Lover’s dictionary prepared by French consulate

The French Consulate in Istanbul has prepared a lovers' dictionary in French and Turkish to mark Valentine's Day on Feb. 14. The dictionary, titled "Aşk-ı Hayat" (the Love of Life), introduces the definitions of words associated with love along with traditional Turkish love stories, romantic films and books and special venues for lovers. Speaking to Anadolu Agency, General Consulate Muriel Domenach, who wrote the preface to the dictionary, said he heard people saying that French people adore their language and that French is the language of love. "We like our language and wanted to share it with both those who know French and those who are afraid of learning it," he continued. In collaboration with the French Cultural Institute and the consulate's translation team, a project commenced last year in February to compile love words in French with their equivalents in Turkish in the form of a dictionary. Lists featuring romantic venues in Istanbul and 10 famous lovers from Turkish cultural traditions have also been added to the leaflet. With its extended sections, the second edition of the dictionary will be distributed on Feb. 14. Domenach emphasized that all nations love their own languages and the language of love is universal. "French has a rich vocabulary describing a wide range of literary and daily terms. You could say that French is the language of the heart," he said. Answering the question of how he associates diplomacy with love and passion, Domenach said that diplomacy is based on interests, but it is possible to contribute to these interests if you like the country and culture where you work as diplomat. "You will then do your job more diligently and work harder for the country you live in. This is the same for me," he added. Domenach invited French lovers to celebrate Valentine's Day in Istanbul, and suggested that Turkish couples visit Paris, the capital of love, on the same day.