Changes in the spelling of Arabic words in the spelling guides

This thesis aims to examine the changes in the spelling of words of Arabic origin from a historical perspective, based on the Turkish Language Association (TDK) Spelling Guides published between 1928 and 2021. In the study, the spelling preferences for words of Arabic origin, along with the simplification process in the language after the Alphabet Revolution, were evaluated comparatively over time. The first part of the thesis discusses the effects of the Alphabet Revolution on the Turkish written language and the policies pursued to reduce foreign elements in the language after this revolution. Following this, the changes in the Spelling Guides published from 1928 to 2021 were examined in detail under the headings of; caret (hat), apostrophe, representation of long vowels, nispet suffix (-î), spelling of Arabic recipe letters and phonetic harmony. The findings of the study show that spelling norms are shaped not only by phonetic and morphological requirements; but also within the framework of periodic language policies, cultural trends and the search for balance between the public and written language. While the tendency to simplify and approach the folk pronunciation was prominent especially in the guides after 1975, this tendency was systematized with the use of functional hats and phonetic adaptation in 2021. This thesis makes an important contribution to the literature on Turkish spelling history and language planning; it reveals the transformation in the spelling of words of Arabic origin in the context of the processes of standardization and modernization in the language with an interdisciplinary approach.