JOURNAL OF IQRO – ЖУРНАЛ ИҚРО – IQRO JURNALI – volume 16, issue 02, 2025
ISSN: 2181-4341, IMPACT FACTOR ( RESEARCH BIB ) – 7,245, SJIF – 5,431
ILMIY METODIK JURNAL
Aynur Murad gizi Namazova
Phd student of ASPU, of the Department of Modern Azerbaijani Language, Azerbaijan
https://orcid.org/0009-0001-2498-8880
E-Posta:
WESTERN AZERBAIJAN DIALECTS AND WORDS OF TURKISH ORIGIN USED
THERE
Key words:
Turkish words, lexical, dialectology, Turkic
In the presented article, we have included in the study the words of Turkic origin used in the
Azerbaijani Turkish dialects spoken in the Western Azerbaijan region. The aim of the study is to
identify the ancient Turkic words preserved in the language of the Turks living in this region, to
explain their semantic features and phonetic changes. As a result of the study, it was found that
the Western Azerbaijani dialects have rich lexical layers and keep alive the ancient layers of the
Turkish language. Western Azerbaijan (the historical homeland of Azerbaijanis living in the
territory of present-day Armenia) has been one of the main centers of Turkic-Muslim culture for
many centuries. The dialects that emerged in this region and were passed down from generation
to generation not only have a communicative function, but are also an important source in terms
of the history and ethnolinguistics of the Turkic language. A significant part of the words used in
the West Azerbaijani dialects are of Turkic origin, reflecting the ancient Turkic identity of this
region. The West Azerbaijani dialects attract attention with their unique features. The West
Azerbaijani dialects belong to the western dialect of the Azerbaijani language. Traces of the
ancient Oghuz Turkic, morphological and phonetic archaisms, and lexical units common to other
Turkic languages are observed in these dialects. As examples of these, we can cite the
following phonetic features:
1) The transformation of “g” sounds into “y”: ayım → yelmek
2) The transformation of “k” sounds into “x”: qapi → xapı
3) The dominance of short word forms: dyğim → diğəm
Words of Turkish origin used in Western Azerbaijani dialects can be grouped according
to their various characteristics as follows:
1. Words not influenced by Arabic and Persian;
2. Turkish words indicating kinship
3. Words of objects and everyday life
The semantic and phonetic features of the Western Azerbaijani dialects have undergone
some changes. Currently, some Turkic words in these dialects have partially changed their
meaning or are in phonetically different forms. As examples of these, we can cite the following:
1) The word yaylaq is used in some regions to mean both summer pasture and “summer house”.
2) The word çalmaq is widely used not only to play music, but also to mean “to hit”.
JOURNAL OF IQRO – ЖУРНАЛ ИҚРО – IQRO JURNALI – volume 16, issue 02, 2025
ISSN: 2181-4341, IMPACT FACTOR ( RESEARCH BIB ) – 7,245, SJIF – 5,431
ILMIY METODIK JURNAL
3) Təkə – although it is a male of the goat genus, in some regions it is used to mean a rude and
aggressive person.
The Western Azerbaijani dialects have the following linguistic features:
1. Preservation of ancient Turkic words
2. Phonetic simplification and sound changes
3. Retention of morphological archaisms
4. Few words of Arabic and Persian origin
5. Richness of local ethnographic lexicon
The words of Turkic origin used in the dialects of Western Azerbaijan reflect the
ancient Turkicness of this region, its linguistic history and ethnolinguistic features. These words,
used both in archaic and living speech, constitute an important part of the dialectological treasury
of the Azerbaijani language. The collection, study and preservation of these words is important
not only for linguistics, but also for the preservation of national identity.
REFERENCES:
1. Ahmadov, F. (2005). Dialectology of Azerbaijan. Baku: Elm.
2. Mammadli, N. (2010). Lexicon of Western Azerbaijani Dialects. Baku: Tahsil.
3. Clauson, G. (1972). An Etymological Dictionary of Pre-Thirteenth-Century Turkish. Oxford:
Clarendon Press.
4. Ismayilov, R. (2018). Lexical strata in Turkic languages. Baku: Baku University Publishing
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