Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

Chairman Of Azerbaijani Parliament's Committee Nizami Jafarov: I Wil

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • Chairman Of Azerbaijani Parliament's Committee Nizami Jafarov: I Wil

    CHAIRMAN OF AZERBAIJANI PARLIAMENT'S COMMITTEE NIZAMI JAFAROV: I WILL NOT CHANGE MY LAST NAME - INTERVIEW

    APA
    Feb 23 2010
    Azerbaijan

    "The Concept on establishing State Information System of Names and
    Last Names bans some names"

    "In the Concept we have proposed four variants of last name endings"

    Baku. Elbrus Seyfullayev - APA. APA's interview with chairman of the
    Azerbaijani parliament's committee for culture Nizami Jafarov

    -How did it happen that a commission for changing the last name
    endings was established?

    -This commission is called Special Commission for Names and Last Names
    under Azerbaijani National Academy of Sciences. It was established
    under the order issued by the president of academy on June 16, 2009.

    The initiative came from the academy, but earlier there were passive
    and active discussions on the names and last names. The issue has
    been raised in the parliament several times. Our committee included
    the bill prepared by Rafael Huseynov into the working plan. Earlier
    Sabir Rustamkhanli made a number of proposals. Sabir Rustamkhanli
    said first of all officials should change "ov", "yev", then ordinary
    citizens should do it. When the discussion of the problem began, it
    was said that this is the internal affair of the society. We are living
    in a democratic society, everybody can have the last name he wants.

    Approaching the issue seriously, the problem can be solved this way
    now. But the bodies of the Civil Registration Office require various
    documents. For example, an old person has a number of commitments
    vis-a-vis the society, state, international organizations. Changing
    of the last name created problems for them. As a result of it, a
    commission was set up. Chairman of the commission is president of
    Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences Mahmud Karimov. Director of
    humanitarian policy department of the Presidential Administration
    Fatma Abdullazadeh is also in the commission. It shows that this
    commission is destined to pursue not only scientific, but also state
    policy. This commission worked and some months ago presented Concept
    on establishing State Information System of Names and Last Names.

    After that the commission prepared the statistics of the names and
    last names in Azerbaijan after the 50s. This statistics covered only
    the registered names and last names and various interesting results
    appeared.

    -What results?

    -It was found out that "ov", "yev" endings reduced from 90 percent to
    80 percent from the 50s till 2000. According to the present statistics,
    endings "ov", "yev" make up approximately 80 percent, "zadeh" 10
    percent, "li" 10 percent. There are very few endings "oglu", "gizi",
    "gil" and "soy". This statistics was very important for us. We also
    determined 100 popular male names in Azerbaijan. The most popular
    name in Azerbaijan is Ali. There are 40494 men named Ali.

    The second popular name is Elchin, 33337 men are named Elchin. 32569
    are named Vugar, 31056 Anar, 29083 Elnur. Then come Samir, Elshan,
    Rashad, Ilgar, Vusal. Most of them are borrowings.

    -Is the situation good or bad?

    -It means that the people have weak fantasy concerning names. But
    this is present statistics. If we made this statistics late in the
    19th century, early in the 20th century, then the most popular names
    would be Ahmad, Mammad, Huseyn, Hasan. I do not believe that Elchin,
    Elnur, Anar could be so popular at that time. Despite the changes in
    the system of names, there is too much repetition.

    -I wonder in which place is your name?

    -My name is the 63rd. 13374 people are named Nizami.

    -What about popular female names?

    -The most popular female name in Azerbaijan is Sevinj. 46937 are named
    Sevinj. Moreover, there are 40215 women named Gunel, 35395 Leyla,
    35276 Aygun, 35138 Gunay, 31675 Sevda, 31453 Vusala, 31308 Konul,
    29956 Tarana, 28600 Samira. Late in the 19th century, early in the 20th
    century most popular names were Zeynab, Fatima, Zubeyda and others. In
    the 40-50s of the past century the most popular female name was Sevil,
    it was connected with the same-name play by Jafar Jabbarli.

    Now the name Sevil is the 32nd place, there are 21077 people named
    Sevil now. We can also explain the socio-psychological aspect of the
    names. The first girl in the family is usually called Sevinj.

    -Is there many persons with the same names and last names?

    -It has also been investigated. There are 3055 persons named Mammadova
    Sevinj, 2951 Aliyev Ali, 2558 Mammadova Gunel, 2435 Mammadov Mammad,
    2419 Aliyeva Sevinj, 2381 Mammadov Elchin, 2299 Mammadov Ali,
    2281 Mammadova Aygun, 2260 Mammadova Gunay, 2192 Mammadova Sevda in
    Azerbaijan. As seen, last names Mammadov and Mammadova are repeated
    much. So, the most popular last names are Mammadov, Aliyev, Huseynov,
    Ismayilov. First of all we established a bank of names and last names.

    We collected the names in the folklore, written literature, persons
    named after historical, geographical places, flora and fauna. This
    list has been presented to the bodies of the Civil Registration
    Office. The commission also determined which names are inexpedient.

    -How have you determined it?

    -There are people who give their children insulting names. Once
    children were names Kombayn, Kolkhoz, Traktor. Such names are removed
    from the vocabulary. For example, you can not name your child Hitler.

    European names were also given to children once. There are names that
    are not national. If somebody wants to name his daughter Yelizaveta,
    it will be explained that there is no such a name in the vocabulary.

    Sometimes somebody wants to name his child Pishik, Janavar. It is not
    allowed any more. There is a principle that a name without ideological
    context is banned. For example, an Armenian can give the name Andronik,
    but an Azerbaijani no. Somebody has recently named his child Bin
    Laden. It must be forbidden. Names containing more than two components
    are also banned. Names and last names with signs, shortenings are
    also banned. Moreover, the number of sounds in names and last names
    should not be less than three. The concept covers all these issues.

    -Has the international practice been studied?

    -The practice of Turkey, Germany, Moldova, Belarus, Estonia and other
    countries has been studied. The concept also contains recommendations.

    It is not recommended to give names and last names connected with
    the communism ideology and former Soviet realities. Such names like
    Soviet, Marx, Estonia, Chocolate, Candidate, Sidney, Opera, Yerevan,
    Kukla and etc. could be examples for ridiculous and hateful names.

    There are hardly pronounceable names like Sevinddsh, Babayriza,
    Khirda. It is recommended to correct the misinterpreted names in
    accordance with the rules of literary language.

    -What concrete options are proposed?

    -There are four recommended options, which were submitted to the
    government. It can be determined by the order of Azerbaijani president
    or adopted by the parliament and it can be amended to the Family Code
    as well. First option is to add "oglu" to the last name like Eloglu,
    Agaoglu and etc.

    -Does it make last names be first?

    -The last names can be showed first in the lists drawn in alphabetical
    order. The second option is to add suffix "li" to the end of last
    names. The third form can be without suffixes. The fourth form is
    adding of "gil" or "soy" to the end of last names.

    -How it goes with "zadeh"?

    -It is controversial to accept format of "zadeh". It is said that it
    couldn't be accepted because of Persian origin of these names. But
    I think that there is a need in this format. 10 percent of the
    population has the last names with suffix "zadeh" and it became some
    national. This format is widely spread among the world Azerbaijanis
    and particularly those who are living in South Azerbaijan.

    We have to reject forcibly and repressively accepted suffixes "ov
    and "ev in our last names. But no one can be forced to abandon his
    or her last names. Newly-born children can accept new last names,
    for example the names of their fathers. We can not force other ethnic
    groups living in Azerbaijan to change their last names.

    -How will it be with the ethnic minorities like lezgins, talishes,
    kurds and others?

    -They are Azerbaijanis and they have to do like us.

    -Why were there Soviet repressions against our last names only?

    -There was intensive pressure on us. They changed our alphabet as
    well. Turkic people were second largest ethnic group in USSR after
    the Slavic people. Azerbaijani intellectuals accepted this format
    formally, but there were signatures without "ov" and "ev", for example,
    Azerbaijani poets Mikayil Mushfig, Suleyman Rustam, Samed Vurgun and
    others. This compulsion was only for the mass. There can be some 10
    percent of last names which will save "ov" and "ev".

    Exclusions can be for the last names with "inski" in the end. It needs
    to discuss some issues, but generally the concept is ready. The issue
    is on agenda of the Presidential Administration too.

    -What has your Culture Committee done in the past five years?

    -Our main work was the law on theater. It would be better if we adopt
    the law on culture by the end of the year. We couldn't adopt the law
    on creative people and organizations. We have to bring the status of
    creative person and notion of producer on agenda of legislature.

    -Your name is among the candidates for chairman of Azerbaijan Union
    of Writers...

    -I don't have such claims. This is Anar, who pulled out the Union
    from the difficulties and problems of the period. If the Union of
    Writers exists today we are obliged to our national leader that he
    created all conditions for this organization. I think Anar should be
    chairman of the Union. I will vote for Anar.

    -Recently the commission for determination of national prizes in
    Azerbaijan was established. What is your opinion about the commission?

    - This is very good job. There is a tradition in Azerbaijan to give
    honorable title of "people's". I think it is more acceptable to give
    national prizes than honorable title of "people's". It needs to use
    the world's experience to award medals, prizes.

    From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
Working...
X