2002 renaming of Turkmen months and days of week information
On 10 August 2002, the government of Turkmenistan adopted a law to rename all the months and most of the days of the week. The names were chosen according to Turkmen national symbols, as described in the Ruhnama, a book written by Saparmurat Niyazov, Turkmenistan's first and only president for life. According to Arto Halonen's documentary film The Shadow of the Holy Book, Turkish businessman Ahmet Çalık came up with the idea to rename the months, as he was trying to befriend Niyazov to expand his business in the country.
After the law was passed the new names were used in all Turkmen state-owned media. Publications in languages other than Turkmen often use the new names too, especially those that were targeted at Russian-speaking citizens of Turkmenistan, with the old name sometimes written in brackets. The old month names were still used in popular speech, however.[1]
Four years after the change, Niyazov died in 2006. On 23 April 2008 it was reported that the cabinet of ministers of Turkmenistan discussed restoring the old names of the months and days of week.[2] The old names were restored in July 2008.[1]
The original Roman calendar month names were borrowed from Russian. The adopted Turkmen month names were as follows:
English name
Old Turkmen name
Adopted Turkmen name
Explanation
January
Ýanwar
Türkmenbaşy
Meaning "The Leader of Turkmen", the adopted name of Saparmurat Niyazov, president of Turkmenistan and author of the Ruhnama.
February
Fewral
Baýdak
Flag – the Turkmenistan flag day is celebrated in February on Niyazov's birthday.
March
Mart
Nowruz
The traditional Persian New Year, which is celebrated in March.
April
Aprel
Gurbansoltan
Gurbansoltan Eje – The name of Niyazov's mother, who was possibly born in that month.
May
Maý
Magtymguly
Magtymguly Pyragy – Turkmen poet, considered by Niyazov as one of the greatest spiritual teachers of the Turkmen people.
June
Iýun
Oguz
Oguz Khan – the legendary and semi-mythological founder of the Turkmen nation, first recorded in the 13th century (see Oghuz).
July
Iýul
Gorkut
The hero of the "Gorkut-Ata" Turkmen epic.
August
Awgust
Alp Arslan
The second leader of the Seljuk Empire, fought a war with the Byzantine Empire and initiated Turkish migration into Asia Minor.
September
Sentýabr
Ruhnama
Niyazov's book, defined as a spiritual guide for the Turkmen nation.
October
Oktýabr
Garaşsyzlyk
Independence – Turkmenistan's Independence Day was celebrated in October from 1992 to 2018.
November
Noýabr
Sanjar
The last ruler of the Seljuk Empire.
December
Dekabr
Bitaraplyk
Neutrality – Turkmenistan was proclaimed a neutral country, and Neutrality Day is celebrated in December.
The original names of the days of the week come from Persian. The adopted names were as follows:
English name
Old Turkmen name
Adopted Turkmen name
Explanation
Monday
Duşenbe
Başgün
First day
Tuesday
Sişenbe
Ýaşgün
Youth day
Wednesday
Çarşenbe
Hoşgün
Favourable day
Thursday
Penşenbe
Sogapgün
Justice day
Friday
Anna
Annagün
Mother day
Saturday
Şenbe
Ruhgün
Spirit day
Sunday
Ýekşenbe
Dynçgün
Rest day
^ abТуркменам вернули прежний календарь, Lenta.ru, July 1, 2008 (in Russian)
^"Turkmen Go Back to Old Calendar". BBC News. 24 April 2008. Retrieved 30 December 2016.
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