Turkish months
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The month names in Turkish are derived from three languages: either from Latin, Levantine Arabic (which itself took its names from Aramaic), or from a genuine Turkish word. The Arabic-Aramaic month names themselves originate in the ancient Babylonian calendar, and are therefore cognate with the names of months in the Hebrew calendar, specifically Shevat, Nisan, Tammuz and Elul. The original Babylonian months were actual lunar months, as the Hebrew months of the same names are to this day, much like months in the Islamic calendar. Turkey has used Gregorian AD year numbering officially since 1926, though Gregorian calendar dates were in use since March 1917. The names of the months from February to September had been used in the now abandoned Rumi calendar, with the other four still retaining their old Arabic/Aramaic names. In 1945, three of them received names of Turkish origin.
| English | Turkish | Etymology |
|---|---|---|
| January | ocak | Turkish origin, meaning "oven" or "stove". Literal translation of Arabic word "kānūn".[1] |
| February | şubat | Arabic origin (Šubāṭ), taken from Aramaic, ultimately from Akkadian; cognate with the Hebrew month Shevat |
| March | mart | Latin origin (Martius) |
| April | nisan | Arabic origin (Nīsān), taken from Aramaic, ultimately from Akkadian; cognate with the Hebrew month Nisan |
| May | mayıs | Latin origin Maius from the Greek Goddess Maia, who was identified with the Roman era goddess of fertility, |
| June | haziran | Arabic origin (Ḥazīrān), taken from Aramaic; from ḥzīrā’ (“boar”), by association of Sirius, which rises in the summer, with the boar-god Ninurta.[2] |
| July | temmuz | Arabic origin (Tammūz), taken from Aramaic, ultimately from Akkadian; cognate with the Hebrew month Tammuz |
| August | ağustos | Latin origin (Augustus) |
| September | eylül | Arabic origin (Aylūl), taken from Aramaic, ultimately from Akkadian; cognate with the Hebrew month Elul |
| October | ekim | Turkish origin, meaning "sowing" (of seeds) |
| November | kasım | Arabic origin word which is meaning "divider".[3] This word referring to beginning of winter. According to a Turkish weather proverb winter begins on 8 November. |
| December | aralık | Turkish origin, meaning "gap"[4] |
See also[]
- Islamic calendar
- Arabic names of calendar months
- Rumi calendar
- Hebrew calendar
- Babylonian calendar
References[]
- Months
- Turkish language