The Translation Office ( tr, Tercüme Odası, also spelled ''Terceme Odası'',
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or Terdjuman Odasi; fr, Direction de Traduction,
also rendered as Bureau des Interprètes or Cabinet des Traducteurs) was an organ of the
Government of the Ottoman Empire that translated documents from one language to another.
The government created it in 1821 as the Ottoman authorities wanted to train their own corps of Turkish translators instead of using
Phanariotes
Phanariots, Phanariotes, or Fanariots ( el, Φαναριώτες, ro, Fanarioți, tr, Fenerliler) were members of prominent Greek families in Phanar (Φανάρι, modern ''Fener''), the chief Greek quarter of Constantinople where the Ecumeni ...
due to the
Greek War of Independence occurring. Most of the staff at
Ottoman diplomatic missions in Europe originated from this office.
[ - Cited: p. 278]
Salaries and prominence of the office increased after the 1830s in the aftermath of the
Battle of Konya
The battle of Konya was fought on December 21, 1832, between Egypt and the Ottoman Empire, just outside the city of Konya in modern-day Turkey. The Egyptians were led by Ibrahim Pasha, while the Ottomans were led by Reşid Mehmed Pasha. The Eg ...
and
Treaty of Hünkâr İskelesi The Treaty of Hünkâr İskelesi (once commonly spelled Unkiar Skelessi, and translating to The Treaty of "the Royal Pier" or "the Sultan's Pier") was a treaty signed between the Russian Empire and the Ottoman Empire on July 8, 1833, following the m ...
.
The office created French-language versions of official documents, which catered to foreigners and Ottoman non-Muslims.
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Notable staff
* Mehmed Emin Âli Pasha[
* ]Mehmed Fuad Pasha
Mehmed Fuad Pasha (1814 – February 12, 1869), sometimes known as Keçecizade Mehmed Fuad Pasha and commonly known as Fuad Pasha, was an Ottoman administrator and statesman, who is known for his prominent role in the Tanzimat reforms of the m ...
[
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See also
* Dragoman
A dragoman or Interpretation was an interpreter, translator, and official guide between Turkish-, Arabic-, and Persian-speaking countries and polities of the Middle East and European embassies, consulates, vice-consulates and trading posts. A ...
* Languages of the Ottoman Empire
The language of the court and government of the Ottoman Empire was Ottoman Turkish, but many other languages were in contemporary use in parts of the empire. Although the minorities of the Ottoman Empire were free to use their language amongst ...
* Foreign relations of the Ottoman Empire
The foreign relations of the Ottoman Empire were characterized by competition with the Persian Empire to the east, Russia to the north, and Austria to the west. The control over European minorities began to collapse after 1800, with Greece being t ...
References
External links
* - Master's degree thesis
Government of the Ottoman Empire
1821 establishments in the Ottoman Empire
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