take power in the upcoming general elections, expected by January 2026 at the latest. Sıla Usar İncirli, 54, the CTP’s new and first female chair, said that the party favors a federation model as part of the search for a solution in Cyprus, and they have begun drafting their government program.

Editorial Team
PERVİN BULDAN AND THE TWO Ks
Portrait of the Week Aug 8, 2025

PERVİN BULDAN AND THE TWO Ks

The Kurdish political movement is a powerful women's movement as well. Within the movement, the female force is often described as “women’s revolution.” That’s why the “two Ks” in the title stand for Kurdish and Kadın (Woman). Pervin Buldan is one of the most prominent figures representing this female presence within the Kurdish political movement.

Anonymous
SATILMIŞ
Word of the Week Jan 31, 2025

SATILMIŞ

In the rich tapestry of Turkish names, few are as paradoxical as 'Satılmış.' Literally translating to 'sold' or 'sell-out,' this name carries a weighty connotation that intertwines cultural beliefs, societal perceptions and individual destinies. In Anatolian traditions, giving newborns names like 'Satılmış' or the female version “Satı” is a protective measure. The name was traditionally bestowed upon children with the underlying belief that by symbolically 'selling' the child, parents could deceive malevolent spirits or fate, thereby safeguarding the child from harm or premature death. This practice reflects an interplay between language, belief systems, and cultural practices in Anatolian societies.

Nazlan Ertan