learning new words every day!

Constant reference to a dictionary has been necessary so far on this trip. Accompanying me every day at school and on every trip has been a not quite pocket sized English-Turkish dictionary I bought here, called the Redhouse Elsözlüğü (literally "hand dictionary"). While the dictionary has served my purposes well and usually comes up with an adequate, if not great definition, stray glances have found some very interesting words on the Turkish side. Maybe someday I'll find out why the dictionary thought them so essential that they were to be included in what I assume to be an abridged dictionary. In the meantime I'll share a few with you.

yarga - one year old chicken

efe - swashbuckling village dandy

zatülcenp - pleurisy (according to Wikipedia, "an inflammation of the pleura, the lining of the pleural cavity surrounding the lungs.")