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Issue link: https://thelinguist.uberflip.com/i/1229313
FEATURES written in Turkish, which help me to determine the best way to describe a building or event, such as the changing of the guard (muhafiz nöbet değişimi) at Buckingham Palace and the Crown Jewels (Taç mücevherleri). On my first Turkish job, I realised half-way around Trafalgar Square that the word for 'column' had not yet entered my guiding vocabulary. Improvising quickly, I said that Admiral Nelson was standing on top of a tall stick-shaped thing! I will now never forget that column is sütun, or that London was not founded by the Roma people (Romalar) or novels (romanlar), but by people from Rome (Romalılar). Luckily, most Turkish people are so intrigued to encounter a blond-haired British person speaking Turkish, they are forgiving of my sometimes hilarious mistakes. The Turkish visitors I guide for generally do not want the full-on British history experience, mainly because the history taught in Turkish school focuses heavily on lists of sultans and dates, so it is a turn-off for many. However, my glossary does include key London words such as 'execution' (idam), 'coronation' (taç giyme töreni), 'Horse Guards' (atlı muhafız), 'House of Commons' (avam kamarası) and 'ferris wheel' (dönmedolab) for the London Eye. This specialist vocabulary did not feature in my everyday life when I taught English in Ankara, while 'Order of Chivalry' (şövalye nişanı) was certainly not something I needed when selling database subscriptions to Turkish universities! There are, of course, cultural differences to consider. On a tour for a Turkish family in December, my preparations included phoning a Turkish friend to ask how best to describe London's famous Christmas lights, which don't feature on Turkish streets. The term Noel, or just Christmas, generally encompasses the New Year period. I had the options of a literal translation (Noel Işıkları or Christmas Işıkları) or of describing the streets as being decorated with lights. Turkey is predominantly Muslim, so I have to get to know my clients before I talk about British drinking culture. For some Turkish visitors, pubs are a real no-no, while I could offend others by avoiding talking about pubs and thereby stereotyping them. Turkish people generally like to understand what life is like in modern Britain as they look out of the car or coach window. Average salaries have to be delivered by monthly income not by year, as in the UK. American visitors are curious about tax rates, but I have never had a Turkish visitor ask about such things. Working as a London Blue Badge Guide has proved to be a great career change for me and it has tied in many of my skills, especially teaching and speaking Turkish. No two jobs are the same, and the work is rewarding and fun. Guides are constantly learning new things and we wear our blue badges with pride. See you on the streets!