“Kuş Dili”- The Bird Language
In a village named Kuşköy (which translates as “bird village”), on the Black Sea coast of Turkey, people express words using the bird language, also known as “Kuş Dili”. The language dates back to 400 years, but the origin is still uncertain.
In the hilly areas of Kuşköy, where homes are dotted high on the mountainside, bird language was once an important form of communication.
Bird language is a series of piercing whistles that can be heard even from a kilometre. This language is a combination of high pitched whistles and melodies. The harmony of whistles and melodies when heard is no less than a bird song.
As this language has no specific grammar, there is no practical limit to its vocabulary. However, in practice, Turkish people use this language for simple commands and requests, such as “come for tea”, “come and work with me tomorrow”, and is also used for funerals, births, and wedding announcements.
In 2017, the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) included bird language on its list of Intangible Cultural Heritage.
Why The Language Is At A Risk Of Dying Out?
The language that was once spread across the Black Sea regions of Trabzon, Rize, Ordu, Artvin, and Bayburt, is now only used in Kuşköy village.
The rough terrain and hilly regions of the village were seen as the main cause that kept the bird language alive. But with the era of electricity and roads, the need for this unique language is slowly vanishing.
The development of smartphones is also a major threat to this language. Adding to the catalogue of threats, migration of people to urban areas in search of better opportunities is also a reason that led the language to the verge of extinction.
