An article titled "Translation Ethics and Flood Publications" written by Özdemir İnce was published in the issue of Cumhuriyet Newspaper dated 03.07.2026 and on the website https://www.cumhuriyet.com.tr/.
İnce described the re-publication of this work, which has the name of its translator Sanem Işıl Aytuğ clearly written on the cover since 2023, by her client SEL YAYINCILIK, as "evil", with a hypothetical argument that she had "discovered" and translated Marie Darrieussecq's work "Truismes", and that it was impossible to translate it in any other way, and included unfounded expressions in an abusive and masculine language, considering that the translator was a woman. and hinted at plagiarism.
The original name of the work mentioned in the article is "Truismes". Truie means “female pig” in French. At the center of the story is a young woman who gradually turns into "a sow." Since it was impossible to preserve the French word play "pig" in the international editions of the book, which has been translated into dozens of languages, titles were produced using the words "pig" and "female" or "woman" and "story", which are the subject of the book. For example, the English version was titled "Pig Tales" and the Danish version was titled "Kvinden der blev til en gris" (The Woman Who Turned into a Pig). On pages 55, 100, and 105 of the book, the hero refers to himself as a "she-pig". It is clear that the title "Female Pig" is not an invention that gives İnce a "patent" right, and there is no basis for her trying to establish moral/ethical domination over Sanem Işıl Altuğ, a competent translator, and instrumentalizing this issue for another receivables case. Moreover, one of the examples of preserving the title as it is is Killing a Mockingbird, which was translated by Özay Sunar with this title in 1963. Ülker İnce also re-translated the same work for his client, but the title was preserved as it was. Although the Ülker İnce translation was used in the first editions when the book changed publishers, the current editions have the name of another translator (Belgin Selen Haktanır).
On the other hand, it is unacceptable for İnce to include in his article a one-sided message regarding the negotiations in a case in which he is not even a party. Since less than the amount proposed to be paid was decided at the judicial stage, the process took so long and could not be concluded. In principle, we do not find it right to be content with providing this much information on this subject and to open to the public any other correspondence that would create an impression of intent.
As a result, within the scope of an ongoing trial, it is respectfully presented to the public with the declaration that we reserve the right to take legal action against the writer and those concerned, who have the intention of influencing the judiciary and who bring the case process into question in a way that is contrary to established journalistic practices, who aim to humiliate and discredit the client and the translator to the public due to the general content of the article and the expressions used, who harm the personal rights of the client and who target his commercial reputation.
Notified by: SEL YAYINCILIK TİCARET VE SANAYİ LTD. ŞTİ. Deputies AV. ADEM SAKAL, ATTORNEY. SABRİ BARIŞ BOYRA
STATEMENT FROM EĞİTİM SEN
Education Union's 6th Democratic Education Congress was held on 25-29 August. At the congress; “A General Evaluation of Education in the Capitalist System and in Turkey”, “Problems in the Education System”, “The Struggle for Secular Education Against Religiousization Policies in Education”, “Mother Tongue Based Multilingual Public Education”, “The Struggle for Autonomous-Democratic University and Free Science in Turkey”, “Gender Equality in Education and Sexist Education Policies”, “Struggle for Democratic Schools”, The topics "Artificial Intelligence and Digital Transformation in Education" and "Ecological Education" were discussed in their entirety. The resulting evaluations and proposals were discussed, developed with different opinions and contributions, and decided upon by common will.
On September 1, 2026, in your newspaper's column called "The Side and Side" and on its website, "What other order do you have, sir?!" The article titled and signed by Özdemir İnce was published. The author mentions the yet unpublished report within the scope of "Mother Tongue-Based Multilingual Public Education" presented to the Congress, stating that Eğitim Sen has targeted the principles and views it has defended since its establishment with unacceptable expressions, and unrealistic, misleading and criminalizing expressions have been used about our union work. Suggestions and presentations, country examples, education policies, education models and evaluations regarding Article 42 of the Constitution can be discussed from scientific, pedagogical, legal and political perspectives. Education Sen sees these discussions as a requirement of democracy.
However, the author's disparagement of teachers by calling them "crazy" and union members "mob"; It is clear that his description of the Kurdish presentation as "treason" in itself, his request for those who support the amendment of Article 42 of the Constitution to return their IDs and passports, virtually depriving them of citizenship, and his talk of "being thrown into the sea" are not within the limits of criticism. The expressions used are discriminatory, derogatory, accusatory, and antagonizing within the scope of the "throwing it into the sea" metaphor. The claim in the article that "There is no unitary state in the world that uses a language other than its own official language as the language of education" contains misleading information that is far from reality. There are different models in different countries of the world in which minority and regional languages are used as the language of education. In UNESCO and Council of Europe documents, multilingual education and education in minority languages are discussed within the scope of the right to education and language rights.
Reducing the demand for education in the mother tongue to a debate about the division of the country or federalism is to turn a pedagogical and democratic debate about the right to education into a security problem. For Eğitim Sen, the issue is clear: A child's ability to receive education in his or her native language is not a privilege or blessing, but access to equal and qualified education is a universal child and human right. When our report is published, it will be understood that the accusations used by the author were shaped by his personal prejudices and have nothing to do with the study.
Unions are not only organizations that struggle for economic and personal rights, they are indispensable institutions and guarantees of democracy. All problems in the field of education, from education policies to children's rights, from secularism to equality, from gender equality to the right to education, are the struggle area of Eğitim Sen. In this context, Eğitim Sen's views can be criticized; However, we do not accept the humiliation of our members, the criminalization of our union activities and the portrayal of speaking in one's native language as "treason".
Zülküf GÜNEŞ
