Practical linguists and learned elites never overlapped in studying the Ottoman world
Evidence
The great Orientalist Sir William Jones (on whom see below) was to comment disparagingly on the scholarly attainments of the dragomans: ‘It has generally happened that persons who have resided among the TURKS, and who from their skill in EASTERN dialects, have best been qualified to present us with an exact account of that nation, were either confined to a low sphere of life, or were engaged in views of interest, and but little addicted to polite letters or philosophy; while they, who, from their exalted stations and refined taste for literature, have had both the opportunity and inclination of penetrating into the secrets of TURKISH policy, were totally ignorant of the language used at Constantinople, and consequently were destitute of the sole means by which they might learn, with any degree of certainty, the sentiments and prejudices of so singular a people… As to the generality of interpreters, we cannot expect from men of their condition any depth of reasoning, or acuteness of observation; if mere words are all they profess, mere words must be all they can pretend to know.’ — Robert Irwin, For Lust of Knowing, 194
Related
- Turkish studies barely existed in Europe before the twentieth century (similarity 0.81)
- Ottoman diplomatic modernization began only when foreign policy became crucial (similarity 0.81)
- Ottoman administrative knowledge of subject Christians never entered its literature (similarity 0.79)
- Ottoman Turks possessed a sophisticated literary and artistic culture, not barbarism. (similarity 0.79)