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| Eyvaz Taha |
In a conversation with Voice of America, Southern Azerbaijani philosopher Eyvaz Taha stated that language is a fundamental factor in the identity of Turks living in Iranian Azerbaijan, but it should not be seen as a threat to Persians or Iran’s territorial integrity. The author of books such as "There Is No World Beyond the Text" in Turkish philosophy and literature argues that in analytic philosophy today, language is no longer viewed merely as a tool or a passive phenomenon.
According to Eyvaz Taha, “It was previously assumed that language was a medium or a tool to express thought. However, in analytic philosophy, the idea emerged that language itself shapes us—our identity, our way of expression, our worldview, and our ability to conceptualize realities. Language actively shapes us while simultaneously acting as a barrier.”
The owner of the Turkish-language Yarpaq newspaper, which circulated in Iran in past years, emphasizes that language influences everything from human thought to their existence, serving both as a tool and a barrier.
“Language acting as a barrier means that we cannot express our thoughts as we wish. We cannot reflect reality or the surrounding world in our speech as we want. Here, language plays an active role, shaping our discourse, our worldview, and even influencing our perception of reality. This means that reality and the concepts we derive from it do not transparently manifest in our language. On the other hand, language reacts back and guides our way of expression in its desired direction,” the prominent publisher explains.
Eyvaz Taha underscores that people cannot truly feel their existence in a country’s official language, which is merely a tool of expression. In his opinion, it is only the mother tongue that enables individuals to sense their existence in the universe.
“Language should not be seen as merely a means of communication. In Iran, some say, ‘What do you want? There is an official language, and people express what they wish with it.’ But I don’t believe this is correct. Language profoundly impacts our being. As Heidegger said, it is the home of our being. In another language, we cannot feel that we exist in the universe or are in the home of our being. This can only happen in one’s mother tongue,” says the author of the book "Poetry Is the Home of Being."
Taha argues that the current situation of the Turkish language in Iran and the monopoly of Persian as the sole official language did not arise through natural processes but resulted from deliberate policies.
The thinker emphasizes that Turkish literature experienced brilliant eras in Iran before the emergence of the nation-state concept. He argues that the current situation is not the result of a natural process:
“Primarily, the prominence of Persian as the official written language in Iran stems from the concept of the nation-state. It was institutionalized during the reign of Reza Shah. Before that, our language was not marginalized. We consider this not as a process but as a project. In that project, the French model was chosen. In the French model, the suppression of all languages and ethnicities in favor of one dominant language was adopted as a principle. However, the American model does not follow this; the existence of other languages is accepted.”
The author of "Healthy Language" states that before the emergence of the nation-state concept, Turkish, Arabic, and Persian coexisted and evolved in parallel through historical processes in Iran.
While not excluding factors such as religion and culture, Eyvaz Taha emphasizes that language is the primary factor in the identity of Turks living in Iranian Azerbaijan.
“We do not believe this poses a threat to other languages, such as Persian. However, we do consider it unjust that so many resources in Iran are monopolized for the benefit of one language,” he adds. The Southern Azerbaijani philosopher points to the models in countries where two or more languages are officially recognized by the state.
Link to the original interview in Turkish on the Azerbaijani section of Voice of America:
Eyvaz Taha: Dil varlığımızın evidir