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Online Turkish Language Learning Tips, Tipoffs, Tricks, Traps, Techniques, Curiosities, and Oddities... A modest Estağfurullah Related Pages: Other 'Tips' pages Profiles of the Turkish People The Turkish Kinsey Report Gossipy Turkish Who's Who The Lying Eyes Club of Turkey Turkish Culture -- Two Turkish traditions we especially like Turkish Culture -- 4 things you shouldn't do in Turkey Turkish Culture -- 5 things you should do in Turkey Turkish Superstitions Turkish Circumcision Ceremonies Circumcision and what many Turks believe about Westerners Also: Whole Earth Catalog of Turkish Movies Newsreaders Encyclopedic Dictionary, Index Movie Superhero Tarkan, historic and erotik Mature Dutch Bride in Turkey Mature British Bride in Turkey Mature Swedish Bride in Turkey We paraphrase our giant-sized Redhouse Turkish to English Dictionary that gives the meaning of this tongue-twisting Turkish word as... Estağfurullah; Don't mention it; don't say so; not at all. And it's pronounced: eh-STAH-foo-rool-lah Around where we live it's used [modestly] by Person B in response to Person A's expression of (excessive) thanks or (high) praise -- or by Person B in response to Person A's self-critical remarks. For example... Person A: I can't thank you enough, Person B... You saved my life! Person B: Estağfurullah, Person A. Don't mention it. I'm glad I could help... Ahmet: You speak Turkish like a native, Maureen... I'm very impressed. Maureen: Estağfurullah, Ahmet... Don't say such a thing. Perhaps one day... Marvin: I was such an idiot, Mabel... for dropping my false teeth into your bowl of soup. Mabel: Estağfurullah, Marvin. Not at all... They added a special tang to the broth. burp ø¤°`°¤ø,¸¸,ø¤° And Kathryn K likes it especially for its Turkish crowd-pleasing attributes. She says... "My all time favorite heart-melting Turkish expression is 'estağfurullah'. It's original Ottoman meaning was, I ask the pardon of God -- and it was used to convey the idea, I'm sorry, but it's true... Nowadays, of course, it can be used to show modesty, while accepting someone's compliments... Once, when I was in a supermarket check-out line, I struck up a conversation with the cashier who praised my Turkish -- to which I replied 'estağfurullah'. The elderly gentleman in line behind me overheard and interrupted politely to ask how I'd learned the expression. When I was able to specify its Ottoman roots, he showered me with even more praise... (this time about my  'complete and accurate knowledge') to which I again replied 'estağfurullah'. My second correct usage of the word (in the space of less than a minute) brought smiles and nods of approval from the man, the cashier -- and everyone else within eavesdropping distance ! You can not miss with this word... I teach it to all my recently arrived foreign friends." And when (in June 2003) the American ambassador to Turkey was caught on video-tape using this word correctly at an informal gathering of Turkish well-wishers, well by golly, it made the Evening News on every major Turkish TV channel... all gushing in praise of his Turkish fluency. To which we say... rule estağfurullah! Related Pages: Other 'Tips' pages Profiles of the Turkish People The Turkish Kinsey Report Gossipy Turkish Who's Who The Lying Eyes Club of Turkey Turkish Culture -- Two Turkish traditions we especially like Turkish Culture -- 4 things you shouldn't do in Turkey Turkish Culture -- 5 things you should do in Turkey Turkish Superstitions Circumcision and what many Turks believe about Westerners Also: Whole Earth Catalog of Turkish Movies Turkish National Election, 2007 Newsreaders Encyclopedic Dictionary, Index Movie Superhero Tarkan, historic and erotik Mature Dutch Bride in Turkey Mature British Bride in Turkey Mature Swedish Bride in Turkey Language-Learning Related Pages: Translating Turkish, the basics Essential Turkish Vocabulary Turkish Verbs Essential Idioms, Index Essential Suffixes, Index Sentence Structure, Standard Turkish Pronunciation Turkish Accenting Numbers in Turkish Other Turkish Difficulties Unrelated fun: Frequently asked questions about Turkey and the Turkish language llustrated Nargile Users Guide -- and Encyclopedia Our Honda Generator -- A Member of the Family Habibullah and the Great Cannon Caper A simple Turkish 'thing'... Turkish Belly Dancers Sneeeezing in Turkish Turkish Terms Of Endearment Turkish Personal Names Politically Incorrect Turkish Humor Why Off-Color Turkish is important too Turkish Movies -- Conventional and 'Erotik', Index The World's Worst Sport Novelty Turkish Wedding Invitations