Mariette van Heteren (asker) Aug 5, 2009:

Grieks leger is Yunanli ordu. it is from the book: Şu Çılgın Türkler so telsız is about telegraf/radyo!

Michael Mestre Aug 5, 2009:

Re : While we wait for the asker.. Balaban, I agree with you 100%. We have to wait for Mariette's comments (and if possible the exact date and nature of the narrative) and then proceed to find an appropriate translation for this technology.
İyi çalışmalar :p

Balaban Cerit Aug 5, 2009:

While we wait for the asker... Michael, I definitely agree with you about the definition of radio communication. However, I think we are facing a different issue here. Assuming that this is a historical narrative, whatever our opinions about the issue, our terminological options would be limited to the expressions used in that specific time/locale, would it not? But if this text is taken from a work of fiction, then just as you say, "whatever the historical truth, what is important here is to translate what *the author of the text meant*" - because the writer would be free to incorporate wireless Internet and intergalactic space travel in this context if (s)he wanted to :) <br><br>As for the term "Grieks leger", I have no idea at all. Only Mariette can tell us, I suppose.

Michael Mestre Aug 5, 2009:

I'm not sure.. Salih, I am not sure that the asker would be very happy (in hilarity maybe) with this translation :p

Actually, has any of you understood what Grieks leger is exactly ? My google search showed only Dutch websites.

Mariette, are you alive ??

Salih YILDIRIM Aug 4, 2009:

I'd better give Asker of the whole sentnce translation : "An Istanbul - originated strictly confidential message has reached at Grieks Leger Headquarter whedn General Ismet was eating his meal (dish) in hilarity together with his staff officers."

Michael Mestre Aug 4, 2009:

Let the asker speak.. Sorry to interrupt this passionate argument about the existence or not of radio (my opinion being that, regardless of the use of voice messages or not, wireless communication with electromagnetic waves *is* a radio communication), but I think that we should at least ask the translator (this question's asker) what her opinion is on the matter ?
After all, she has the whole text in front of her, and may know what devices these people were using.
In any case, whatever the historical truth, what is important here is to translate what *the author of the text meant*.

Balaban Cerit Aug 4, 2009:

"Wireless telephony" wasn't in use then & there "Wireless telephony" (as a technology supporting wireless full audio transmission) wasn't in regular use during the "Turkish War of Independence", 1919–23. Of course, there were a few cases where amateurs devised their own equipment for making test audio broadcasts (for example in Istanbul, 1921). I haven't read about "wireless telephony" devices being used in the War, but naturally they would have been used, where possible. But all accounts I have read (a few sources are below) and heard (for example, my grandfather was a telegraph official in that War and I have heard a lot about these days from my father) point to the fact that the widespread communication method of the Independence War was telegraphy based on Morse Code transmission. So, we shouldn't use the term "radio" in this context.

... Turkish sources:
http://alturl.com/6cf4 / http://alturl.com/yncv / http://alturl.com/uzg6 ...

And in the below link, belonging to the Anadolu Agency (AA), which was established on April 6th, 1920, you can find English content, describing the use of telegraphy during the Turkish War of Independence:

http://www.aa.com.tr/tarihce_en/

chevirmen Aug 4, 2009:

Also told in that article The fact that multiple technologies fall under the term "wireless telegraphy" sometimes creates confusion, as it is not always made clear exactly what form of "wireless" technology is being employed. In addition, all the technologies developed for wireless telegraphy would also be adapted for full audio transmissions, or "wireless telephony".<br> "Wireless telephony" is your reference, not mine, taken from your article.

Balaban Cerit Aug 4, 2009:

The technology of the time/locale is w. telegraphy I am afraid there are some wrong statements here. To be more specific, wireless telegraphy isn't an absurd concept or isn't non-existent. Those who say that there is no such thing as wireless telegraphy can read this link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wireless_telegraphy ... Please note the sentence here: "Wireless telegraphy rapidly came to be synonymous with Morse Code transmitted with electromagnetic waves decades before it came to be associated with the term radio." And we all know about radio technology and the fact that it was used in some countries at that time (as can be read here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radio), but this isn't the issue we are discussing here. I am definite that this technology at that time/locale wasn't called "radio", it was called "wireless telegraphy". Finally, again on the "radio" wikipedia page (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radio) you can read: "Originally, radio or radiotelegraphy was called "wireless telegraphy", which was shortened to "wireless" by the British." So we can't use the word "radio" in this context, even if the technological basis is the same, since this text obviously dates to the Turkish War of Independence,

chevirmen Aug 4, 2009:

That is a radio! It is very interesting to see that nobody gives a chance for the availability of radio at that time. Radio is a communication system / device for transmitting messages by radio waves. It was a technology already used, even more Brits knew how to jam them.
So when you tell message, you can use transmission to be more specific.
Yet, this should not be mixed up with telegraph, or "wireless" telegraphy which is absurd, there is no such thing or not necessary.

Michael Mestre Aug 4, 2009:

It's still a message.. Either way it is still a message !
No need for 3G+ :p

Bonne après-midi à vous aussi..

Salih YILDIRIM Aug 4, 2009:

As you might imagine Mr.Mestre, Bon Apré midi, during independence wars of Turkish Republic, there was only telegraphic codes were being used, unique communication apparatus in use by then.

Michael Mestre Aug 4, 2009:

Wireless telegram ? According to Balaban, it seems that they had wireless telegraphy.
In that case, we can translate the wireless message by "wireless telegram", or maybe "radio telegram".

Michael Mestre Aug 4, 2009:

Date ? Dear Mariette,

Could you please tell us what is the date of the events you describe ? We are wondering how to translate "telsiz mesajı". It means "wireless message" but maybe nowadays "wireless" implies digital communication.
So it might be better to translate it as a "radio message".

You may want to have a look at the following reference :
http://www.defenselink.mil/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=42523