Prof. Agop Martayan, an Armenian linguist, introduced the Latin alphabet to Turkey and was in charge of the conversion of Ottoman Turkish to modern Turkish. In gratitude, Ataturk nicknamed him Dilacar (“the one who unlocks the language). Whenever his name is mentioned in Turkish books, he is identified as A. Dilacar. When he died in 1978, Turkish media called him Adil Dilacar. As they have done with many other Armenians who have contributed to Turkey, Prof. Martayan’s Armenian origin remains secret in the country.

Prof. Agop Martayan, an Armenian linguist, introduced the Latin alphabet to Turkey and was in charge of the conversion of Ottoman Turkish to modern Turkish. In gratitude, Ataturk nicknamed him Dilacar (“the one who unlocks the language). Whenever his name is mentioned in Turkish books, he is identified as A. Dilacar. When he died in 1978, Turkish media called him Adil Dilacar. As they have done with many other Armenians who have contributed to Turkey, Prof. Martayan’s Armenian origin remains secret in the country.