Kurds and Turks are members of two distinct cultures; they communicate in separate languages, and their populations are scattered differently over the globe.
Because there are so many Kurds in Turkey, people get confused. Sunni Islamists make up the majority of Kurds.
Although the majority of Turks are Muslims, the nation is a capitalist state.
Key Takeaways
- Kurds are an ethnic group primarily inhabiting the Kurdistan region, spanning parts of Turkey, Iran, Iraq, and Syria; Turks are the dominant ethnic group in Turkey.
- The Kurdish language is an Indo-European language, while Turkish is a Turkic language.
- Both Kurds and Turks have diverse religious beliefs; however, the majority of Kurds are Sunni Muslims, and the majority of Turks are also Sunni Muslims.
The Kurds vs The Turks
The Kurds primarily inhabit the mountainous regions of Turkey, Iraq, Iran, and Syria, speak Kurdish, and have distinct cultures and political aspirations. The Turks primarily inhabit Turkey but also parts of the Balkans, the Caucasus, and Central Asia, speak Turkish and have a long history.
Kurds, commonly known as Kurdish folk, speak the Kurdish word. Kurds are cosmopolitan and comprehend two or more dialects.
They understand and speak the national language. It has been observed that Kurdish people living in diasporas speak three or more languages fluently.
Aramaic is also spoken among Kurdish Jews and Christians.
Turkish Jews are Turks. Turkish is their native tongue. Turks are a long-established ethnic minority that primarily resides in Turkey. Algeria, Bulgaria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Greece, Egypt, and other countries have Turks living in the minority.
The Ottoman Dynasty controlled these areas. Turkish diaspora communities also exist in Germany, the United Kingdom, France, and other European nations.
Comparison Table
| Parameters of Comparison | The Kurds | The Turks |
|---|---|---|
| People | Kurdish people (Kurds) are a Central Eastern ethnic community. | Turkish nationals (Turks) are a Turkic ethnic community and a country that primarily resides in Turkey. |
| Geographical area | Kurdish population dwells mostly in the Kurdistan region, which includes eastern, south-eastern Turkey, as well as northern Syria. | Turkish population dwells primarily in Turkey and regions that were once part of the Ottoman Kingdom. |
| Writing System | The Bedirxan letter (a Latin symbol) or the Sorani character are used to write Kurdish (a Persian symbol). | Turkish is represented in Latin characters, which supplanted the Ottoman code in 1928. |
| History | Kurdish has long been identified with Kurdistan. | The Mughal Dynasty is related to Turkish. |
| Nation-state | The Kurdish community does not have a national identity. | Turkey is regarded as a nation-state by the Turkish community. |
What are The Kurds?
Kurds, known as the Kurdish population, are a Middle Eastern ethnic community. Kurdistan refers to locations where Kurds make up the mass of the community.
Around 32 million Kurds reside around the globe. They are the Middle East’s fourth-biggest ethnic community.
Kurds speak the Kurdish vocabulary, which is a member of the Indo-Iranian branch of languages. In Iraq, Kurdish is a dominant tongue; in Iran, it is a local native tongue.
It is a marginalized dialect in Armenia.
The Kurds are indigenous to the Middle East. Kurdish people make up a significant portion of Iranian society. They are from the Kurdistan area in general.
Parts of Iran, Iraq, and other countries are included in this area. Around 34 million Kurds are living in various parts of the world.
The vast majority of Kurds have already been found in Georgia, Azerbaijan, Israel, the Americas, as well as other European nations.
Kurds are the fourth biggest ethnic group in the Middle East. Arabs, Turks, and Greeks are the communities that have surpassed them.
Sunni Muslims make up the majority of Kurds.
Like those in the Kermanshah governorate and the llama area of Iran, some tiny fringe Kurds are Shia Muslims. Shia Islam and Fayli Kurds in Middle and Southeast Iraq,
Alevi’s Kurds in Istanbul, Sivas, and Tunceli are also instances of Kurds.
What are The Turks?
Turks, known as Turks or Turks, are a Turkic ethnic community mostly found in Turkey that communicates Turkish. Turkish minority also reside in former Ottoman Republic territory.
Although Islam is the most widely practised faith in Turkey, the country’s legislation does not designate a state religion. Throughout Turkey, Turks make up the majority of the population.
Turkic communities are said to have emerged in the Middle East in the seventh century across Central Asia.
One of the foremost widely spoken Turkic ethnicities is Turkish, popularly known as Istanbul Turkish. Around 90 million population speaks Turkish as a first language.
Turkish is represented by a Latin alphabet that replaced the Imperial Turkish letters and numbers in the early twentieth century.
Although Islam is the most widely practised creed in Turkey, the country’s legislation does not recognize any legal religion. The old Oghuz communication is subdivided into the Turkish language.
The ancient Turkic citizens were derived from cultivated groups in Northeast Asia that migrated west of the Appalachian Mountains into Mongolia in the late 3rd century BC, adopting a pastoral culture.
These people had evolved into horse herders by the early first century BC.
The steppe inhabitants of Central Asia seemed to have been gradually supplanted and Turkified by East Asian migratory Turks as they moved out of Mongolia in succeeding generations.
Main Differences Between The Kurds and The Turks
- Turks or Turkish people are humans who live in Turkey and come from a variety of cultures, faiths, and nationalities. Kurds are an ethnic community that may be found in Turkey and other regions of the world.
- Turks speak Turkish; Kurds are multilingual and speak two or more tongues. They are fluent in the languages of the countries in which they dwell, such as Turkish, Egyptian, Arabic, and Kurdistan.
- Kurds are predominantly Sunni Muslims, with a significant Shia minority; Turks are predominantly Muslim, although the nation is secular.
- The Kurdish dialect is preferred by Kurds. Turks speak Turkish as their first language. Kurdish belongs to the Indo-Iranian language family. The Turkic dialect is Turkish.
- Kurdish is linked to the Kurdistan region. The Roman Empire is related to Turkish. Kurdish people do not have their own country. Turkey is regarded as a nation-state by the Turkish community.
- https://academiccommons.columbia.edu/doi/10.7916/D83N21GZ
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0147176714000170
Last Updated : 13 July, 2023
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The comparison between the two cultures is quite fascinating, it’s interesting to read about their different languages and religions.
Yes, and how Kurds and Turks have diverse religious beliefs is really interesting.
Yes, it’s very enlightening to learn about the Kurds and the Turks’ religious beliefs, languages, and history.
Absolutely, and this post does an excellent job laying out the key differences and similarities between the two.
Indeed, a well-researched and engaging article.
A comprehensive and educational read about the Kurdish and Turkish people.
This post provides a lot of valuable information about the Kurds and Turks’ history, language and culture.
Absolutely, and it’s great to learn about their geographical areas and writing systems too.
Yes, indeed, the history of the Kurds and Turks is truly fascinating.
It’s important to understand and respect different cultures.
This is very informative and provides a great, detailed look at the Kurdish and Turkish people.