How to translate Gallipoli place names?

 

 

bayır(ı)              slope, ascent                e.g. Zeitinli Bayir = ‘olive slope’

 

burun, burnu      headland, cape           e.g. Ariburnu = ‘bee point’

 

çiftlik, çiftiği       farm                              e.g. Salim Bey Çiftliği = ‘Mr. Salim’s farm’

 

dagh(ı)              mountain                       e.g. Karakol Daghı = ‘police-station mountain’

 

dere                 valley, stream bed         e.g. Kereviz Dere = ‘celery valley’

 

göl(ü)                lake                                e.g. Tuz Gölü = ‘salt lake’

 

kale                  castle, fort                      e.g. Kum Kale = ‘sand castle’

 

koy(u)               small bay, cove             e.g. Anzac Koyu = ‘Anzac cove’

 

köy                  village                              e.g. Erenköy = ‘saint’s village’

 

kuyu                 pit, well                           e.g. Kabak Kuyu = ‘pumpkin well’

 

sırt(ı)                ridge                               e.g. Kırmızi Sırt = ‘crimson ridge’

 

tepe                  hill                                  e.g. Tekke Tepe = ‘goat’s hill’

 

yer(i)                place, spot                     e.g. Kemalyeri = ‘Kemal’s place’

 

 

 

NOTES :

 

1. The fact that some words have more than one form is due to the peculiar system used in Turkish to express the relation between words. It's not a real possessive case, although it comes close.

 

e.g.  Istanbul + otel  ->  Istanbul oteli  (litt. : "Istanbul the hotel of")

 

        Istanbul + istasion  ->  Istanbul istasionu  (litt. : "Istanbul the station of")

 

2. The vowel in question has nothing to do with the gender of words (which does not exist in Turkish) or the function in the sentence. It differs because of 'vowel harmony'. This means that Turks think that neighbouring vowels should go together well, and not contrast too much in sound.

 

e.g. Istanbul oteli  ->  i because it comes after an e : they  go together well

 

       Istanbul istansionu  -> u because it comes after an o : they go together well

 

3. -k + vowel  becomes g + vowel 

 

e.g. Salim Bey + çiftlik  -> Salim Bey çictligi

 

4.  burun + u  ->  burunu  = burnu

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