Geographic names require a special approach Dec 27, 2020 | 04:12 / IMPORTANT EVENTS

The website "azpolitiko.info" published an article by the leading researcher of the Institute of Geography named after academician G.A. Aliyev of ANAS, Doctor of Philosophy of Geology-Mineralogy Rashid Fataliev "Dolana-Dolana Sagi", which expresses his attitude to the change of the toponym.

Commenting on the recent decision of the Milli Majlis to change the name of the village of Saghiyan in the Shamakhi region to Guneshli, the author writes that toponyms that are part of our history and transmitting information codes to the future are our national and spiritual heritage. Their hasty change inflicts incurable wounds on our past. Replacing historical names with new ones means cutting off their historical roots.

When naming a settlement, it is necessary to take into account the geographical conditions of the area, that is, the relief, landscape and climatic features. Therefore, the key players in this issue should be specialists - toponymists, linguists, historians, geographers, ethnographers.

The scientist, who has been engaged in toponymy for many years, notes that the name of the village of Sagiyan consists of two roots - the words "sagi" and "yan". If we consider the ending as Armenianized, then other similar toponyms of Azerbaijan should be revised - Salyan, Turyan (river), in three regions (Gubadli, Terter, Ujar), Gazyan, Safyan in Lachin, Pusyan in Sharur, Shilyan in Kurdamir, Djulian in Ismayilli.

In conclusion, the author draws the attention of readers to the fact that it is the duty of each of us to preserve every toponym, geographical name, which is considered the national and spiritual heritage of the Azerbaijani people, and to pass it on to future generations.