Günay Kut is an academic known for her scholarly contributions, educational identity, and intellectual perspective in the field of Turkology, having made significant contributions to Türkiye’s culture and literary history. Throughout her life, her passion for literature and cultural heritage, intertwined with her academic work, has served as a source of inspiration for a wide audience of students.

Günay Kut was born in Bayburt. Her father, a veterinarian from Balıkesir, was assigned to Bayburt due to his professional duties. While studying veterinary medicine in Istanbul, her father became an intellectual figure who met prominent names such as Şâik Gökyay like. Growing up in an environment where familial bonds were interwoven with literature and culture, Günay Kut was deeply influenced by her father’s love for literature. Her mother is from a family in Trabzon. While growing up in this atmosphere, Günay Kut was also shaped by the personal stories of her family members. For instance, her father’s early interest in reading the works of Nazım Hikmet and Orhan Şaik Gökyay helped shape the cultural fabric of the household. Her sister, Gönül Tekin, holds an important place in Günay Kut’s life and academic journey. Gönül Tekin later made significant contributions to Turkology, working in the same field as her sister.

Günay Kut’s childhood and the cultural environment in which she was raised hold a vital place in her life. She shares memories of this period to illuminate the origins of her cultural heritage and the compelling family narratives that influenced her;

"...Even before starting primary school, I used to hear from my late grandmother (my father’s mother) the famous quatrain from Yunus:

A stranger has died, they say,

They wail three days later,

They wash him with cold water,

Thus they treat the poor and wretched.

I would see her reading one of the books on her bedside table whenever it was empty. At the time, I never asked what it was. Later, I learned it was Kara Davud. Again, during third and fourth grade, she used to read us the Battâl-nâme. The summer nights were long. At that time, we did not yet have a radio at home. My grandmother would sit us two siblings down and read us the adventures of Battal. The next evening, we would beg her to continue. If you ask me what remains in my memory, I would say 'nothing' except for one subject. But to us, Battal was a hero, superior to everyone else and sharp-eyed. The part that stayed with me was the episode involving Kara Koncolos. She also had another book from which, for some reason, she would read us passages about paradise. Much later, after entering my profession, I learned that this book was the Muhammediyye. My grandmother was also a very interesting woman. She was fond of folk tales and would tell them to us in the Trabzon dialect. My sister published six of these tales. The other six were on her husband Şinasi Tekin Bey’s computer. After his death, that computer could never be opened again. The stories stored there were never published..."

These memories are among the essential elements that laid the foundations of Günay Kut’s literary and cultural heritage.

Due to her father’s profession, Günay Kut lived in various cities throughout her childhood and completed her primary and secondary education in Aydın. Subsequently, at her family’s decision, she was sent to Istanbul to continue her high school education. During her studies in Istanbul, social upheavals such as the 6–7 September 1955 events influenced her family’s life and decisions. In 1956, she began her studies at the Department of Turkology at Istanbul University, where she had the opportunity to learn from distinguished scholars of the time. Under the guidance of Reşit Rahmeti Arat, Faruk Timurtaş, Ahmet Caferoğlu, Ali Nihat Tarlan, Fahir İz, and Mehmet Kaplan, she received an intensive academic education. During this period, the courses she took at Çapa Higher Teacher Training School strengthened her pedagogical approach. Although Günay Kut was scheduled to graduate in 1960, her education was delayed due to the 27 May Coup. However, this difficult process did not cause her to abandon her academic goals; on the contrary, it strengthened her academic determination.

Günay Kut’s academic career advanced rapidly thanks to her deep interest in Turkology and her discipline. In her research, Kut addressed both classical Turkish literature and people literature, producing significant studies in these fields. In particular, the education she received from leading scholars of her time refined her critical and analytic perspective. Faruk Timurtaş’s courses on the Turkish language and literature reinforced Günay Kut’s interest in this domain, while Fahir İz’s analyses of Turkish literature enriched her academic viewpoint. The inspiration she drew from Ali Nihat Tarlan’s studies on Ottoman literature became one of the key elements shaping her academic identity.

Together with her sister Gönül Tekin, Günay Kut attended weekly night classes (8:30–12:00) with Orhan Şaik Gökyay at Çapa Higher Teacher Training School. Günay Kut maintained a lifelong relationship with her teacher and learned various aspects of research methodology from him. She deepened her literary knowledge by observing and studying dictionaries and other sources in Orhan Şaik Gökyay’s immediate circle. Additionally, through her collaborative critical edition work on the Zati Divanı with Ali Nihat Tarlan, she gained substantial expertise in this field.

Günay Kut’s life reflects a dedicated academic journey devoted to Turkology and Turkish literature. The cultural heritage inherited from her family and strong academic guidance were decisive factors in shaping her career.

On 29 October 2024, at a special ceremony held at the Presidency Complex Exhibition Hall, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan announced the recipients of the "2024 Presidency Culture and Art Grand Award." Nine individuals were honored across categories including Science, Culture, Literature, Music, Cinema, Theater, Librarianship, and Crafts, among them the late director Halit Refiğ, who passed away in 2009.

In the Science and Culture category, Professor Emeritus Dr. Günay Kut of Boğaziçi University’s Department of Turkish Language and Literature, alongside Professor Dr. Gönül Tekin, who continues her work in the same field, was among the awardees this year. This award once again recognized nationally Günay Kut’s contributions to Turkology and marked a significant milestone in her academic career.

^{President Erdoğan presents the award to Günay Kut (left). (}AA⁾

The opening of the Günay-Turgut Kut Special Library took place on 1 November 2024 in Rami Library. The library, composed of books donated by Professor Dr. Günay Kut to the Presidency of Türkiye Manuscripts Institution, was inaugurated by Deputy Minister of Culture and Tourism Batuhan Mumcu, Coşkun Yılmaz, President of Türkiye Manuscripts Institution, and Professor Dr. Günay Kut. The Günay-Turgut Kut Special Library will serve researchers at Rami Library, No. 177.

^{Opening of the special library. (}YEK⁾

Günay Kut’s academic career includes numerous significant work. In addition to projects, exhibitions, and thesis supervision, she has published 24 books, 172 article, and 61 paper. Below are some of her key works. For detailed information, her own compiled to the list may be consulted.

1977

1. Contemporary Turkish Short Stories: An Intermediate Reader. Edited by Richard L. Chambers and Günay Kut (Alpay). Minneapolis and Chicago: Bibliotheca Islamica, 1977.

1978

2. Heşt Bihişt: The Tezkire by Sehi Beg, An Analysis of the First Biographical Work on Ottoman Poets with a Critical Edition Based on MS. Süleymaniye Library, Ayasofya O. 3544. Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University, 1978.

1983

3. Ormanda Yaşam=Das Leben im Wald. With Meral Alpay. Translated into German by Zeynep Sayın. Istanbul: Building and Credit Bankası, 1983.

1984

4. Yazma Eserlerde Vakıf Mühürleri. With Nimet Bayraktar. Ankara: Ministry of Culture and Tourism, 1984.

1986

5. Et-Terkibât fî Tabhi'l-hulviyyât: Tatlı Pişirme Tarifleri. Ankara: Ministry of Culture and Tourism, 1986.

1989

6. Tercüman Gazetesi Kütüphanesi Türkçe Yazmaları Kataloğu. Istanbul: Interpreter Gazetesi, 1989.

7. Orhan Şaik Gökyay: Hayatı ve Eserleri. Ankara: Ministry of Culture, 1989.

1996

8. Mehmed Râ'if: Mir’ât-ı İstanbul: I. Cild Asya Yakası. Edited and annotated by Günay Kut and Hatice Aynur. Istanbul: Çelik Gülersoy Vakfı, 1996.

1999

9. Türk Lehçeleri Üzerine Bir Deneme. With Esra Karabacak and Nesrin Altun. Istanbul: Boğaziçi University, 1999.

2001

10. Muhibbî Dîvânı: Nuruosmaniye Kütüphanesi No 3873'teki Karamemi Tezhipli Nüshasının Tıpkıbasımı. Introduction by Günay Kut. Ankara: Ministry of Culture, 2001.

2003

11. Şemsi Ahmed Paşa: Şeh-name-i Sultan Murad. With Nimet Bayraktar. Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University, Department of Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations, 2003.

12. Nureddin Abdurrahman İbni Ahmed-i Cami: Beşinci Taht: Yusuf ve Züleyha. Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University, 2003.

13. Turkish Manuscripts in the Bodleian Library. Compiled by Günay Kut. Oxford: Oxford University, 2003.

14. Ali Şîr Nevâî, Garâ’ibü’s-sıgar: İnceleme, Karşılaştırmalı Metin. Compiled by Günay Kut. Ankara: Turkish Language Association, 2003.

2005

15. Yazmalar Arasında: Eski Türk Edebiyatı Araştırmaları 1. Edited by Fatma Büyükkarcı Yılmaz. Istanbul: Simurg, 2005.

2010

16. Rumelihisarı Şehitlik Dergâhı Mezar Taşları. With Edhem Eldem. Istanbul: Boğaziçi University Publications, 2010.

2012

17. Boğaziçi Üniversitesi, Kandilli Rasathanesi ve Deprem Araştırma Enstitüsü Kütüphanesi Kataloğu. With Hatice Aynur. Istanbul: Boğaziçi University, 2012.

18. Acâibü’l-Mahlûkât: İnceleme ve Tıpkıbasım. Compiled by Günay Kut. Istanbul: Presidency of Türkiye Manuscripts Institution, 2012.

2014

19. İstanbul Araştırmaları Enstitüsü Yazmaları Kataloğu. With Zehra Toska, Fatma Büyükkarcı Yılmaz, Tülay Gençtürk Demircioğlu, and Arzu Atik. Istanbul: Istanbul Research Institute, 2014.

20. Mir’âtü’l-fevâ’id fî Terâcimi Meşâhiri Âmid: Diyarbakır Ulemâ ve Eşrâfı, Mukaddime, Cilt 1 Ali Emîrî. Edited by Günay Kut, Mesud Öğmen, and Abdullah Demir. 2 vols. Istanbul: Presidency of Türkiye Manuscripts Institution, 2014.

2021

21. Yazma Eserlerde Vakıf Mühürleri. Second edition. Günay Kut – Nimet Bayraktar. Edited with additions by Ahmet Çınar and Tenzile Şahal. Arabic translation by Muhammed Şahin and Muhammed Fatih Ünlü. Istanbul: Presidency of Türkiye Manuscripts Institution, 2021.

1961

1. Zati ve Şem‘ ü Pervane Mesnevisi. Türk Dili ve Edebiyatı Dergisi XI (1961): 129–142.

1964

2. Refî'î. İslâm Ansiklopedisi, vol. IX. Ankara: National Ministry of National Education, 1964: 668.

3. Rıza. İslâm Ansiklopedisi, vol. IX. Ankara: Ministry of National Education, 1964: 727–728.

1965

4. Ghalatat-ı Meshure. The Encyclopaedia of Islam, New Edition, vol. II. Leiden and London: 997.

1971

5. British Museum'daki Türkçe Yazmalar Üzerine Notlar. Türk Dili Araştırmaları Yıllığı-Belleten, 1971: 209–230.

6. Hakim Ata: Bir Hayatı İnceleme. Türk Dili Araştırmaları Yıllığı-Belleten, 1971: 179–230.

1973

7. Aşkî ve Heft Peyker Çevirisi. Türk Dili Araştırmaları Yıllığı-Belleten 1972. Ankara: Turkish Language Association, 1973: 127–151.

1974

8. Gazâlî'nin Mekke'den İstanbul'a Yolladığı Mektup ve Ona Yazılan Cevaplar. Türk Dili Araştırmaları Yıllığı-Belleten 1973–74. Ankara: Turkish Language Association, 1974: 223–252.

1976

9. Lami’i Çelebi and His Works. Journal of Near Eastern Studies XXXV, No. 2 (1976): 73–93.

1977

10. Bursa ve Manisa İl-Halk Kütüphanelerindeki Bazı Türkçe Yazmalar Üzerine. Journal of Turkish Studies – Türklük Bilgisi Araştırmaları I. Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University, 1977: 121–147.

1978

11. Fürkat-name. Türk Dili Araştırmaları Yıllığı-Belleten 1977. Ankara: Turkish Language Association, 1978: 333–353.

1980

12. Literary Perspectives: Manuscript Libraries in Istanbul. Current Turkish Thought, No. 43 (1980): 1–36.

1981

13. Yazmalar Arasında: Mizahi Bir Lugat. Milli Kültür II, Nos. 6–8 (November 1980–January 1981): 69–71.

1983

14. Kanunî'nin Oğulları Sultan Bayezid ve Sultan Cihangir'in Sünnet Düğünlerindeki Ziyafetler. Catering Gourmet (1983): 18–21.

1986

15. Mihr ü Mah. Türk Dili ve Edebiyatı Ansiklopedisi, vol. VI. Istanbul: Dergâh, 1986: 332–333.

1988

16. Abdülvâsi Çelebi. Türkiye Diyanet Vakfı İslâm Ansiklopedisi, vol. I. Istanbul: Türkiye Diyanet Vakfı, 1988: 283–284.

1991

17. Yunus'un Hayatı ve Şiirleri. Kadıköy Anadolu Lisesi (1991).

1999

18. Türk Lehçeleri Üzerine Bir Deneme. Proje Çalışmaları (1999).

2012

19. Acâibü’l-Mahlûkât Çalışmaları. Süleymaniye Yazma Eserler (2012).

2015

20. Bedr-i Dilşâd’ın Murâd-nâme’si Üzerine. Sultan II. Murad ve Dönemi (2015): 91–99.

1976

1. Türk Edebiyatında Şem‘ ü Pervâne Mesnevisi ve Kaynakları. II. International Turkology Congress. Istanbul, 4–9 October 1976.

1982

2. Esîrî ve Sergüzeşt-nâmesi. IV. International Turkology Congress. Istanbul, 20–25 September 1982.

1985

3. Yazma Katalog Çalışmaları. Library Week. Istanbul, 27 March 1985.

4. Acâibü’l-mahlûkât’ın Türkçe Çevirileri Üzerine. V. International Turkology Congress. Istanbul, 23–28 September 1985.

1986

5. Şehzade Cihangir ve Bayezid’in Sünnet Düğünlerindeki Yemekler Üzerine. III. International Turk Folklore Congress. İzmir, 23–29 June 1986.

6. Şirvânî’nin Yemek Kitabı Çevirisine Eklediği Yemekler Üzerine. I. International Food Congress. Istanbul–Ankara–Konya, 23–30 September 1986.

7. Türkçe’nin Sözlü ve Yazılı Kullanımında Yapılan Hatalar ve Bunların Düzeltilmesi. Boğaziçi University, 29–30 September 1986.

8. Some Important Points to be Considered in the Cataloguing and Editing of Turkish Manuscripts. Symposium on Textual Tradition and the Editing of Persian and Turkish Texts. Leiden, 16–18 October 1986.

1987

9. Mevlânâ Celâleddin-i Rûmî. Süleymaniye Library, 17 December 1987.

1988

10. Kanunî Devrinde Edebiyat Hayatı. Marmara University, 18 December 1988.

11. Türk Mutfağında Çorba Çeşitleri. International Food Symposium. Istanbul, Beyazıt, 8 September 1988.

1989

12. Türk Edebiyatında Hint Edebiyatı İzleri. Marmara University, 5 April 1989.

1991

13. Yunus Emre’yi Anlamak. Edirnekapı Halk Kütüphanesi, 20 February 1991.

14. Yunus’un Hayatı ve Şiirleri. Kadıköy Anatolia High School, 8 March 1991.

15. Bodleian Kütüphanesi'nde Şark El Yazmaları. 27th Library Week. Istanbul, 29 March 1991.

16. Yunus’u Anlamak. Marmara University, 2 May 1991.

17. Nasreddin Hoca Hikâyeleri Yazmaları Üzerine Bir Deneme. IV. International Congress on Turkish Folk Culture. Antalya, 6 May 1991.

18. 13. Yüzyılda Anadolu’da Gelişen Türk Şiiri. IV. Turkish Soviet Colloquium. Konya, 12–19 June 1991.

19. Yunus’u Anlamak. IRCICA, 2 November 1991.

20. Yunus’un Şiirleri. Süleymaniye Library, 2 November 1991.