Ilber Ortaylı criticizes 'crowded loneliness'

The selection of the phrase "crowded loneliness" as the "word of the year" following a survey conducted by the Turkish Language Association (TDK) has been criticized by renowned historian Prof. Dr. Ilber Ortaylı. Ortaylı stated that this term is confusing in terms of meaning and that its correct usage in literature is "lonely crowd."

Prof. Dr. Ortaylı expressed that the TDK makes such word selections without conducting comprehensive research or academic review. Emphasizing that ignoring the depth of meaning and correct usage of words harms the language, Ortaylı underscored that language should be approached with a scientific perspective.

CRITICISM OF 'CROWDED LONELINESS' 

Ortaylı based the term "crowded loneliness" on the work titled The Lonely Crowd, published by sociologist David Riesman in the 1950s. He stated that the concept used in this work holds an important place in explaining the individual alienation process of modern societies. Ortaylı expressed that the term proposed by the TDK is incompatible with this sociological context.

A NEW PROPOSAL 

The famous historian argued that terms such as "lonely crowd" or "reclusive crowd" would be more meaningful than "crowded loneliness." He stated that such expressions would be more suitable for both the aesthetics and the semantic integrity of the language.

Ortaylı said that the TDK does not make correct word choices in the language and that this situation has been an ongoing problem since the 1940s. He noted that while the usage of words among the public may be widespread, there is a need for more careful language usage in academic circles.