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Almelek Kitap İndeksi

Manifesto

Manifesto

Why did we set up AAKA as a Search Engine

Every work of literature or research is in itself a source of information. A good writer is capable not only of creating characters in a specific setting but also of indicating their way of life and cultural background. We may say that a well-written book contains encyclopedic knowledge in proportion to its scope. So we may use the term ‘a fount of knowledge’ for writers whose works are included here. How is access to this important “thumbnail” information in their works obtained? This is where AAKA comes to the fore. I have worked for many years on bookmarking words which concern Human Culture and a search engine for these is attached. The process is systematized through certain rules set up according to a personal viewpoint.  Different words derived from the same root or subject matter are listed in the more than 70,000 items given.  For example there are 5 entries under which to find the Pera Palace Hotel: Pera, Palace, Hotel, Pera Palace, Pera Palace Hotel. In accordance with this system I have created a lexicon which deals with research into human culture.

 

What categories of works are used by AAKA?

Genres used in all the recommended forms of literature contained in AAKA :

Novel, Poetry, Short Story, Play, Field (Psychology etc.), Anecdote, Article, Research, Biography, Autobiography

 

Who are the people targeted by AAKA Design Project:

Any person seeking information on every kind of subject may profit from using AAKA. I use the term ‘Information Seeker’ for such people, including myself. The term ‘Researcher’, of course, includes those doing research into a particular subject, such as students from primary school level  to university, including those taking a master’s or a doctorate degree, and all teachers, lecturers and intellectuals  as well as members of the press ( journalists and writers).
Researchers will find the words they are looking for under the keyword  HUMANITY, especially those interested in history or literature. Information on behavioural sciences may be accessed in works by foreign and native writers under the title MANKIND, a word in universal use. Information in many branches of learning may be found by using the AAKA Search Engine. This will be of great service to  multi-cultural researchers and information seekers.

 

Keywords for use with AAKA

(These are the categories to use for general information on a specific subject)

  • Customs, Traditions, Superstition, Flora, Scientific terms, Concepts, Subjects ( Chemistry, Physics, Biology, Medicine, Psychology etc. )
  • Proverbs, Sayings, Idioms, Religion and Religious Terminology, Concepts
  • Literature (Turkish and foreign, titles, Literary terms)
  • Titles of Foreign Works (in Literature, Music, Art, Cinema, Science)
  • Goods (Furniture, Toys, Tools/Instruments used in Hobbies etc.)
  • Clothing (Women’s, Men’s)
  • Animals, Emotions, Feelings (Love, Fear, Hatred, Loneliness etc.)
  • Names of People (known, little known,  important)
  • Names of Novels, Plays, Short Stories, Heroes and Characters
  • Places (City,Town,Village, Country, Mountain, Gulf, Bay, River, Stream, Sea etc.)
  • Music ( Instruments,Terms, Sounds etc.)
  • Human Diversity (Nationality, Ethnic group, Religious Affiliation. Etc)
  • Colours (especially poetical terminology)
  • Painting (Artists, Artistic terms)
  • Art  (all branches)
  • Cinema (Studios, film-stars, cinematographic terminology)
  • Vocabulary (Structural use of  unfamiliar words)
  • Sports terminology
  • Historical Events  in particular those during the period 1850-1980 as well as others before and after that)
  • Food and Drink- terminology and culture
  • Many other items

 

What method should be used to search through the tens of thousands of words used in the works?

The reason for setting up  AAKA was to familiarize researchers with the process used to describe the human situation. Let us take this sentence:

“The man entered the room and sat down on a chair.”  None of these words are bookmarked in the AAKA as there is no ambiguity.  However, in the sentence: “Tevfik Fikret took a phaeton to go to his home in Asiyan,” AAKA has the following entries:

Tevfik Fikret:  an important Turkish poet
Asiyan: a place name
Phaeton: a horse-drawn vehicle used at that time

 

How to use AAKA

If the word you require is contained in AAKA, the work in which it is used and the page number in the book will appear. All you have to do is find a copy of the book. Under International Internet Copyright Law the actual page of the book may not be shown on the web-site. The number of works read on each subject will vary according to the intellectual level and interest of the reader. AAKA does not pretend to be exhaustive on any subject but is simply a device to minimize the time spent on research. Keywords provide time-saving and easy access by giving the title of the work and page number for the required information. There is, however, no guarantee that the information given will be of benefit.

Our aim is simply to provide a useful service.  If this is realized, I will be very happy. I began this work for my own personal benefit and found it very useful in my research, then and now. I hope AAKA will live up to my expectations by being of benefit to others also.

AAKA Creator and Founder
Alper Almelek