Karamanli

The terms 'Karamanli texts' and 'Karamanli literature', often called 'Karamanlidika' (Καραμανλίδικα),conventionally refer to Turkish texts written in Greek characters, produced by and for the Turkish-speaking Christian communities living mainly in Inner Asia Minor and in the cities of Izmir and Istanbul until the population exchange in 1924. The texts were initially written for religious purposes, i.e., in order to provide the flock with liturgical and other religious-related material in their mother tongue. The first printed book of this kind was published in 1718. Later, texts on non-religious topics, such as literature, history, music, and geography, were also produced. From the beginning of the 18th c. to the first quarter of the 20th c. about 750 printed titles are known to have been published, while there was also an extensive manuscript production. From a linguistic point of view, Karamanli texts are written in various Ottoman Turkish varieties. This entry is a survey on the linguistic aspects of Karamanli texts.