A Reply to "Haftaya Bakış" Newspaper

A few days ago, I published an article in my column in the Yeşil Iğdır newspaper titled "A few notes on Azerbaijani and Kurdish...". With a literary professor responding to this article in the online newspaper Haftaya Bakış, run by my esteemed teacher Akay Aktaş, and putting forward his own views, it became necessary for me to clarify the matter to the public. Believing that good and correct ideas emerge through mature and civilized discussions, I present this article to the attention of my readers:

To help my reader understand my main theses and views, I would like to list my thoughts point by point:

1. First and foremost, why did the "Professor of Literature" who responded to me refrain from openly stating his name? In important discussions like this, it is crucial for readers to know the names of the parties involved, both as a sign of respect for the reader and to lend a level of seriousness to the discussion. Above all, I consider it a disrespect shown to me personally.
2. The esteemed author emphasizes that I claimed the word "Azeri" was invented by the Russians, and from this premise, he makes his own assessment. In my article, I stated the opposite. If you wish, let me bring this section from my article "A few notes on Azerbaijani and Kurdish..." to your attention again:

“First, I would like to write my views on Azerbaijani / Azeri / Azerbaijani Turkish. First, some commonly held misconceptions need to be corrected: "The word 'Azeri' was invented by the Russians; its purpose was to sever the connection of Azerbaijani Turks with their brothers in Turkey and to disrupt their social integrity." This statement does not reflect the truth. The Russians called all Turks in their empire "Tatar." They never used the word "Azeri." The word "Azeri" was used by Iranians.”

Dear reader, as can be understood from the above quote, in the sense of "correcting commonly held misconceptions," I referred to a widespread belief among the public (that the word Azeri was invented by the Russians) and immediately thereafter, by saying "This statement does not reflect the truth," I tried to correct this misconception. However, the author professor misunderstood my statement and developed a counter-argument based on it. Does our author professor friend know what the phrase "commonly held misconceptions" means? First, I advise him to read and understand the author he intends to criticize carefully. Although I wrote that the word Azeri was first used by Iranians, the esteemed author tries to prove the opposite by giving historical examples, as if I had claimed the contrary. What a strange and ridiculous situation!

1. From the 17th century onwards, the Russians called the Azerbaijani population living in the Caucasus "Tatar," and even French, German, and foreign ethnologists and linguists used this definition in their writings. The author professor used the phrase that this usage was "partially" so. This is not true. There are hundreds of references on this matter. I draw your attention to the fact that the word "Tatar" was used instead of "Azeri or Azerbaijani Turk" in the English text below, which I quoted from a source known for its seriousness:

REFERENCE: http://www.wikizeroo.net/index.php?q=aHR0cHM6Ly9lbi53aWtpcGVkaWEub3JnL3dpa2kvQXJtZW5pYW7igJNUYXRhcl9tYXNzYWNyZXNfb2ZfMTkwNeKAkzA3

ENGLISH TEXT

The Armenian–Tatar massacres refers to the bloody inter-ethnic confrontation between Armenians and Azerbaijanis (at the time commonly referred to as "Caucasian Tatars" or "Tatars of the Caucasus") throughout the Russian Caucasus in 1905–1907

According to Van Der Leeuw clashes started in early February 1905 over the killing of a Tatar schoolboy and shopkeeper by Armenians. 126 Tatars (Azeris) and 218 Armenians were killed during four days of fighting in Baku. 

TRANSLATION

The Armenian-Tatar massacres refer to the bloody inter-ethnic confrontation between Armenians and Azerbaijanis (at the time commonly referred to as "Caucasian Tatars" or "Tatars of the Caucasus") between 1905-1907.

According to Van Der Leeuw, clashes began in early February 1905 over the killing of a Tatar schoolboy and shopkeeper by Armenians. During four days of fighting in Baku, 126 Tatars (Azeris) and 218 Armenians were killed.

***

Dear reader, as can be understood from the above statement, even at the beginning of the 19th century, the Russians (and naturally, foreigners who referred to them) called the Azerbaijani population "Tatar." This naming was complete, not "partial" as the professor author claims.

1. The professor author states that the Russians used the word "Tatar" not in the sense of "ethnos" but "Muslim." However, the text whose translation I provided above clearly mentions the term "inter-ethnic confrontation," which in Turkish translates to "ethnic conflict between groups." No religious reference is made. If our professor author friend wishes, I can present hundreds of examples to his attention.
2. Now let's get to the most important point: My main thesis is this: Azerbaijani Turkish / Azeri / Azerbaijani is not a dialect of Anatolian Turkish but an independent language. The same applies to Uzbek, Kyrgyz, Turkmen, Kazakh, and other languages in the Turkic language group. Each of these languages is an independent language. They are not dialects of Turkish.
3. To better summarize the situation, I want to give two close examples: Hoch Deutsch (Standard German) and Classical Arabic (Standard Arabic). Our immigrant citizens living in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland know this fact very well. There are many dialects in Germany. For example, Schwabisch, Bayerisch, etc. If three people whose native language is German—an Austrian, a Swiss, and a German—meet in Istanbul, they can perfectly understand each other with Hoch Deutsch because newspapers and news in these countries are presented in Hoch Deutsch. I want to ask this question: If an Uzbek, a Kyrgyz, and a Kazakh were to meet in Berlin, is there a Standard Turkish they could speak? No! That's why each of these languages is an independent language; they are not dialects of a main language (!), as claimed.
4. The same applies to Classical Arabic. If an Algerian and a Syrian speak in their own dialects, it is almost impossible for them to understand each other. However, since all Arab countries use Classical Arabic in education and media, they can perfectly understand each other with Classical Arabic. Arabic is an independent language, but the others are dialects.
5. Let's come to Azerbaijani Turkish... As I stated in my previous article, South and North Azerbaijan have been divided since 1828, and over time, two independent languages have emerged: For this, I would like to draw your attention to the article I referenced below.

ENGLISH STATEMENT

REFERENCE:

http://www.wikizeroo.net/index.php?q=aHR0cHM6Ly9lbi53aWtpcGVkaWEub3JnL3dpa2kvQXplcmJhaWphbmlfbGFuZ3VhZ2U

Azerbaijani or Azeri, sometimes also Azeri Turkic or Azeri Turkish, is a term referring to two Turkic lects (North Azerbaijani and South Azerbaijani) that are spoken primarily by the Azerbaijanis, who live mainly in Transcaucasia and Iran. North Azerbaijani and South Azerbaijani have significant differences in phonology, lexicon, morphology, syntax, and loanwords. ISO 639-3 groups the two lects as a "macrolanguage".

TRANSLATION

Azerbaijani or Azeri, sometimes also referred to as Azeri Turkic or Azeri Turkish, is a term used to refer to two Turkic lects (North Azerbaijani and South Azerbaijani) spoken by Azerbaijanis living mainly in Transcaucasia and Iran. North Azerbaijani and South Azerbaijani differ significantly in phonology, lexicon, morphology, syntax, and loanwords. ISO classifies these languages as a macrolanguage (independent language).

1. A Turk speaking the Istanbul dialect can never pronounce the X and Q sounds present in Azerbaijani Turkish. Below, I have provided some words that exist in the North Azerbaijani language. Can a Turk speaking the Istanbul dialect pronounce the following words, giving justice to the letters X and Q, and most importantly, can they guess the meaning of these words? The Azerbaijani language is an independent language. It is not a dialect of Anatolian Turkish, nor is it a dialect of a superior standard Turkish (such a language does not even exist!), as is the case with Hoch Deutsch and Classical Arabic.

SOME WORDS FROM AZERBAIJANI TURKISH

• Tünd qırmızı
• Hündür
• Ədviyyəli
• Asan
• Cəld
• Yüngül
• Küylü
• Səhv
• Nahar
• Qəlyanaltı
• Küylü
• Peç
• Qənd
• Qarğıdalı
• Kartof
• Lobya
• Pələng
• Paltar
• Çəngəl
• Stəkan
• Pencək
• Karandaş
• Qayçı
• Köynək
• Çətir
• Çimərlik
• Küləkli
• Payız
• Poçtalyon
• Kvadrat
• Üçbucaq
• Səninçün darıxmışam
• Hələlik!
• Siz haradansınız?
• Siz çox xeyirxahsınız
• Mən başa düşmürəm!
• Bura piyadadır?
• Qatar vağzalı
• Kömək
• Oğru
• Xırda pulum yoxdur
• İstidir.
• Cəld ol
• Balaca
• Çiyin

In short, I "Başa düşmürəm!" (don't understand) what this professor author has written!