“What could possibly matter more than to take a human being and change her into a different human being by creating a new speech for her? It’s filling a deepest gap that separates class from class and soul from soul.”
Professor Higgins, My Fair Lady
(Based on George Bernard Shaw’s Pygmalion)
Instead of teaching English to an Englishwoman, this psychological study in human behaviour aims at the teaching and the understanding of a foreign language, in this case Turkish, to that bastion of the island race caught in a linguistic desert: an Englishman.
In 1923, the Turkish people not only underwent constitutional change, they were asked to learn a new alphabet and accept fundamental changes to their language; an entire nation learned a new way of writing, a hybrid of Eastern and Western influence adapting Latin symbols to Ottoman sounds. Today, pre-revolution historical documents now require specialist translation, as Istanbul remains caught between the past and the present.
This project will create a viewpoint of Istanbul, Turkey and its people through the eyes of a foreigner, English painter Ned Pamphilon. He has painted Istanbul and Turkey, but not yet mastered the language. Ned’s life is a daily visual experience and indeed, he can navigate day to day in Istanbul without full command of the language. But, what if he did understand the language?
Ned attempts to step out from his linguistic-bubble by turning student: he is appointed tutors for an course intensive course in the Turkish language. Classroom and practical tutorials in the field are undertaken, visiting people and places. Regular interrogation and interview scenes with guest interviewers test and monitor the on-going progress and standard to date, the aim being fluent Turkish in 6 months.
This project aims to provide a platform for dialogue, a trade of ideas, an exercise in cultural bridge building and better mutual understanding. In effect, this programme will be an advert for Istanbul and Turkey through the eyes of a visitor.
Contact: 00 9 0212 249 6004
nppistanbul7@gmail.com
Kerem Akalin & Nilay Akder: 00 9 0212 243 8893
kerem@makerevents.com
Ned Pamphilon Productions © Feb 2002 All rights reserved.
