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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 native 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, four of them received names of Turkish origin by law number 4696 passed January 10, 1945.[1]
| English | Turkish | Etymology |
|---|---|---|
| January | ocak | Turkish origin, meaning "stove". Literal translation of Arabic word "kānūn".[2] Until 1945, kânunusani |
| 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.[3] |
| July | temmuz | Arabic origin (Tammūz), taken from Aramaic, ultimately from the name of the Akkadian deity Dumuzi; 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) Until 1945, teşrinievvel |
| November | kasım | Arabic origin word which means "divider".[4] This word refers to the beginning of winter. According to a Turkish weather proverb, winter begins on 8 November. Until 1945, teşrinisani |
| December | aralık | Turkish origin, meaning "gap"[5] Until 1945, kânunuevvel |
- ^ "Bazı ay adlarının değiştirilmesi hakkında kanun" (PDF). T. C. Resmî Gazete (in Turkish) (5905): 8181. 15 January 1945.
- ^ Nişanyan, Sevan (23 September 2022). "kânun". Nişanyan Sözlük: Türkçe Etimolojik Sözlük (in Turkish).
- ^ Langdon, S. (1935) [1933]. Babylonian Menologies and the Semitic Calendars (PDF). London: The British Academy. pp. 65, 119.
- ^ Nişanyan, Sevan (23 September 2022). "kasım". Nişanyan Sözlük: Türkçe Etimolojik Sözlük (in Turkish).
- ^ Nişanyan, Sevan (11 September 2022). "aralık". Nişanyan Sözlük: Türkçe Etimolojik Sözlük (in Turkish).