Yes, I am aware of that aspect of the war in the Balkans. And it goes on in other parts of the world today, yes? ... But I wonder if the Ottomans would have conscripted people from all over the empire. Perhaps some men from far away had to come join this fight? If you are losing so many men in single battles, you might have to draw on very distant resources. This was not long before Çanakkale, correct? I don´t know the sequence of events really, but the Turks must have known they were in a huge struggle even before these two huge losses of men.

I would recommend you to read the beginning  of this column about the sequences of the events during that year-from mid 1914 to mid 1915-. (http://www.turkishclass.com/columns/thehandsom/2010/06/10/armenian-question--iii--medz-yeghern-buyuk-facia)  This incident, Sarikamis incident was very important to the entire nation at the time and we are still facing the consequences of it. (it is much more important  than just a song about 100.000 deads) The entire Armenian deportation was related to this incident. If it was not Sarikamis, the history could have happened in a different way. Enver pasha banned the new papers in Istanbul, writing about this incident for example. When  the failure started to emerge, he had to create a cause to unite people and divert people´s attention. Then, the Armenian deportation happened.  Because of Armenian deportation, allied countries pretty determined to punish the perpetrators. Then the most charismatic generals like Enver/Cemal had to leave. Then ´sari pasa´/Ataturk was the only one who remained behind and he established Turkey...   

Teşekkürler, thehandsome. I have read your column and some of the discussion afterward. I hesitate to talk about these questions because I can see they are extremely complicated even for the people who know about them, and I am just learning. But one question: Before the horrible events of the WWI era, did Turks and Armenians generally get along? Is all the animosity that seems to still exist today stem solely from these events in the early part of the 20th century? (Armenians in America feel very strongly about this issue, as I´m sure you know.) As someone noted in the discussion at the end of your article, it is a shame that Turkey and the Armenians cannot find some resolution all these years later. It would be better for both peoples. ... I don´t want to start an argument here, so please, everyone, take my comments in the spirit they are intended -- in peace. ... Teşekkür ederim.

I think an endless discussion is about to begin. I hope I am wrong. But if someone wants to discuss this issue please let him do it in another topic. Because I want this topic to be about only folk music.

Yes, I agree. Let´s start another thread. Sorry, gokuyum.

Rule of the thumb is "I want doesn´t  get" Gokuyum

But do not worry, I was not trying to interfere with anything. It was just the case that I wanted to add some historical facts about the song you tried to translate.

I believe yes. Also see the following thread:

http://www.turkishclass.com/forumTitle_47799

Acem Kızı

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D92ZknbCUwc

Çırpınıp da Şanova´ya çıkınca 

Eğlen şanova´da kal acem kızı

Uğrun uğrun kaş altından bakınca 

Can telef ediyor gül acem kızı 

When you get to the Şanova after struggling

Rest on Şanova stay there Persian girl

When she secretly looks at under her eyebrows

Rose-like Persian girl wastes lives 

Seni seven oğlan neylesin malı 

Yumdukça gözünden döker mercanı 

Burnu fındık ağzı kahve fincanı 

Şeker mi şerbet mi bal acem kızı

What is the use of possession for the boy who loves you?

He cries corals when he shuts his eyes

Her nose is a hazelnut, her mouth is a coffee cup

Is honey-like Persian girl a sweet or sherbet?

This is a song of a love strory. (Of course it ended badly) 

Ne kadar güzellll müzik, beğendim  Teşekkürler Gokuyum!

Gökhan Kırdar - Kerpiç Kerpiç Üstüne Kurdum Binayı

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qDW9vGRCXn8

Çok güzel, gokuyum. Another song to add to my list of favorites. Some questions:

1) Gel barisalim baban kiysin nikahi

Of course, I don´t really know what I am looking at, but in the above line, why do you not translate the "gel"? Would it not be "Come, let us reconcile." That is such a nice line.

2) Kerpic kerpic ustune kurdum binayi

When I try to translate Turkish lyrics, it often seems to me that the usual word order shifts. Isn´t that true in the above line?: The verb comes before the object here -- kurdum binayı. Is this happening simply for poetic effect? Or do these lyrics come from a time when the word order might have been different? For instance, Shakespeare might not say things in the same order we do today in English.

(I hope my questions aren´t stupid.)

Tekrar teşekkür ederim.