The country known in English as Turkey has pushed for the world to start spelling its name as “Türkiye” instead. This alternative spelling uses the Turkish language name and pronunciation preferred by citizens of the country.
So why do Turks spell and say Türkiye instead of Turkey? Let’s examine the history behind this change.
A Name Change Nearly A Century Old
-
Turkey officially changed its international name to Türkiye when it became a republic in 1923 after the fall of the Ottoman Empire
-
The new President Mustafa Kemal Atatürk sought to overhaul the country’s image, moving it away from its Ottoman Islamic roots towards a secular, nationalistic republic.
-
Part of this transformation involved reforming the Turkish language. As part of a language reform law in 1928, the country’s official name was declared as Türkiye.
-
The word Türkiye means “Land of the Turks” in the Turkish language. This distinguishes the nation as the homeland of the Turkish people.
-
In contrast, Turkey was based on the Medieval Latin term Turchia and the Greek word Tourkia used by Western societies historically. Turks saw these as foreign impositions.
A Name That Symbolizes Independence
For Turks, Türkiye represents the independent, sovereign Turkish Republic that emerged in 1923.
-
Adoption of Türkiye signified a break from the Ottoman Empire that dominated the region for over 600 years prior,
-
Using Türkiye reaffirmed the new republic’s nationalistic goals and identity.
-
This is why Turkey insisted on being called Türkiye in its communications with the League of Nations and in treaties after 1923
-
Domestically, citizens have referred to their country as Türkiye for the past century in Turkish language publications, school textbooks, news reports and more.
Gaining International Recognition
Though Türkiye was used domestically, most of the international community continued referring to Turkey.
Starting in 2021, the government began pushing more assertively for global adoption of Türkiye:
-
President Erdogan ordered the UN and other international bodies to formally recognize the name. Last year, Türkiye replaced Turkey across the UN system.
-
The government distributed circulars demanding foreign media, businesses and governments use Türkiye. Some complied, including the US State Department.
-
This represents a broader quest to assert Turkish identity more strongly on the world stage.
-
Advocates argue Türkiye better represents Turkish language and identity, just as Egypt is Misr in Arabic or Germany is Deutschland in German.
A Controversial Change
However, not everyone agrees with this name change.
-
Critics see it as Erdogan’s attempt to distract from Turkey’s economic woes and grasp at nationalistic symbols.
-
Some point out Turkey has been the conventional English name for centuries, just like Japan isn’t Nihon.
-
There are concerns the costs of changing the name globally could be prohibitively huge.
-
Nonetheless, Turkish authorities remain adamant that Türkiye gains broader use going forward.
The spelling may be different, but Türkiye essentially remains the same diverse, strategically located nation linking Europe and the Middle East. Whether one spells it Turkey or Türkiye, this unique country holds an important place in the region and beyond.
How to Pronounce Türkiye? (Turkey in Turkish)
Is Turkey a ‘Turkiye’?
The State Department will start spelling Turkey as “Türkiye” in diplomatic and formal settings. The name change was approved by the U.S. Board on Geographic Names following a request from the Turkish embassy, State Department spokesperson Ned Price confirmed on Thursday.
Why is it called a turkey bird?
Despite popular beliefs, the name ‘Turkey’ has no direct relation to the bird. A fun case of mistaken identity, you might say! The wild turkey bird, originally from North America, was mistaken for the “turkey fowl” brought to England by the Turkish merchants, leading to the bird being named ‘turkey’. An interesting cross-continental mix-up indeed.
Where did the name Turk come from?
The Chinese Book of Zhou (7th century) presents an etymology of the name Turk as derived from “helmet” by explaining the name to come from the shape of a mountain on which the Chinese worked in the Altai Mountains. [ 17]
Where did Turkye come from?
Middle English usage of Turkye is attested to in an early work by Chaucer called The Book of the Duchess (c. 1368). The phrase land of Torke is used in the 15th-century Digby Mysteries. Later usages can be found in the Dunbar poems, the 16th century Manipulus Vocabulorum (“Turkie, Tartaria”) and Francis Bacon ‘s Sylva Sylvarum (Turky).