The name “Turkey” has a fascinating history, evolving over centuries to reflect the changing political and cultural landscape of the region. While the modern nation-state officially adopted the name “Türkiye” in 2021, let’s delve into the origins and evolution of this moniker.
From “T√ºrk” to “Turkey”:
The name “Turkey” originates from the Medieval Latin term “Turquia,” which itself stemmed from the autonym “T√ºrk” used by the Turkic people. This term, first recorded in the 6th century, referred to the Göktürks, a nomadic confederation in Central Asia. As the Turkic people migrated and established empires across Eurasia, the term “T√ºrk” spread, eventually becoming associated with the region we now know as Turkey.
Land of the Turks:
The English name “Turkey” literally translates to “land of the Turks,” reflecting the region’s historical dominance by Turkic populations. This usage can be traced back to the Middle Ages, appearing in works by Geoffrey Chaucer and William Shakespeare.
Official Name Changes:
In 1923, following the collapse of the Ottoman Empire, the newly formed republic officially adopted the name “Türkiye Cumhuriyeti” (Republic of Turkey). However, the English name “Turkey” remained in widespread use internationally.
Embracing “T√ºrkiye”:
In 2021, the Turkish government officially requested that the international community use the name “T√ºrkiye” instead of “Turkey.” This move aimed to align the English name with the Turkish spelling and pronunciation, reflecting the country’s cultural identity and distinguishing it from the English word for the bird.
A Name, a History:
The name “Turkey” has served as a testament to the region’s rich history, reflecting the cultural and political shifts that have shaped the land. From its origins as a term for the Turkic people to its official adoption as the name of the modern nation-state, “Turkey” continues to evolve, embracing its cultural heritage while forging a new path on the world stage.
Additional Notes:
- The name “T√ºrkiye” is pronounced “Tur-kee-yeh,” with emphasis on the second syllable.
- The UN officially recognized the name change to “T√ºrkiye” in June 2022.
- The term “Turkiye” is also used in other languages, such as French (“Turquie”) and German (“Türkei”).
Beyond the Name:
While the name “Turkey” has evolved over time, the land itself boasts a rich history and vibrant culture. From ancient civilizations to modern metropolises, Turkey offers a captivating blend of history, art, and natural beauty, waiting to be explored.
Official Name Change of Turkey (the Country)
In December 2021, a communiqué issued by the Turkish President’s Office instructed the public to refer to the country as Türkiye instead of Turkey in all their international communications. The communiqué also called for Turkish exporters to label their merchandise as Made in Türkiye instead of Made in Turkey as an official follow-up to the announcement made by the Turkish professional association of exporters a year earlier.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan asked the public in the communiqué to exercise “necessary sensitivity” and refer to their country without using the English Turkey, the Italian Türkei, or the French Turquie. The name Türkiye “is the best representation and expression of the culture, civilization, and values of the Turkish nation,” according to the communique. ”.
According to Turkish media, however, the real reason was the touchiness of the current government on account of sharing its name, albeit only in English, with a delicious yet extraordinarily ugly bird. Such association must run contrary to the Turkish government’s well-documented nationalistic aspirations. As the public TRT channel explained in one of its online articles, the definition given by the Cambridge Dictionary for the word turkey is that of “a stupid or silly person” or someone who “fails badly.”
The UN reportedly acknowledged receipt of the official request from the Turkish government and pledged to abide by it after that. It’s debatable if the UN should or can force other nations to alter their approaches to Turkey. For the Turkish government’s request is hardly an ordinary one.
Sure, other countries have occasionally rebranded themselves by changing their official names. However, the Turkish government is also requesting that other nations rename Turkey officially instead of using its current name. The Turkish government appears to believe that other governments should disregard their linguistic and historical foundations.
Endonyms and Exonyms: What We Call Ourselves and What Others Call Us
Is the Turkish government correct to be so sensitive about the seemingly unflattering association with a large North American bird grown for food, or the flesh?
What would help in understanding this predicament is the underlying distinction between endonyms (or autonyms) and exonyms, or what Paul Woodman called the “great toponymic divide.” To clarify, all toponyms (placenames) have at least two names: a common, native placename chosen by people living in that place (endonym) and an established, non-native name given and used only by people living outside of that place (exonym).
The inevitability of the differences in names frequently reflects the fundamental conflict at the heart of the human condition: our urge to name things differently in order to distinguish the world into “ours” and “theirs,” and our desire to own and unify through renaming. Paul Woodman correctly noted that this is where the great divide is found and the cause of many historical disputes and conflicts.
“Human nature being what it is, exonyms are liable to be pejorative rather than complimentary, especially where there is a real or imagined difference in cultural level between the ingroup and the outgroup,” explained linguist James Matisoff, who coined the term autonym (endonym) to describe such conflicts. Furthermore, a group’s autonym is frequently egocentric, equating the name of the people with “mankind in general” or the name of the language with “human speech,” according to Matisoff’s further writing. ”.
Why is Turkey rebranding as Türkiye? – BBC News
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