Abstract
THE TOPONYM FROM THE TESTIMONY OF THE FIRST TURKISH QUR’AN TRANSLATIONS
This study attempts to identify and evaluate the place names that corresponds to the place names in early Qur’an translations into Turkish. Place names, cultural codes that transcend from past into future, certificate of title comprise the collective memory of nations. Nations transcends their cultural codes into future by toponym. Each name that spans past to present, conveys valuable information about history.
How did Turks that entered into Islamic Cultural sphere in masses since 10th century, translate the namings that belonged to Islamic cultural sphere? Did they name each Arabic word in Turkish? Place and geographical namings are important references for one nations settlement and cultural history. Cultural and religious sphere that nations belong to, largely affect their naming conventions. That in mind, Turks entering into a new sphere with Islam, this study strives to exemplify the names given by Turks for their Arabic equivalents in historical texts that show the expressive power of Turkish.
Keywords
Early Qur’an Translations, Naming, Names of place, Historical equivalents, Toponym.
