Enis Tataroğlu, an English teacher in Gaziantep, was inspired by a German fairy tale book he read at the age of 10 and has since learned a total of 68 languages, including English, German, and several dead languages.
The 46-year-old English teacher from Gaziantep began his language learning journey with a German fairy tale book given to him by neighbors from Germany during his elementary school years. Initially starting with German, he later learned English and began his teaching career, drawing attention with his studies.
His research in various fields such as medicine, music, and art history led him to learn different languages. Thanks to his passion, Tataroğlu has been able to learn a new language in a month, achieving a record by mastering 68 different languages.
Tataroğlu’s achievements gained further significance when he volunteered as a translator for search and rescue teams from Japan who came to Gaziantep during the Kahramanmaraş earthquakes affecting 11 provinces. This selfless effort led to him being named Teacher of the Year by the Ministry of National Education.
Having received the Teacher of the Year award, Enis Tataroğlu now aims to match Johan Vandewalle’s world record of knowing 35 languages and hopes to be listed in the Guinness World Records. Tataroğlu continues to inspire many with his determination and success in language learning.
“The book they gave me as a souvenir led me to learn languages”
Tataroğlu explained that he began learning languages with a German fairy tale book, saying, “In 1988, while on vacation in Ayvalık, Balıkesir, I saw German tourists and started talking to them with simple words. I wanted to communicate with those tourists and decided to learn the language better. At that time, our neighbors who had come from Germany were in a traffic accident in Switzerland and lost their daughter. They gave me her German books as a souvenir when I was in elementary school. Thus, I started by reading those books. The book was a part of the Thumbelina series in German. It had explanations in both Turkish and German as well as grammatical notes, which helped me learn the language.”
“I also learned Livonian and Tatar, which are dead languages”
Tataroğlu stated that he learned Livonian and Tatar, categorized as dead languages, thanks to the internet and videos, in addition to regular languages. “I started learning languages with German, then moved on to English, Dutch, and French. Bookstores also made significant contributions that I will mention with great respect. I have learned 68 languages so far, but I never attended any language school or course. I learned solely through books and the internet. Due to my interest in dead languages, I learned Livonian, a language spoken between Finland and Estonia. Although it was not easy to find resources to learn it, I managed to learn Livonian and Tibetan through the internet and videos.”
“I learn a language in a month”
Tataroğlu mentioned that he can learn a language in a month and that anyone can verify this using translation applications. “I haven’t mentioned all the languages I know yet, but I have learned 48 more languages. This number can increase as long as I have the opportunity to learn. Those who consider language learning for material gain should not pursue it. It is for those who want to serve. Those who doubt that I know so many languages can ask me anything in any language through translation applications to verify that I am telling the truth. I learn a language, including its grammar and vocabulary, in about a month, but of course, there can be words that I do not know.”
Tataroğlu hopes to evaluate the opportunity if Guinness offers it and aims to match Johan Vandewalle’s record of knowing 35 languages to get his name in the record books. He also mentioned that among the 68 languages he knows, his favorite is Megrelian.
“His work during the earthquake made him Teacher of the Year”
School Principal Cengiz İlhan praised Enis Tataroğlu for his contributions during the earthquake, saying, “I appreciate Enis teacher. He volunteered as an interpreter for search and rescue teams that came from Japan to Turkey. For this reason, our ministry selected him as Teacher of the Year last year. Additionally, Enis teacher’s knowledge of 68 languages is inspiring for us and our students. Students are aware of this and are influenced when they chat in different languages during recess. Therefore, I appreciate his work in inspiring countless students.”
