Wikipedia - User contributions [en]

Kurdish alphabets

2014-12-28T00:25:18Z

Cyrus abdi: /* Suggested Modification */

[[File:Kurdish Food - Alder Street - geograph.org.uk - 1717250.jpg|thumb|200px|Kurdish restaurant sign written in Arabic script]]

The [[Kurdish languages]] are written in either of two alphabets: a [[Latin alphabet]] introduced by [[Jaladat Ali Badirkhan|Jeladet Ali Bedirkhan]] in 1932 ('''Bedirxan alphabet''', or '''Hawar''' after the [[Hawar (magazine)|''Hawar'']] magazine), and a [[Perso-Arabic script|Perso-Arabic alphabet]], '''Sorani alphabet''', named for the city of [[Soran, Iraq]].

The Hawar is used in [[Turkey]], [[Syria]] and [[Armenia]]; the Sorani in [[Iraq]] and [[Iran]].
Two additional alphabets, based on the [[Armenian alphabet|Armenian]] and [[Cyrillic]] scripts, were once used in [[Soviet Armenia]].

=={{anchor|Bedirxan alphabet}} Hawar alphabet (Standard Latin Alphabet)==

Kurmanji and Zazaki Kurdish are written in an extended Latin alphabet, with 31 letters:
: Aa Bb Cc Çç Dd Ee Êê Ff Gg Hh Ii Îî Jj Kk Ll Mm Nn Oo Pp Qq, Rr Ss Şş Tt Uu Ûû Vv Ww Xx Yy Zz

In this alphabet the short vowels are E, I and U; the long vowels are A, Ê, Î, O and Û (see the IPA equivalents in the table below).

When presenting the alphabet in his magazine ''Hawar'', Jeladet Ali Bedirkhan proposed using {{angbr|ḧ ẍ '}} for غ, ح, and ع, sounds which he judged to be "non-Kurdish" (see [http://www.nefel.com/epirtuk/pdf/celadet_ali_bedir_xan_elfabeugramer_02.pdf?NR:122] page 12,13). These three glyphs do not have the status of letter and serve to represent these sounds when they are indispensable to comprehension.

[[Turkey]] does not recognize this alphabet. Use of the letters Q, W, and X, which did not exist in the [[Turkish alphabet]] until 2013, led to persecution in 2000 and 2003 (see [http://www.ihf-hr.org/viewbinary/viewdocument.php?download=1&doc_id=6391], p. 8, and [http://www.rsf.org/rsf/uk/html/mo/cplp/cp/000300.html]). Since September 2003, many Kurds applied to the courts seeking to change their names to Kurdish ones written with these letters, but failed.<ref name=cla3a>{{cite web | url = http://www.unhchr.ch/minorities/statements10/CLA3a.doc | title = Submission to the Sub-Commission on Promotion and Protection of Human Rights: Working Group of Minorities; Tenth Session, Agenda Item 3 (a) | first = Saniye | last = Karakaş | coauthors = [[Diyarbakır]] Branch of the Contemporary Lawyers Association | publisher = [[United Nations Commission on Human Rights]] |date=March 2004 | accessdate = 2006-11-07 | format = [[Microsoft Word|MS Word]]|quote = Kurds have been officially allowed since September 2003 to take Kurdish names, but cannot use the letters x, w, or q, which are common in Kurdish but do not exist in Turkey's version of the Latin alphabet. [...] Those letters, however, are used in Turkey in the names of companies, TV and radio channels, and trademarks. For example [[Turkish Army]] has company under the name of [[AXA]] [[OYAK]] and there is [[Show TV|SHOW TV]] television channel in Turkey. |archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20070628171743/http://www.unhchr.ch/minorities/statements10/CLA3a.doc  |archivedate = 2007-06-28}}</ref>

The Turkish government finally legalized the letters Q, W, and X as part of the Turkish alphabet in 2013.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.slate.com/blogs/lexicon_valley/2013/10/24/turkey_prime_minister_erdogan_s_democratizaton_package_legalizes_letters.html|title= Turkey Legalizes the Letters Q, W, and X. Yay Alphabet!|author=Mark Liberman|publisher=Slate|date=2013-10-24|accessdate=2013-10-25}}</ref>

==Suggested Modification==

Some scholars have suggested to make minor changes in the Bedirxan's Hawar alphabet to make it more user friendly. The modifications are in the diacritics. These scholars suggest to use the following alphabet as Standard Latin Kurdish Alphabet. The suggested character changes are ú, í, é and ș.

<big><center>
:{|class="wikitable" style="border-collapse:collapse; font-size: 120%;"
|-
|bgcolor="#EFEFEF" align="center" colspan="31" | '''Upper Case'''
|-
|width=3% align="center"|[[A]]
|width=3% align="center"|[[B]]
|width=3% align="center"|[[C]]
|width=3% align="center"|[[Ç]]
|width=3% align="center"|[[D]]
|width=3% align="center"|[[E]]
|width=3% align="center"|[[É]]
|width=3% align="center"|[[F]]
|width=3% align="center"|[[G]]
|width=3% align="center"|[[H]]
|width=3% align="center"|[[I]]
|width=3% align="center"|[[Í]]
|width=3% align="center"|[[J]]
|width=3% align="center"|[[K]]
|width=3% align="center"|[[L]]
|width=3% align="center"|[[M]]
|width=3% align="center"|[[N]]
|width=3% align="center"|[[O]]
|width=3% align="center"|[[P]]
|width=3% align="center"|[[Q]]
|width=3% align="center"|[[R]]
|width=3% align="center"|[[S]]
|width=3% align="center"|[[Ș]]
|width=3% align="center"|[[T]]
|width=3% align="center"|[[U]]
|width=3% align="center"|[[Ú]]
|width=3% align="center"|[[V]]
|width=3% align="center"|[[W]]
|width=3% align="center"|[[X]]
|width=3% align="center"|[[Y]]
|width=3% align="center"|[[Z]]
|-
|align="center" colspan="31" | '''Lower Case'''
|-
|width=3% align="center"|[[a]]
|width=3% align="center"|[[b]]
|width=3% align="center"|[[c]]
|width=3% align="center"|[[ç]]
|width=3% align="center"|[[d]]
|width=3% align="center"|[[e]]
|width=3% align="center"|[[é]]
|width=3% align="center"|[[f]]
|width=3% align="center"|[[g]]
|width=3% align="center"|[[h]]
|width=3% align="center"|[[i]]
|width=3% align="center"|[[í]]
|width=3% align="center"|[[j]]
|width=3% align="center"|[[k]]
|width=3% align="center"|[[l]]
|width=3% align="center"|[[m]]
|width=3% align="center"|[[n]]
|width=3% align="center"|[[o]]
|width=3% align="center"|[[p]]
|width=3% align="center"|[[q]]
|width=3% align="center"|[[r]]
|width=3% align="center"|[[s]]
|width=3% align="center"|[[ș]]
|width=3% align="center"|[[t]]
|width=3% align="center"|[[u]]
|width=3% align="center"|[[ú]]
|width=3% align="center"|[[v]]
|width=3% align="center"|[[w]]
|width=3% align="center"|[[x]]
|width=3% align="center"|[[y]]
|width=3% align="center"|[[z]]
|}
</center>
</big>

==Sorani alphabet==
The [[Sorani]] Kurdish dialect is mainly written using a modified [[Perso-Arabic script|Persian alphabet]] with 33 letters introduced by [[Sa'id Kaban Sedqi]]. Unlike the standard [[Arabic alphabet]], which is an [[abjad]], Sorani is a true [[alphabet]] in which vowels are mandatory, making the script easy to read. Yet it is not a complete representation of Kurdish sounds, as it lacks short ''i'', and is also unable to differentiate between ''w'' and short ''u'' or between ''y'' and ''î''. However it does show the two [[pharyngeal consonant]]s, as well as a [[voiced velar fricative]] used in Kurdish.

:{| class="wikitable"
|-
|ێ || ی || ە || ھ || وو || ۆ || و || ن || م || ڵ || ل || گ || ک || ق || ڤ || ف || غ || ع || ش || س || ژ || ز || ڕ || ر || د || خ || ح || چ || ج || ت || پ || ب || ا || ئـ
|}

A new sort order for the alphabet was recently proposed by [[Kurdish Academy]] in [[Erbil]] as the new standard:<ref>{{ku icon}} [http://www.kurdish-academy.org/files/articles/080212035201.pdf گۆڤاری ئەکادیمیای کوردی، ژمارە (١٦)ی ساڵی ٢٠١٠ (''The 2010 Journal of Kurdish Academy, Issue 16'')], 14-16 </ref>

:{| class="wikitable"
|-
|ێ || ی || وو || ۆ || و || ە || ھ || ن || م || ڵ || ل || گ || ک || ق || ڤ || ف || غ || ع || ش || س || ژ || ز || ڕ || ر || د || خ || ح || چ || ج || ت || پ || ب || ا || ئـ
|}

Note: The above sequences are read from right to left.

The alphabet is often represented with 34 entries because وو, which is arguably incorrect, is given its own position. There are also unofficial letters such as ۊ and ۇ which can be found in variations of the alphabet.

Kurds in [[Iraq]] and [[Iran]] mainly use this alphabet, though the Kurdish Latin alphabet is also in use.

==Cyrillic script==
A third system, used for the few (Kurmanji-speaking) Kurds in the former [[Soviet Union]], uses a [[Cyrillic script|Cyrillic alphabet]], consisting of 40 letters:

А, Б, В, Г, Г', Д, Е, Ә, Ә', Ж, З, И, Й, К, К', Л, М, Н, О, Ö, П, П', Р, Р', С, Т, Т', У, Ф, Х, Һ, Һ', Ч, Ч', Ш, Щ, Ь, Э, [[Qa (Cyrillic)|Ԛ]], [[We (Cyrillic)|Ԝ]]

== Armenian alphabet ==

From 1921 to 1929 the [[Armenian alphabet]] was used for Kurdish languages in the [[Soviet Armenia]].<ref>{{ru icon}} [http://www.krugosvet.ru/articles/81/1008155/1008155a1.htm Курдский язык (''Kurdish language'')], Кругосвет (''Krugosvet'')</ref>

Then it was replaced with a [[Janalif]]-like Latin alphabet during [[Latinisation (USSR)|Latinisation campaign]].

==Uniform adaptation for Kurdish==
In 1928 Kurdish language in all of the [[USSR]], including [[Armenian SSR]], was switched to a Latin alphabet containing some Cyrillic characters: '''{{Unicode|a, b, c, ç, d, e, ә, f, g, г, h, i, ь, j, k, ʀ, l, m, ɴ, o, ө, w, p, n, q, ч, s, ш, ц, t, u, y, v, x, z, ƶ}}'''. In 1929 it was reformed and was replaced by:<ref>{{ru icon}} Культура и письменность Востока (Eastern Culture and Literature). 1928, №2.</ref>

{| class="Unicode" style="font-size:1.4em; border-color:black; border-width:1px; border-style:solid; border-collapse:collapse; background-color:#F8F8EF"
| style="width:3em; text-align:center; padding: 3px;" | A a
| style="width:3em; text-align:center; padding: 3px;" | B b
| style="width:3em; text-align:center; padding: 3px;" | C c
| style="width:3em; text-align:center; padding: 3px;" | [[Ꞓ]] ꞓ
| style="width:3em; text-align:center; padding: 3px;" | Ç ç
| style="width:3em; text-align:center; padding: 3px;" | D d
| style="width:3em; text-align:center; padding: 3px;" | E e
| style="width:3em; text-align:center; padding: 3px;" | [[Ə]] ə
|-
| style="width:3em; text-align:center; padding: 3px;" | [[Ə́]] ə́
| style="width:3em; text-align:center; padding: 3px;" | F f
| style="width:3em; text-align:center; padding: 3px;" | G g
| style="width:3em; text-align:center; padding: 3px;" | [[Ƣ]] ƣ
| style="width:3em; text-align:center; padding: 3px;" | H h
| style="width:3em; text-align:center; padding: 3px;" | [[Ħ]] ħ
| style="width:3em; text-align:center; padding: 3px;" | I i
| style="width:3em; text-align:center; padding: 3px;" | J j
|-
| style="width:3em; text-align:center; padding: 3px;" | K k
| style="width:3em; text-align:center; padding: 3px;" | {{Unicode|[[Ķ]] ķ}}
| style="width:3em; text-align:center; padding: 3px;" | L l
| style="width:3em; text-align:center; padding: 3px;" | M m
| style="width:3em; text-align:center; padding: 3px;" | N n
| style="width:3em; text-align:center; padding: 3px;" | O o
| style="width:3em; text-align:center; padding: 3px;" | Ö ö
| style="width:3em; text-align:center; padding: 3px;" | P p
|-
| style="width:3em; text-align:center; padding: 3px;" | {{Unicode|[[Ṕ]] ṕ}}
| style="width:3em; text-align:center; padding: 3px;" | Q q
| style="width:3em; text-align:center; padding: 3px;" | R r
| style="width:3em; text-align:center; padding: 3px;" | S s
| style="width:3em; text-align:center; padding: 3px;" | Ş ş
| style="width:3em; text-align:center; padding: 3px;" | T t
| style="width:3em; text-align:center; padding: 3px;" | {{Unicode|[[Ţ]] ţ}}
| style="width:3em; text-align:center; padding: 3px;" | U u
|-
| style="width:3em; text-align:center; padding: 3px;" | Û û
| style="width:3em; text-align:center; padding: 3px;" | V v
| style="width:3em; text-align:center; padding: 3px;" | W w
| style="width:3em; text-align:center; padding: 3px;" | X x
| style="width:3em; text-align:center; padding: 3px;" | Y y
| style="width:3em; text-align:center; padding: 3px;" | Z z
| style="width:3em; text-align:center; padding: 3px;" | [[Ƶ]] ƶ
| style="width:3em; text-align:center; padding: 3px;" | Ь ь
|}

==''Yekgirtú (IS)''==

The ''Yekgirtú'' (Yekgirtí, yekgirig) alphabet is a recent devised writing system by Kurdish Academy of Language.<ref name="intro">Kurdish Academy of Language, [http://www.kurdishacademy.org/?q=node/2 Alphabet]</ref> It has many advantages compared to the Kurmanji and Sorani alphabets. It is adapted for all Kurdish dialects and not exclusive to just one, and is therefore called ''Yekgirtú'', which means "unified." It is also better adapted to the vowel-rich Kurdish language than is the Arabic script.

The [[Kurdish Academy of Language]] (KAL) realises that there are too many shortcomings with current Kurdish writing systems. These include workability, cross dialectal usage, and a lack of International IT-based Standards and representation for Kurdish. To avoid the communication obstacles presented by the existence of various Kurdish writing systems, KAL has introduced a standard '''Kurdish Unified Alphabet''' (Yekgirtú) based on International [[ISO-8859-1]] Standards. This modern Kurdish (IS) alphabet contained some minor changes in the existing Latin based alphabet and adopting new signs. The new signs were introduced to improve the flexibility of the writing system in Kurdish. This effort was undertaken as part of KAL's broad endeavour to revive and promote the use of the Kurdish language for the benefit of young Kurds. The system devised and presented here by KAL is simple and adequate for the purpose of communicating via the Internet and any electronic media.

The development of the Unified Kurdish Alphabet has proceeded along three lines.<ref name="intro" /> First one letter has been designated for each sound (with the exception of digraph characters such as velar [ll], trill [rr], "jh" and "sh"). Second, no diacritical marks have been allowed that are difficult to convey via the Internet without the use of specialised programs. Specifically, all characters in the unified alphabet have been chosen carefully from the ISO-8859-1 "[[Latin 1]]" system for West European languages in order to ensure that the Kurdish characters follow one single global standard only. Loanwords need to naturalise and comply with common global Kurdish spelling rules whilst local exceptional pronunciations are also justified. The Kurdish Unified Alphabet contains 34 characters including 4 [[Digraph (orthography)|digraph]] cases (jh, ll, rr, sh) and 4 characters with [[diacritics]] (é, í, ú, ù). It represents 9 vowels (a, e, é, i, í, o, u, ú, ù) and 25 consonants:<ref>Kurdish Academy of Language, [http://www.kurdishacademy.org/?q=node/3 Yekgirtú, the Kurdish Unified Alphabet].</ref>

: A, B, C, D, E, É, F, G, H, I, Í, J, Jh, K, L, ll, M, N, O, P, Q, R, rr, S, Sh, T, U, Ú, Ù, V, W, X, Y, Z

Recently it has been used more than the Arabic script on Kurdish TV.

==Comparison of Kurmancî, Yekgirtú and Sorani alphabets==
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! rowspan=2 | Latin Kurmancî
! rowspan=2 | Yekgirtú
! rowspan=2 | Cyrillic Kurmancî
! colspan=4 | Sorani
! rowspan=2 | [[IPA]]
|-
! (isolated)
! (initial)
! (medial)
! (final)
|- align="center"
| A,a 
| A,a 
| А,а 
| {{script/Arabic|ا}}
| {{script/Arabic|ئا}}
| colspan="1" | —
|{{script/Arabic|ـا}}
| {{IPAblink|ä|aː}}

|- align="center"
| B,b 
| B,b 
| Б,б 
| {{script/Arabic|ب}}
| {{script/Arabic|بـ}}
| {{script/Arabic|ـبـ}}
| {{script/Arabic|ـب}}
| {{IPAblink|b}}
|- align="center"
| C,c 
| J,j 
| Щ,щ 
| {{script/Arabic|ج}}
| {{script/Arabic|جـ}}
| {{script/Arabic|ـجـ}}
| {{script/Arabic|ـج}}
| {{IPAblink|d͡ʒ}}
|- align="center"
| Ç,ç 
| C,c 
| Ч,ч 
| {{script/Arabic|چ}}
| {{script/Arabic|چـ}}
| {{script/Arabic|ـچـ}}
| {{script/Arabic|ـچ}}
| {{IPAblink|t͡ʃ}}
|- align="center"
| D,d 
| D,d 
| Д,д 
| {{script/Arabic|د}}
| colspan="2" | —
| {{script/Arabic|ـد}}
| {{IPAblink|d}}
|- align="center"
| E,e 
| E,e 
| Ә,ә 
| {{script/Arabic|ە}}
| {{script/Arabic|ئە}}
| colspan="1" | —
| {{script/Arabic|ـە}}
| {{IPAblink|ɛ}}
|- align="center"
| Ê,ê 
| É,é 
| Е,е (Э э) 
| {{script/Arabic|ێ}}
| {{script/Arabic|ئێـ}}
| {{script/Arabic|ـێـ}}
| {{script/Arabic|ـێ}}
| {{IPAblink|e}}
|- align="center"
| F,f 
| F,f 
| Ф,ф 
| {{script/Arabic|ف}}
| {{script/Arabic|فـ}}
| {{script/Arabic|ـفـ}}
| {{script/Arabic|ـف}}
| {{IPAblink|f}}
|- align="center"
| G,g 
| G,g 
| Г,г 
| {{script/Arabic|گ}}
| {{script/Arabic|گـ}}
| {{script/Arabic|ـگـ}}
| {{script/Arabic|ـگ}}
| {{IPAblink|ɡ}}
|- align="center"
| H,h 
| H,h 
| Һ,һ 
| {{script/Arabic|ه}}
| {{script/Arabic|ھ}}
| {{script/Arabic|ـھ}}
| {{script/Arabic|ـھ}}
| {{IPAblink|h}}
|- align="center"
| (Ḧ, ḧ) 
| H',h' 
| Һ’,һ’ 
| {{script/Arabic|ح}}
| {{script/Arabic|حـ}}
| {{script/Arabic|ـحـ}}
| {{script/Arabic|ـح}}
| {{IPAblink|ħ}}
|- align="center"
| (') 
| ' 
| — 
| {{script/Arabic|ع}}
| {{script/Arabic|عـ}}
| {{script/Arabic|ـعـ}}
| {{script/Arabic|ـع}}
| {{IPAblink|ʕ}}
|- align="center"
| I,i 
| I,i 
| Ь,ь 
| colspan="4" | —
| {{IPAblink|ɪ}}
|- align="center"
| Î,î 
| Í,í 
| И,и 
| {{script/Arabic|ی}}
| {{script/Arabic|ئیـ}}
| {{script/Arabic|ـیـ}}
| {{script/Arabic|ـی}}
| {{IPAblink|iː}}
|- align="center"
| J,j 
| Jh,jh 
| Ж,ж 
| {{script/Arabic|ژ}}
| colspan="2" | —
| {{script/Arabic|ـژ}}
| {{IPAblink|ʒ}}
|- align="center"
| K,k 
| K,k 
| К,к 
| {{script/Arabic|ک}}
| {{script/Arabic|کـ}}
| {{script/Arabic|ـکـ}}
| {{script/Arabic|ـک}}
| {{IPAblink|k}}
|- align="center"
| L,l 
| L,l 
| Л,л 
| {{script/Arabic|ل}}
| {{script/Arabic|لـ}}
| {{script/Arabic|ـلـ}}
| {{script/Arabic|ـل}}
| {{IPAblink|l}}
|- align="center"
| (ll) 
| ll 
| Л’,л’ 
| {{script/Arabic|ڵ}}
| {{script/Arabic|ڵـ}}
| {{script/Arabic|ـڵـ}}
| {{script/Arabic| ـڵ}}
| {{IPAblink|ɫ|ɫ}}
|- align="center"
| M,m 
| M,m 
| М,м 
| {{script/Arabic|م}}
| {{script/Arabic|مـ}}
| {{script/Arabic|ـمـ}}
| {{script/Arabic|ـم}}
|{{IPAblink|m}}
|- align="center"
| N,n 
| N,n 
| Н,н 
| {{script/Arabic|ن}}
| {{script/Arabic|نـ}}
| {{script/Arabic|ـنـ}}
| {{script/Arabic| ـن}}
|{{IPAblink|n}}
|- align="center"
| O,o 
| O,o 
| O,o 
| {{script/Arabic|ۆ}}
| {{script/Arabic|ئۆ}}
| colspan="1" | –
| {{script/Arabic|ـۆ}}
| {{IPAblink|o}}

|- align="center"
| P,p 
| P,p 
| П,п 
| {{script/Arabic|پ}}
| {{script/Arabic|پــ}}
| {{script/Arabic|ـپـ}}
| {{script/Arabic| ـپ}}
| {{IPAblink|p}}
|- align="center"
| Q,q 
| Q,q 
| Ԛ,ԛ 
| {{script/Arabic|ق}}
| {{script/Arabic|قـ}}
| {{script/Arabic|ـقـ}}
| {{script/Arabic|ـق}}
| {{IPAblink|q}}
|- align="center"
| R,r 
| R,r 
| Р,р 
| {{script/Arabic|ر}}
| colspan="2" | —
| {{script/Arabic|ـر}}
| {{IPAblink|ɾ}}
|- align="center"
| (rr) 
| rr 
| Р’,р’ 
| {{script/Arabic|ڕ}}
| colspan="2" | —
| {{script/Arabic|ـڕ}}
| {{IPAblink|r}}
|- align="center"
| S,s 
| S,s 
| С,с 
| {{script/Arabic|س}}
| {{script/Arabic|سـ}}
| {{script/Arabic|ـسـ}}
| {{script/Arabic|ـس}}
| {{IPAblink|s}}
|- align="center"
| Ş,ş 
| Sh,sh 
| Ш,ш 
| {{script/Arabic|ش}}
| {{script/Arabic|شـ}}
| {{script/Arabic|ـشـ}}
| {{script/Arabic|ـش}}
| {{IPAblink|ʃ}}
|- align="center"
| T,t 
| T,t 
| Т,т 
| {{script/Arabic|ت}}
| {{script/Arabic|تـ}}
| {{script/Arabic|ـتـ}}
| {{script/Arabic|ـت}}
| {{IPAblink|t}}
|- align="center"
| U,u 
| U,u 
| Ӧ,ӧ 
| {{script/Arabic|و}}
| colspan="2" | —
| {{script/Arabic|ـو}}
| {{IPAblink|u}}
|- align="center"
| Û,û 
| Ú,ú 
| У,у 
| {{script/Arabic|ۇ}}
| colspan="2" | —
| {{script/Arabic|ـۇ}}
| {{IPAblink|uː}}
|- align="center"
| colspan="1" | —
| colspan="1" | Ù,ù 
| colspan="1" | —
| {{script/Arabic|ۊ}}
| colspan="2" | —
| {{script/Arabic|ـۊ}}
| {{IPAblink|ʉː}}
|- align="center"
| V,v 
| V,v 
| В,в 
| {{script/Arabic|ڤ}}
| {{script/Arabic|ڤـ}}
| {{script/Arabic|ـڤـ}}
| {{script/Arabic|ـڤ}}
| {{IPAblink|v}}
|- align="center"
| W,w 
| W,w 
| Ԝ,ԝ 
| {{script/Arabic|و}}
| colspan="2" | —
| {{script/Arabic|ـو}}
| {{IPAblink|w}}
|- align="center"
| X,x 
| X,x 
| Х,х 
| {{script/Arabic|خ}}
| {{script/Arabic|خـ}}
| {{script/Arabic|ـخـ}}
| {{script/Arabic|ـخ}}
| {{IPAblink|x}}
|- align="center"
| (Ẍ, ẍ) 
| X',x'
| Ѓ,ѓ 
| {{script/Arabic|غ}}
| {{script/Arabic|غـ}}
| {{script/Arabic|ـغـ}}
| {{script/Arabic|ـغ}}
| {{IPAblink|ɣ}}
|- align="center"
| Y,y 
| Y,y 
| Й,й 
| {{script/Arabic|ی}}
| {{script/Arabic|یـ}}
| colspan="2" | —
| {{IPAblink|j}}
|- align="center"
| Z,z 
| Z,z 
| З,з 
| {{script/Arabic|ز}}
| colspan="2" | —
| {{script/Arabic|ـز}}
| {{IPAblink|z}}
|}

==See also==
* [[Kurdish typography]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://kurdishacademy.org/?q=node/145 KAL – A table of the various Kurdish alphabets]
* Omniglot: [http://www.omniglot.com/writing/kurdish.htm Kurdish language, alphabet and pronunciation]
* [http://www.kurditgroup.org/downloads.php?cid=2 Kurdish Unicode Fonts]{{dead link|date=May 2012}}

{{Arabic alphabets}}
{{Kurdish language}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Kurdish Alphabet}}
[[Category:Latin alphabets]]
[[Category:Arabic alphabets]]
[[Category:Kurdish language]]

Kurdish alphabets

2014-12-27T22:18:01Z

Cyrus abdi: /* Suggested Modification */

[[File:Kurdish Food - Alder Street - geograph.org.uk - 1717250.jpg|thumb|200px|Kurdish restaurant sign written in Arabic script]]

The [[Kurdish languages]] are written in either of two alphabets: a [[Latin alphabet]] introduced by [[Jaladat Ali Badirkhan|Jeladet Ali Bedirkhan]] in 1932 ('''Bedirxan alphabet''', or '''Hawar''' after the [[Hawar (magazine)|''Hawar'']] magazine), and a [[Perso-Arabic script|Perso-Arabic alphabet]], '''Sorani alphabet''', named for the city of [[Soran, Iraq]].

The Hawar is used in [[Turkey]], [[Syria]] and [[Armenia]]; the Sorani in [[Iraq]] and [[Iran]].
Two additional alphabets, based on the [[Armenian alphabet|Armenian]] and [[Cyrillic]] scripts, were once used in [[Soviet Armenia]].

=={{anchor|Bedirxan alphabet}} Hawar alphabet (Standard Latin Alphabet)==

Kurmanji and Zazaki Kurdish are written in an extended Latin alphabet, with 31 letters:
: Aa Bb Cc Çç Dd Ee Êê Ff Gg Hh Ii Îî Jj Kk Ll Mm Nn Oo Pp Qq, Rr Ss Şş Tt Uu Ûû Vv Ww Xx Yy Zz

In this alphabet the short vowels are E, I and U; the long vowels are A, Ê, Î, O and Û (see the IPA equivalents in the table below).

When presenting the alphabet in his magazine ''Hawar'', Jeladet Ali Bedirkhan proposed using {{angbr|ḧ ẍ '}} for غ, ح, and ع, sounds which he judged to be "non-Kurdish" (see [http://www.nefel.com/epirtuk/pdf/celadet_ali_bedir_xan_elfabeugramer_02.pdf?NR:122] page 12,13). These three glyphs do not have the status of letter and serve to represent these sounds when they are indispensable to comprehension.

[[Turkey]] does not recognize this alphabet. Use of the letters Q, W, and X, which did not exist in the [[Turkish alphabet]] until 2013, led to persecution in 2000 and 2003 (see [http://www.ihf-hr.org/viewbinary/viewdocument.php?download=1&doc_id=6391], p. 8, and [http://www.rsf.org/rsf/uk/html/mo/cplp/cp/000300.html]). Since September 2003, many Kurds applied to the courts seeking to change their names to Kurdish ones written with these letters, but failed.<ref name=cla3a>{{cite web | url = http://www.unhchr.ch/minorities/statements10/CLA3a.doc | title = Submission to the Sub-Commission on Promotion and Protection of Human Rights: Working Group of Minorities; Tenth Session, Agenda Item 3 (a) | first = Saniye | last = Karakaş | coauthors = [[Diyarbakır]] Branch of the Contemporary Lawyers Association | publisher = [[United Nations Commission on Human Rights]] |date=March 2004 | accessdate = 2006-11-07 | format = [[Microsoft Word|MS Word]]|quote = Kurds have been officially allowed since September 2003 to take Kurdish names, but cannot use the letters x, w, or q, which are common in Kurdish but do not exist in Turkey's version of the Latin alphabet. [...] Those letters, however, are used in Turkey in the names of companies, TV and radio channels, and trademarks. For example [[Turkish Army]] has company under the name of [[AXA]] [[OYAK]] and there is [[Show TV|SHOW TV]] television channel in Turkey. |archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20070628171743/http://www.unhchr.ch/minorities/statements10/CLA3a.doc  |archivedate = 2007-06-28}}</ref>

The Turkish government finally legalized the letters Q, W, and X as part of the Turkish alphabet in 2013.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.slate.com/blogs/lexicon_valley/2013/10/24/turkey_prime_minister_erdogan_s_democratizaton_package_legalizes_letters.html|title= Turkey Legalizes the Letters Q, W, and X. Yay Alphabet!|author=Mark Liberman|publisher=Slate|date=2013-10-24|accessdate=2013-10-25}}</ref>

==Suggested Modification==

Some scholars have suggested to make minor changes in the Bedirxan's Hawar alphabet to make it more user friendly. The modifications are in the diacritics. These scholars suggest to use the following alphabet as standard Kurdish alphabet. The suggested character changes are ú, í, é and ș.

<big><center>
:{|class="wikitable" style="border-collapse:collapse; font-size: 120%;"
|-
|bgcolor="#EFEFEF" align="center" colspan="31" | '''Upper Case'''
|-
|width=3% align="center"|[[A]]
|width=3% align="center"|[[B]]
|width=3% align="center"|[[C]]
|width=3% align="center"|[[Ç]]
|width=3% align="center"|[[D]]
|width=3% align="center"|[[E]]
|width=3% align="center"|[[É]]
|width=3% align="center"|[[F]]
|width=3% align="center"|[[G]]
|width=3% align="center"|[[H]]
|width=3% align="center"|[[I]]
|width=3% align="center"|[[Í]]
|width=3% align="center"|[[J]]
|width=3% align="center"|[[K]]
|width=3% align="center"|[[L]]
|width=3% align="center"|[[M]]
|width=3% align="center"|[[N]]
|width=3% align="center"|[[O]]
|width=3% align="center"|[[P]]
|width=3% align="center"|[[Q]]
|width=3% align="center"|[[R]]
|width=3% align="center"|[[S]]
|width=3% align="center"|[[Ș]]
|width=3% align="center"|[[T]]
|width=3% align="center"|[[U]]
|width=3% align="center"|[[Ú]]
|width=3% align="center"|[[V]]
|width=3% align="center"|[[W]]
|width=3% align="center"|[[X]]
|width=3% align="center"|[[Y]]
|width=3% align="center"|[[Z]]
|-
|align="center" colspan="31" | '''Lower Case'''
|-
|width=3% align="center"|[[a]]
|width=3% align="center"|[[b]]
|width=3% align="center"|[[c]]
|width=3% align="center"|[[ç]]
|width=3% align="center"|[[d]]
|width=3% align="center"|[[e]]
|width=3% align="center"|[[é]]
|width=3% align="center"|[[f]]
|width=3% align="center"|[[g]]
|width=3% align="center"|[[h]]
|width=3% align="center"|[[i]]
|width=3% align="center"|[[í]]
|width=3% align="center"|[[j]]
|width=3% align="center"|[[k]]
|width=3% align="center"|[[l]]
|width=3% align="center"|[[m]]
|width=3% align="center"|[[n]]
|width=3% align="center"|[[o]]
|width=3% align="center"|[[p]]
|width=3% align="center"|[[q]]
|width=3% align="center"|[[r]]
|width=3% align="center"|[[s]]
|width=3% align="center"|[[ș]]
|width=3% align="center"|[[t]]
|width=3% align="center"|[[u]]
|width=3% align="center"|[[ú]]
|width=3% align="center"|[[v]]
|width=3% align="center"|[[w]]
|width=3% align="center"|[[x]]
|width=3% align="center"|[[y]]
|width=3% align="center"|[[z]]
|}
</center>
</big>

==Sorani alphabet==
The [[Sorani]] Kurdish dialect is mainly written using a modified [[Perso-Arabic script|Persian alphabet]] with 33 letters introduced by [[Sa'id Kaban Sedqi]]. Unlike the standard [[Arabic alphabet]], which is an [[abjad]], Sorani is a true [[alphabet]] in which vowels are mandatory, making the script easy to read. Yet it is not a complete representation of Kurdish sounds, as it lacks short ''i'', and is also unable to differentiate between ''w'' and short ''u'' or between ''y'' and ''î''. However it does show the two [[pharyngeal consonant]]s, as well as a [[voiced velar fricative]] used in Kurdish.

:{| class="wikitable"
|-
|ێ || ی || ە || ھ || وو || ۆ || و || ن || م || ڵ || ل || گ || ک || ق || ڤ || ف || غ || ع || ش || س || ژ || ز || ڕ || ر || د || خ || ح || چ || ج || ت || پ || ب || ا || ئـ
|}

A new sort order for the alphabet was recently proposed by [[Kurdish Academy]] in [[Erbil]] as the new standard:<ref>{{ku icon}} [http://www.kurdish-academy.org/files/articles/080212035201.pdf گۆڤاری ئەکادیمیای کوردی، ژمارە (١٦)ی ساڵی ٢٠١٠ (''The 2010 Journal of Kurdish Academy, Issue 16'')], 14-16 </ref>

:{| class="wikitable"
|-
|ێ || ی || وو || ۆ || و || ە || ھ || ن || م || ڵ || ل || گ || ک || ق || ڤ || ف || غ || ع || ش || س || ژ || ز || ڕ || ر || د || خ || ح || چ || ج || ت || پ || ب || ا || ئـ
|}

Note: The above sequences are read from right to left.

The alphabet is often represented with 34 entries because وو, which is arguably incorrect, is given its own position. There are also unofficial letters such as ۊ and ۇ which can be found in variations of the alphabet.

Kurds in [[Iraq]] and [[Iran]] mainly use this alphabet, though the Kurdish Latin alphabet is also in use.

==Cyrillic script==
A third system, used for the few (Kurmanji-speaking) Kurds in the former [[Soviet Union]], uses a [[Cyrillic script|Cyrillic alphabet]], consisting of 40 letters:

А, Б, В, Г, Г', Д, Е, Ә, Ә', Ж, З, И, Й, К, К', Л, М, Н, О, Ö, П, П', Р, Р', С, Т, Т', У, Ф, Х, Һ, Һ', Ч, Ч', Ш, Щ, Ь, Э, [[Qa (Cyrillic)|Ԛ]], [[We (Cyrillic)|Ԝ]]

== Armenian alphabet ==

From 1921 to 1929 the [[Armenian alphabet]] was used for Kurdish languages in the [[Soviet Armenia]].<ref>{{ru icon}} [http://www.krugosvet.ru/articles/81/1008155/1008155a1.htm Курдский язык (''Kurdish language'')], Кругосвет (''Krugosvet'')</ref>

Then it was replaced with a [[Janalif]]-like Latin alphabet during [[Latinisation (USSR)|Latinisation campaign]].

==Uniform adaptation for Kurdish==
In 1928 Kurdish language in all of the [[USSR]], including [[Armenian SSR]], was switched to a Latin alphabet containing some Cyrillic characters: '''{{Unicode|a, b, c, ç, d, e, ә, f, g, г, h, i, ь, j, k, ʀ, l, m, ɴ, o, ө, w, p, n, q, ч, s, ш, ц, t, u, y, v, x, z, ƶ}}'''. In 1929 it was reformed and was replaced by:<ref>{{ru icon}} Культура и письменность Востока (Eastern Culture and Literature). 1928, №2.</ref>

{| class="Unicode" style="font-size:1.4em; border-color:black; border-width:1px; border-style:solid; border-collapse:collapse; background-color:#F8F8EF"
| style="width:3em; text-align:center; padding: 3px;" | A a
| style="width:3em; text-align:center; padding: 3px;" | B b
| style="width:3em; text-align:center; padding: 3px;" | C c
| style="width:3em; text-align:center; padding: 3px;" | [[Ꞓ]] ꞓ
| style="width:3em; text-align:center; padding: 3px;" | Ç ç
| style="width:3em; text-align:center; padding: 3px;" | D d
| style="width:3em; text-align:center; padding: 3px;" | E e
| style="width:3em; text-align:center; padding: 3px;" | [[Ə]] ə
|-
| style="width:3em; text-align:center; padding: 3px;" | [[Ə́]] ə́
| style="width:3em; text-align:center; padding: 3px;" | F f
| style="width:3em; text-align:center; padding: 3px;" | G g
| style="width:3em; text-align:center; padding: 3px;" | [[Ƣ]] ƣ
| style="width:3em; text-align:center; padding: 3px;" | H h
| style="width:3em; text-align:center; padding: 3px;" | [[Ħ]] ħ
| style="width:3em; text-align:center; padding: 3px;" | I i
| style="width:3em; text-align:center; padding: 3px;" | J j
|-
| style="width:3em; text-align:center; padding: 3px;" | K k
| style="width:3em; text-align:center; padding: 3px;" | {{Unicode|[[Ķ]] ķ}}
| style="width:3em; text-align:center; padding: 3px;" | L l
| style="width:3em; text-align:center; padding: 3px;" | M m
| style="width:3em; text-align:center; padding: 3px;" | N n
| style="width:3em; text-align:center; padding: 3px;" | O o
| style="width:3em; text-align:center; padding: 3px;" | Ö ö
| style="width:3em; text-align:center; padding: 3px;" | P p
|-
| style="width:3em; text-align:center; padding: 3px;" | {{Unicode|[[Ṕ]] ṕ}}
| style="width:3em; text-align:center; padding: 3px;" | Q q
| style="width:3em; text-align:center; padding: 3px;" | R r
| style="width:3em; text-align:center; padding: 3px;" | S s
| style="width:3em; text-align:center; padding: 3px;" | Ş ş
| style="width:3em; text-align:center; padding: 3px;" | T t
| style="width:3em; text-align:center; padding: 3px;" | {{Unicode|[[Ţ]] ţ}}
| style="width:3em; text-align:center; padding: 3px;" | U u
|-
| style="width:3em; text-align:center; padding: 3px;" | Û û
| style="width:3em; text-align:center; padding: 3px;" | V v
| style="width:3em; text-align:center; padding: 3px;" | W w
| style="width:3em; text-align:center; padding: 3px;" | X x
| style="width:3em; text-align:center; padding: 3px;" | Y y
| style="width:3em; text-align:center; padding: 3px;" | Z z
| style="width:3em; text-align:center; padding: 3px;" | [[Ƶ]] ƶ
| style="width:3em; text-align:center; padding: 3px;" | Ь ь
|}

==''Yekgirtú (IS)''==

The ''Yekgirtú'' (Yekgirtí, yekgirig) alphabet is a recent devised writing system by Kurdish Academy of Language.<ref name="intro">Kurdish Academy of Language, [http://www.kurdishacademy.org/?q=node/2 Alphabet]</ref> It has many advantages compared to the Kurmanji and Sorani alphabets. It is adapted for all Kurdish dialects and not exclusive to just one, and is therefore called ''Yekgirtú'', which means "unified." It is also better adapted to the vowel-rich Kurdish language than is the Arabic script.

The [[Kurdish Academy of Language]] (KAL) realises that there are too many shortcomings with current Kurdish writing systems. These include workability, cross dialectal usage, and a lack of International IT-based Standards and representation for Kurdish. To avoid the communication obstacles presented by the existence of various Kurdish writing systems, KAL has introduced a standard '''Kurdish Unified Alphabet''' (Yekgirtú) based on International [[ISO-8859-1]] Standards. This modern Kurdish (IS) alphabet contained some minor changes in the existing Latin based alphabet and adopting new signs. The new signs were introduced to improve the flexibility of the writing system in Kurdish. This effort was undertaken as part of KAL's broad endeavour to revive and promote the use of the Kurdish language for the benefit of young Kurds. The system devised and presented here by KAL is simple and adequate for the purpose of communicating via the Internet and any electronic media.

The development of the Unified Kurdish Alphabet has proceeded along three lines.<ref name="intro" /> First one letter has been designated for each sound (with the exception of digraph characters such as velar [ll], trill [rr], "jh" and "sh"). Second, no diacritical marks have been allowed that are difficult to convey via the Internet without the use of specialised programs. Specifically, all characters in the unified alphabet have been chosen carefully from the ISO-8859-1 "[[Latin 1]]" system for West European languages in order to ensure that the Kurdish characters follow one single global standard only. Loanwords need to naturalise and comply with common global Kurdish spelling rules whilst local exceptional pronunciations are also justified. The Kurdish Unified Alphabet contains 34 characters including 4 [[Digraph (orthography)|digraph]] cases (jh, ll, rr, sh) and 4 characters with [[diacritics]] (é, í, ú, ù). It represents 9 vowels (a, e, é, i, í, o, u, ú, ù) and 25 consonants:<ref>Kurdish Academy of Language, [http://www.kurdishacademy.org/?q=node/3 Yekgirtú, the Kurdish Unified Alphabet].</ref>

: A, B, C, D, E, É, F, G, H, I, Í, J, Jh, K, L, ll, M, N, O, P, Q, R, rr, S, Sh, T, U, Ú, Ù, V, W, X, Y, Z

Recently it has been used more than the Arabic script on Kurdish TV.

==Comparison of Kurmancî, Yekgirtú and Sorani alphabets==
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! rowspan=2 | Latin Kurmancî
! rowspan=2 | Yekgirtú
! rowspan=2 | Cyrillic Kurmancî
! colspan=4 | Sorani
! rowspan=2 | [[IPA]]
|-
! (isolated)
! (initial)
! (medial)
! (final)
|- align="center"
| A,a 
| A,a 
| А,а 
| {{script/Arabic|ا}}
| {{script/Arabic|ئا}}
| colspan="1" | —
|{{script/Arabic|ـا}}
| {{IPAblink|ä|aː}}

|- align="center"
| B,b 
| B,b 
| Б,б 
| {{script/Arabic|ب}}
| {{script/Arabic|بـ}}
| {{script/Arabic|ـبـ}}
| {{script/Arabic|ـب}}
| {{IPAblink|b}}
|- align="center"
| C,c 
| J,j 
| Щ,щ 
| {{script/Arabic|ج}}
| {{script/Arabic|جـ}}
| {{script/Arabic|ـجـ}}
| {{script/Arabic|ـج}}
| {{IPAblink|d͡ʒ}}
|- align="center"
| Ç,ç 
| C,c 
| Ч,ч 
| {{script/Arabic|چ}}
| {{script/Arabic|چـ}}
| {{script/Arabic|ـچـ}}
| {{script/Arabic|ـچ}}
| {{IPAblink|t͡ʃ}}
|- align="center"
| D,d 
| D,d 
| Д,д 
| {{script/Arabic|د}}
| colspan="2" | —
| {{script/Arabic|ـد}}
| {{IPAblink|d}}
|- align="center"
| E,e 
| E,e 
| Ә,ә 
| {{script/Arabic|ە}}
| {{script/Arabic|ئە}}
| colspan="1" | —
| {{script/Arabic|ـە}}
| {{IPAblink|ɛ}}
|- align="center"
| Ê,ê 
| É,é 
| Е,е (Э э) 
| {{script/Arabic|ێ}}
| {{script/Arabic|ئێـ}}
| {{script/Arabic|ـێـ}}
| {{script/Arabic|ـێ}}
| {{IPAblink|e}}
|- align="center"
| F,f 
| F,f 
| Ф,ф 
| {{script/Arabic|ف}}
| {{script/Arabic|فـ}}
| {{script/Arabic|ـفـ}}
| {{script/Arabic|ـف}}
| {{IPAblink|f}}
|- align="center"
| G,g 
| G,g 
| Г,г 
| {{script/Arabic|گ}}
| {{script/Arabic|گـ}}
| {{script/Arabic|ـگـ}}
| {{script/Arabic|ـگ}}
| {{IPAblink|ɡ}}
|- align="center"
| H,h 
| H,h 
| Һ,һ 
| {{script/Arabic|ه}}
| {{script/Arabic|ھ}}
| {{script/Arabic|ـھ}}
| {{script/Arabic|ـھ}}
| {{IPAblink|h}}
|- align="center"
| (Ḧ, ḧ) 
| H',h' 
| Һ’,һ’ 
| {{script/Arabic|ح}}
| {{script/Arabic|حـ}}
| {{script/Arabic|ـحـ}}
| {{script/Arabic|ـح}}
| {{IPAblink|ħ}}
|- align="center"
| (') 
| ' 
| — 
| {{script/Arabic|ع}}
| {{script/Arabic|عـ}}
| {{script/Arabic|ـعـ}}
| {{script/Arabic|ـع}}
| {{IPAblink|ʕ}}
|- align="center"
| I,i 
| I,i 
| Ь,ь 
| colspan="4" | —
| {{IPAblink|ɪ}}
|- align="center"
| Î,î 
| Í,í 
| И,и 
| {{script/Arabic|ی}}
| {{script/Arabic|ئیـ}}
| {{script/Arabic|ـیـ}}
| {{script/Arabic|ـی}}
| {{IPAblink|iː}}
|- align="center"
| J,j 
| Jh,jh 
| Ж,ж 
| {{script/Arabic|ژ}}
| colspan="2" | —
| {{script/Arabic|ـژ}}
| {{IPAblink|ʒ}}
|- align="center"
| K,k 
| K,k 
| К,к 
| {{script/Arabic|ک}}
| {{script/Arabic|کـ}}
| {{script/Arabic|ـکـ}}
| {{script/Arabic|ـک}}
| {{IPAblink|k}}
|- align="center"
| L,l 
| L,l 
| Л,л 
| {{script/Arabic|ل}}
| {{script/Arabic|لـ}}
| {{script/Arabic|ـلـ}}
| {{script/Arabic|ـل}}
| {{IPAblink|l}}
|- align="center"
| (ll) 
| ll 
| Л’,л’ 
| {{script/Arabic|ڵ}}
| {{script/Arabic|ڵـ}}
| {{script/Arabic|ـڵـ}}
| {{script/Arabic| ـڵ}}
| {{IPAblink|ɫ|ɫ}}
|- align="center"
| M,m 
| M,m 
| М,м 
| {{script/Arabic|م}}
| {{script/Arabic|مـ}}
| {{script/Arabic|ـمـ}}
| {{script/Arabic|ـم}}
|{{IPAblink|m}}
|- align="center"
| N,n 
| N,n 
| Н,н 
| {{script/Arabic|ن}}
| {{script/Arabic|نـ}}
| {{script/Arabic|ـنـ}}
| {{script/Arabic| ـن}}
|{{IPAblink|n}}
|- align="center"
| O,o 
| O,o 
| O,o 
| {{script/Arabic|ۆ}}
| {{script/Arabic|ئۆ}}
| colspan="1" | –
| {{script/Arabic|ـۆ}}
| {{IPAblink|o}}

|- align="center"
| P,p 
| P,p 
| П,п 
| {{script/Arabic|پ}}
| {{script/Arabic|پــ}}
| {{script/Arabic|ـپـ}}
| {{script/Arabic| ـپ}}
| {{IPAblink|p}}
|- align="center"
| Q,q 
| Q,q 
| Ԛ,ԛ 
| {{script/Arabic|ق}}
| {{script/Arabic|قـ}}
| {{script/Arabic|ـقـ}}
| {{script/Arabic|ـق}}
| {{IPAblink|q}}
|- align="center"
| R,r 
| R,r 
| Р,р 
| {{script/Arabic|ر}}
| colspan="2" | —
| {{script/Arabic|ـر}}
| {{IPAblink|ɾ}}
|- align="center"
| (rr) 
| rr 
| Р’,р’ 
| {{script/Arabic|ڕ}}
| colspan="2" | —
| {{script/Arabic|ـڕ}}
| {{IPAblink|r}}
|- align="center"
| S,s 
| S,s 
| С,с 
| {{script/Arabic|س}}
| {{script/Arabic|سـ}}
| {{script/Arabic|ـسـ}}
| {{script/Arabic|ـس}}
| {{IPAblink|s}}
|- align="center"
| Ş,ş 
| Sh,sh 
| Ш,ш 
| {{script/Arabic|ش}}
| {{script/Arabic|شـ}}
| {{script/Arabic|ـشـ}}
| {{script/Arabic|ـش}}
| {{IPAblink|ʃ}}
|- align="center"
| T,t 
| T,t 
| Т,т 
| {{script/Arabic|ت}}
| {{script/Arabic|تـ}}
| {{script/Arabic|ـتـ}}
| {{script/Arabic|ـت}}
| {{IPAblink|t}}
|- align="center"
| U,u 
| U,u 
| Ӧ,ӧ 
| {{script/Arabic|و}}
| colspan="2" | —
| {{script/Arabic|ـو}}
| {{IPAblink|u}}
|- align="center"
| Û,û 
| Ú,ú 
| У,у 
| {{script/Arabic|ۇ}}
| colspan="2" | —
| {{script/Arabic|ـۇ}}
| {{IPAblink|uː}}
|- align="center"
| colspan="1" | —
| colspan="1" | Ù,ù 
| colspan="1" | —
| {{script/Arabic|ۊ}}
| colspan="2" | —
| {{script/Arabic|ـۊ}}
| {{IPAblink|ʉː}}
|- align="center"
| V,v 
| V,v 
| В,в 
| {{script/Arabic|ڤ}}
| {{script/Arabic|ڤـ}}
| {{script/Arabic|ـڤـ}}
| {{script/Arabic|ـڤ}}
| {{IPAblink|v}}
|- align="center"
| W,w 
| W,w 
| Ԝ,ԝ 
| {{script/Arabic|و}}
| colspan="2" | —
| {{script/Arabic|ـو}}
| {{IPAblink|w}}
|- align="center"
| X,x 
| X,x 
| Х,х 
| {{script/Arabic|خ}}
| {{script/Arabic|خـ}}
| {{script/Arabic|ـخـ}}
| {{script/Arabic|ـخ}}
| {{IPAblink|x}}
|- align="center"
| (Ẍ, ẍ) 
| X',x'
| Ѓ,ѓ 
| {{script/Arabic|غ}}
| {{script/Arabic|غـ}}
| {{script/Arabic|ـغـ}}
| {{script/Arabic|ـغ}}
| {{IPAblink|ɣ}}
|- align="center"
| Y,y 
| Y,y 
| Й,й 
| {{script/Arabic|ی}}
| {{script/Arabic|یـ}}
| colspan="2" | —
| {{IPAblink|j}}
|- align="center"
| Z,z 
| Z,z 
| З,з 
| {{script/Arabic|ز}}
| colspan="2" | —
| {{script/Arabic|ـز}}
| {{IPAblink|z}}
|}

==See also==
* [[Kurdish typography]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://kurdishacademy.org/?q=node/145 KAL – A table of the various Kurdish alphabets]
* Omniglot: [http://www.omniglot.com/writing/kurdish.htm Kurdish language, alphabet and pronunciation]
* [http://www.kurditgroup.org/downloads.php?cid=2 Kurdish Unicode Fonts]{{dead link|date=May 2012}}

{{Arabic alphabets}}
{{Kurdish language}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Kurdish Alphabet}}
[[Category:Latin alphabets]]
[[Category:Arabic alphabets]]
[[Category:Kurdish language]]

Kurdish alphabets

2014-12-27T22:16:24Z

Cyrus abdi:

[[File:Kurdish Food - Alder Street - geograph.org.uk - 1717250.jpg|thumb|200px|Kurdish restaurant sign written in Arabic script]]

The [[Kurdish languages]] are written in either of two alphabets: a [[Latin alphabet]] introduced by [[Jaladat Ali Badirkhan|Jeladet Ali Bedirkhan]] in 1932 ('''Bedirxan alphabet''', or '''Hawar''' after the [[Hawar (magazine)|''Hawar'']] magazine), and a [[Perso-Arabic script|Perso-Arabic alphabet]], '''Sorani alphabet''', named for the city of [[Soran, Iraq]].

The Hawar is used in [[Turkey]], [[Syria]] and [[Armenia]]; the Sorani in [[Iraq]] and [[Iran]].
Two additional alphabets, based on the [[Armenian alphabet|Armenian]] and [[Cyrillic]] scripts, were once used in [[Soviet Armenia]].

=={{anchor|Bedirxan alphabet}} Hawar alphabet (Standard Latin Alphabet)==

Kurmanji and Zazaki Kurdish are written in an extended Latin alphabet, with 31 letters:
: Aa Bb Cc Çç Dd Ee Êê Ff Gg Hh Ii Îî Jj Kk Ll Mm Nn Oo Pp Qq, Rr Ss Şş Tt Uu Ûû Vv Ww Xx Yy Zz

In this alphabet the short vowels are E, I and U; the long vowels are A, Ê, Î, O and Û (see the IPA equivalents in the table below).

When presenting the alphabet in his magazine ''Hawar'', Jeladet Ali Bedirkhan proposed using {{angbr|ḧ ẍ '}} for غ, ح, and ع, sounds which he judged to be "non-Kurdish" (see [http://www.nefel.com/epirtuk/pdf/celadet_ali_bedir_xan_elfabeugramer_02.pdf?NR:122] page 12,13). These three glyphs do not have the status of letter and serve to represent these sounds when they are indispensable to comprehension.

[[Turkey]] does not recognize this alphabet. Use of the letters Q, W, and X, which did not exist in the [[Turkish alphabet]] until 2013, led to persecution in 2000 and 2003 (see [http://www.ihf-hr.org/viewbinary/viewdocument.php?download=1&doc_id=6391], p. 8, and [http://www.rsf.org/rsf/uk/html/mo/cplp/cp/000300.html]). Since September 2003, many Kurds applied to the courts seeking to change their names to Kurdish ones written with these letters, but failed.<ref name=cla3a>{{cite web | url = http://www.unhchr.ch/minorities/statements10/CLA3a.doc | title = Submission to the Sub-Commission on Promotion and Protection of Human Rights: Working Group of Minorities; Tenth Session, Agenda Item 3 (a) | first = Saniye | last = Karakaş | coauthors = [[Diyarbakır]] Branch of the Contemporary Lawyers Association | publisher = [[United Nations Commission on Human Rights]] |date=March 2004 | accessdate = 2006-11-07 | format = [[Microsoft Word|MS Word]]|quote = Kurds have been officially allowed since September 2003 to take Kurdish names, but cannot use the letters x, w, or q, which are common in Kurdish but do not exist in Turkey's version of the Latin alphabet. [...] Those letters, however, are used in Turkey in the names of companies, TV and radio channels, and trademarks. For example [[Turkish Army]] has company under the name of [[AXA]] [[OYAK]] and there is [[Show TV|SHOW TV]] television channel in Turkey. |archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20070628171743/http://www.unhchr.ch/minorities/statements10/CLA3a.doc  |archivedate = 2007-06-28}}</ref>

The Turkish government finally legalized the letters Q, W, and X as part of the Turkish alphabet in 2013.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.slate.com/blogs/lexicon_valley/2013/10/24/turkey_prime_minister_erdogan_s_democratizaton_package_legalizes_letters.html|title= Turkey Legalizes the Letters Q, W, and X. Yay Alphabet!|author=Mark Liberman|publisher=Slate|date=2013-10-24|accessdate=2013-10-25}}</ref>

==Suggested Modification==

Some scholars have suggested to make minor changes in the Bedirxan's Hawar alphabet to make it more user friendly. The modifications are in the diacritics. These scholars suggest to use the following alphabet as standard Kurdish alphabet. The suggested changes are ú, í, é and

<big><center>
:{|class="wikitable" style="border-collapse:collapse; font-size: 120%;"
|-
|bgcolor="#EFEFEF" align="center" colspan="31" | '''Upper Case'''
|-
|width=3% align="center"|[[A]]
|width=3% align="center"|[[B]]
|width=3% align="center"|[[C]]
|width=3% align="center"|[[Ç]]
|width=3% align="center"|[[D]]
|width=3% align="center"|[[E]]
|width=3% align="center"|[[É]]
|width=3% align="center"|[[F]]
|width=3% align="center"|[[G]]
|width=3% align="center"|[[H]]
|width=3% align="center"|[[I]]
|width=3% align="center"|[[Í]]
|width=3% align="center"|[[J]]
|width=3% align="center"|[[K]]
|width=3% align="center"|[[L]]
|width=3% align="center"|[[M]]
|width=3% align="center"|[[N]]
|width=3% align="center"|[[O]]
|width=3% align="center"|[[P]]
|width=3% align="center"|[[Q]]
|width=3% align="center"|[[R]]
|width=3% align="center"|[[S]]
|width=3% align="center"|[[Ș]]
|width=3% align="center"|[[T]]
|width=3% align="center"|[[U]]
|width=3% align="center"|[[Ú]]
|width=3% align="center"|[[V]]
|width=3% align="center"|[[W]]
|width=3% align="center"|[[X]]
|width=3% align="center"|[[Y]]
|width=3% align="center"|[[Z]]
|-
|align="center" colspan="31" | '''Lower Case'''
|-
|width=3% align="center"|[[a]]
|width=3% align="center"|[[b]]
|width=3% align="center"|[[c]]
|width=3% align="center"|[[ç]]
|width=3% align="center"|[[d]]
|width=3% align="center"|[[e]]
|width=3% align="center"|[[é]]
|width=3% align="center"|[[f]]
|width=3% align="center"|[[g]]
|width=3% align="center"|[[h]]
|width=3% align="center"|[[i]]
|width=3% align="center"|[[í]]
|width=3% align="center"|[[j]]
|width=3% align="center"|[[k]]
|width=3% align="center"|[[l]]
|width=3% align="center"|[[m]]
|width=3% align="center"|[[n]]
|width=3% align="center"|[[o]]
|width=3% align="center"|[[p]]
|width=3% align="center"|[[q]]
|width=3% align="center"|[[r]]
|width=3% align="center"|[[s]]
|width=3% align="center"|[[ș]]
|width=3% align="center"|[[t]]
|width=3% align="center"|[[u]]
|width=3% align="center"|[[ú]]
|width=3% align="center"|[[v]]
|width=3% align="center"|[[w]]
|width=3% align="center"|[[x]]
|width=3% align="center"|[[y]]
|width=3% align="center"|[[z]]
|}
</center>
</big>

==Sorani alphabet==
The [[Sorani]] Kurdish dialect is mainly written using a modified [[Perso-Arabic script|Persian alphabet]] with 33 letters introduced by [[Sa'id Kaban Sedqi]]. Unlike the standard [[Arabic alphabet]], which is an [[abjad]], Sorani is a true [[alphabet]] in which vowels are mandatory, making the script easy to read. Yet it is not a complete representation of Kurdish sounds, as it lacks short ''i'', and is also unable to differentiate between ''w'' and short ''u'' or between ''y'' and ''î''. However it does show the two [[pharyngeal consonant]]s, as well as a [[voiced velar fricative]] used in Kurdish.

:{| class="wikitable"
|-
|ێ || ی || ە || ھ || وو || ۆ || و || ن || م || ڵ || ل || گ || ک || ق || ڤ || ف || غ || ع || ش || س || ژ || ز || ڕ || ر || د || خ || ح || چ || ج || ت || پ || ب || ا || ئـ
|}

A new sort order for the alphabet was recently proposed by [[Kurdish Academy]] in [[Erbil]] as the new standard:<ref>{{ku icon}} [http://www.kurdish-academy.org/files/articles/080212035201.pdf گۆڤاری ئەکادیمیای کوردی، ژمارە (١٦)ی ساڵی ٢٠١٠ (''The 2010 Journal of Kurdish Academy, Issue 16'')], 14-16 </ref>

:{| class="wikitable"
|-
|ێ || ی || وو || ۆ || و || ە || ھ || ن || م || ڵ || ل || گ || ک || ق || ڤ || ف || غ || ع || ش || س || ژ || ز || ڕ || ر || د || خ || ح || چ || ج || ت || پ || ب || ا || ئـ
|}

Note: The above sequences are read from right to left.

The alphabet is often represented with 34 entries because وو, which is arguably incorrect, is given its own position. There are also unofficial letters such as ۊ and ۇ which can be found in variations of the alphabet.

Kurds in [[Iraq]] and [[Iran]] mainly use this alphabet, though the Kurdish Latin alphabet is also in use.

==Cyrillic script==
A third system, used for the few (Kurmanji-speaking) Kurds in the former [[Soviet Union]], uses a [[Cyrillic script|Cyrillic alphabet]], consisting of 40 letters:

А, Б, В, Г, Г', Д, Е, Ә, Ә', Ж, З, И, Й, К, К', Л, М, Н, О, Ö, П, П', Р, Р', С, Т, Т', У, Ф, Х, Һ, Һ', Ч, Ч', Ш, Щ, Ь, Э, [[Qa (Cyrillic)|Ԛ]], [[We (Cyrillic)|Ԝ]]

== Armenian alphabet ==

From 1921 to 1929 the [[Armenian alphabet]] was used for Kurdish languages in the [[Soviet Armenia]].<ref>{{ru icon}} [http://www.krugosvet.ru/articles/81/1008155/1008155a1.htm Курдский язык (''Kurdish language'')], Кругосвет (''Krugosvet'')</ref>

Then it was replaced with a [[Janalif]]-like Latin alphabet during [[Latinisation (USSR)|Latinisation campaign]].

==Uniform adaptation for Kurdish==
In 1928 Kurdish language in all of the [[USSR]], including [[Armenian SSR]], was switched to a Latin alphabet containing some Cyrillic characters: '''{{Unicode|a, b, c, ç, d, e, ә, f, g, г, h, i, ь, j, k, ʀ, l, m, ɴ, o, ө, w, p, n, q, ч, s, ш, ц, t, u, y, v, x, z, ƶ}}'''. In 1929 it was reformed and was replaced by:<ref>{{ru icon}} Культура и письменность Востока (Eastern Culture and Literature). 1928, №2.</ref>

{| class="Unicode" style="font-size:1.4em; border-color:black; border-width:1px; border-style:solid; border-collapse:collapse; background-color:#F8F8EF"
| style="width:3em; text-align:center; padding: 3px;" | A a
| style="width:3em; text-align:center; padding: 3px;" | B b
| style="width:3em; text-align:center; padding: 3px;" | C c
| style="width:3em; text-align:center; padding: 3px;" | [[Ꞓ]] ꞓ
| style="width:3em; text-align:center; padding: 3px;" | Ç ç
| style="width:3em; text-align:center; padding: 3px;" | D d
| style="width:3em; text-align:center; padding: 3px;" | E e
| style="width:3em; text-align:center; padding: 3px;" | [[Ə]] ə
|-
| style="width:3em; text-align:center; padding: 3px;" | [[Ə́]] ə́
| style="width:3em; text-align:center; padding: 3px;" | F f
| style="width:3em; text-align:center; padding: 3px;" | G g
| style="width:3em; text-align:center; padding: 3px;" | [[Ƣ]] ƣ
| style="width:3em; text-align:center; padding: 3px;" | H h
| style="width:3em; text-align:center; padding: 3px;" | [[Ħ]] ħ
| style="width:3em; text-align:center; padding: 3px;" | I i
| style="width:3em; text-align:center; padding: 3px;" | J j
|-
| style="width:3em; text-align:center; padding: 3px;" | K k
| style="width:3em; text-align:center; padding: 3px;" | {{Unicode|[[Ķ]] ķ}}
| style="width:3em; text-align:center; padding: 3px;" | L l
| style="width:3em; text-align:center; padding: 3px;" | M m
| style="width:3em; text-align:center; padding: 3px;" | N n
| style="width:3em; text-align:center; padding: 3px;" | O o
| style="width:3em; text-align:center; padding: 3px;" | Ö ö
| style="width:3em; text-align:center; padding: 3px;" | P p
|-
| style="width:3em; text-align:center; padding: 3px;" | {{Unicode|[[Ṕ]] ṕ}}
| style="width:3em; text-align:center; padding: 3px;" | Q q
| style="width:3em; text-align:center; padding: 3px;" | R r
| style="width:3em; text-align:center; padding: 3px;" | S s
| style="width:3em; text-align:center; padding: 3px;" | Ş ş
| style="width:3em; text-align:center; padding: 3px;" | T t
| style="width:3em; text-align:center; padding: 3px;" | {{Unicode|[[Ţ]] ţ}}
| style="width:3em; text-align:center; padding: 3px;" | U u
|-
| style="width:3em; text-align:center; padding: 3px;" | Û û
| style="width:3em; text-align:center; padding: 3px;" | V v
| style="width:3em; text-align:center; padding: 3px;" | W w
| style="width:3em; text-align:center; padding: 3px;" | X x
| style="width:3em; text-align:center; padding: 3px;" | Y y
| style="width:3em; text-align:center; padding: 3px;" | Z z
| style="width:3em; text-align:center; padding: 3px;" | [[Ƶ]] ƶ
| style="width:3em; text-align:center; padding: 3px;" | Ь ь
|}

==''Yekgirtú (IS)''==

The ''Yekgirtú'' (Yekgirtí, yekgirig) alphabet is a recent devised writing system by Kurdish Academy of Language.<ref name="intro">Kurdish Academy of Language, [http://www.kurdishacademy.org/?q=node/2 Alphabet]</ref> It has many advantages compared to the Kurmanji and Sorani alphabets. It is adapted for all Kurdish dialects and not exclusive to just one, and is therefore called ''Yekgirtú'', which means "unified." It is also better adapted to the vowel-rich Kurdish language than is the Arabic script.

The [[Kurdish Academy of Language]] (KAL) realises that there are too many shortcomings with current Kurdish writing systems. These include workability, cross dialectal usage, and a lack of International IT-based Standards and representation for Kurdish. To avoid the communication obstacles presented by the existence of various Kurdish writing systems, KAL has introduced a standard '''Kurdish Unified Alphabet''' (Yekgirtú) based on International [[ISO-8859-1]] Standards. This modern Kurdish (IS) alphabet contained some minor changes in the existing Latin based alphabet and adopting new signs. The new signs were introduced to improve the flexibility of the writing system in Kurdish. This effort was undertaken as part of KAL's broad endeavour to revive and promote the use of the Kurdish language for the benefit of young Kurds. The system devised and presented here by KAL is simple and adequate for the purpose of communicating via the Internet and any electronic media.

The development of the Unified Kurdish Alphabet has proceeded along three lines.<ref name="intro" /> First one letter has been designated for each sound (with the exception of digraph characters such as velar [ll], trill [rr], "jh" and "sh"). Second, no diacritical marks have been allowed that are difficult to convey via the Internet without the use of specialised programs. Specifically, all characters in the unified alphabet have been chosen carefully from the ISO-8859-1 "[[Latin 1]]" system for West European languages in order to ensure that the Kurdish characters follow one single global standard only. Loanwords need to naturalise and comply with common global Kurdish spelling rules whilst local exceptional pronunciations are also justified. The Kurdish Unified Alphabet contains 34 characters including 4 [[Digraph (orthography)|digraph]] cases (jh, ll, rr, sh) and 4 characters with [[diacritics]] (é, í, ú, ù). It represents 9 vowels (a, e, é, i, í, o, u, ú, ù) and 25 consonants:<ref>Kurdish Academy of Language, [http://www.kurdishacademy.org/?q=node/3 Yekgirtú, the Kurdish Unified Alphabet].</ref>

: A, B, C, D, E, É, F, G, H, I, Í, J, Jh, K, L, ll, M, N, O, P, Q, R, rr, S, Sh, T, U, Ú, Ù, V, W, X, Y, Z

Recently it has been used more than the Arabic script on Kurdish TV.

==Comparison of Kurmancî, Yekgirtú and Sorani alphabets==
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! rowspan=2 | Latin Kurmancî
! rowspan=2 | Yekgirtú
! rowspan=2 | Cyrillic Kurmancî
! colspan=4 | Sorani
! rowspan=2 | [[IPA]]
|-
! (isolated)
! (initial)
! (medial)
! (final)
|- align="center"
| A,a 
| A,a 
| А,а 
| {{script/Arabic|ا}}
| {{script/Arabic|ئا}}
| colspan="1" | —
|{{script/Arabic|ـا}}
| {{IPAblink|ä|aː}}

|- align="center"
| B,b 
| B,b 
| Б,б 
| {{script/Arabic|ب}}
| {{script/Arabic|بـ}}
| {{script/Arabic|ـبـ}}
| {{script/Arabic|ـب}}
| {{IPAblink|b}}
|- align="center"
| C,c 
| J,j 
| Щ,щ 
| {{script/Arabic|ج}}
| {{script/Arabic|جـ}}
| {{script/Arabic|ـجـ}}
| {{script/Arabic|ـج}}
| {{IPAblink|d͡ʒ}}
|- align="center"
| Ç,ç 
| C,c 
| Ч,ч 
| {{script/Arabic|چ}}
| {{script/Arabic|چـ}}
| {{script/Arabic|ـچـ}}
| {{script/Arabic|ـچ}}
| {{IPAblink|t͡ʃ}}
|- align="center"
| D,d 
| D,d 
| Д,д 
| {{script/Arabic|د}}
| colspan="2" | —
| {{script/Arabic|ـد}}
| {{IPAblink|d}}
|- align="center"
| E,e 
| E,e 
| Ә,ә 
| {{script/Arabic|ە}}
| {{script/Arabic|ئە}}
| colspan="1" | —
| {{script/Arabic|ـە}}
| {{IPAblink|ɛ}}
|- align="center"
| Ê,ê 
| É,é 
| Е,е (Э э) 
| {{script/Arabic|ێ}}
| {{script/Arabic|ئێـ}}
| {{script/Arabic|ـێـ}}
| {{script/Arabic|ـێ}}
| {{IPAblink|e}}
|- align="center"
| F,f 
| F,f 
| Ф,ф 
| {{script/Arabic|ف}}
| {{script/Arabic|فـ}}
| {{script/Arabic|ـفـ}}
| {{script/Arabic|ـف}}
| {{IPAblink|f}}
|- align="center"
| G,g 
| G,g 
| Г,г 
| {{script/Arabic|گ}}
| {{script/Arabic|گـ}}
| {{script/Arabic|ـگـ}}
| {{script/Arabic|ـگ}}
| {{IPAblink|ɡ}}
|- align="center"
| H,h 
| H,h 
| Һ,һ 
| {{script/Arabic|ه}}
| {{script/Arabic|ھ}}
| {{script/Arabic|ـھ}}
| {{script/Arabic|ـھ}}
| {{IPAblink|h}}
|- align="center"
| (Ḧ, ḧ) 
| H',h' 
| Һ’,һ’ 
| {{script/Arabic|ح}}
| {{script/Arabic|حـ}}
| {{script/Arabic|ـحـ}}
| {{script/Arabic|ـح}}
| {{IPAblink|ħ}}
|- align="center"
| (') 
| ' 
| — 
| {{script/Arabic|ع}}
| {{script/Arabic|عـ}}
| {{script/Arabic|ـعـ}}
| {{script/Arabic|ـع}}
| {{IPAblink|ʕ}}
|- align="center"
| I,i 
| I,i 
| Ь,ь 
| colspan="4" | —
| {{IPAblink|ɪ}}
|- align="center"
| Î,î 
| Í,í 
| И,и 
| {{script/Arabic|ی}}
| {{script/Arabic|ئیـ}}
| {{script/Arabic|ـیـ}}
| {{script/Arabic|ـی}}
| {{IPAblink|iː}}
|- align="center"
| J,j 
| Jh,jh 
| Ж,ж 
| {{script/Arabic|ژ}}
| colspan="2" | —
| {{script/Arabic|ـژ}}
| {{IPAblink|ʒ}}
|- align="center"
| K,k 
| K,k 
| К,к 
| {{script/Arabic|ک}}
| {{script/Arabic|کـ}}
| {{script/Arabic|ـکـ}}
| {{script/Arabic|ـک}}
| {{IPAblink|k}}
|- align="center"
| L,l 
| L,l 
| Л,л 
| {{script/Arabic|ل}}
| {{script/Arabic|لـ}}
| {{script/Arabic|ـلـ}}
| {{script/Arabic|ـل}}
| {{IPAblink|l}}
|- align="center"
| (ll) 
| ll 
| Л’,л’ 
| {{script/Arabic|ڵ}}
| {{script/Arabic|ڵـ}}
| {{script/Arabic|ـڵـ}}
| {{script/Arabic| ـڵ}}
| {{IPAblink|ɫ|ɫ}}
|- align="center"
| M,m 
| M,m 
| М,м 
| {{script/Arabic|م}}
| {{script/Arabic|مـ}}
| {{script/Arabic|ـمـ}}
| {{script/Arabic|ـم}}
|{{IPAblink|m}}
|- align="center"
| N,n 
| N,n 
| Н,н 
| {{script/Arabic|ن}}
| {{script/Arabic|نـ}}
| {{script/Arabic|ـنـ}}
| {{script/Arabic| ـن}}
|{{IPAblink|n}}
|- align="center"
| O,o 
| O,o 
| O,o 
| {{script/Arabic|ۆ}}
| {{script/Arabic|ئۆ}}
| colspan="1" | –
| {{script/Arabic|ـۆ}}
| {{IPAblink|o}}

|- align="center"
| P,p 
| P,p 
| П,п 
| {{script/Arabic|پ}}
| {{script/Arabic|پــ}}
| {{script/Arabic|ـپـ}}
| {{script/Arabic| ـپ}}
| {{IPAblink|p}}
|- align="center"
| Q,q 
| Q,q 
| Ԛ,ԛ 
| {{script/Arabic|ق}}
| {{script/Arabic|قـ}}
| {{script/Arabic|ـقـ}}
| {{script/Arabic|ـق}}
| {{IPAblink|q}}
|- align="center"
| R,r 
| R,r 
| Р,р 
| {{script/Arabic|ر}}
| colspan="2" | —
| {{script/Arabic|ـر}}
| {{IPAblink|ɾ}}
|- align="center"
| (rr) 
| rr 
| Р’,р’ 
| {{script/Arabic|ڕ}}
| colspan="2" | —
| {{script/Arabic|ـڕ}}
| {{IPAblink|r}}
|- align="center"
| S,s 
| S,s 
| С,с 
| {{script/Arabic|س}}
| {{script/Arabic|سـ}}
| {{script/Arabic|ـسـ}}
| {{script/Arabic|ـس}}
| {{IPAblink|s}}
|- align="center"
| Ş,ş 
| Sh,sh 
| Ш,ш 
| {{script/Arabic|ش}}
| {{script/Arabic|شـ}}
| {{script/Arabic|ـشـ}}
| {{script/Arabic|ـش}}
| {{IPAblink|ʃ}}
|- align="center"
| T,t 
| T,t 
| Т,т 
| {{script/Arabic|ت}}
| {{script/Arabic|تـ}}
| {{script/Arabic|ـتـ}}
| {{script/Arabic|ـت}}
| {{IPAblink|t}}
|- align="center"
| U,u 
| U,u 
| Ӧ,ӧ 
| {{script/Arabic|و}}
| colspan="2" | —
| {{script/Arabic|ـو}}
| {{IPAblink|u}}
|- align="center"
| Û,û 
| Ú,ú 
| У,у 
| {{script/Arabic|ۇ}}
| colspan="2" | —
| {{script/Arabic|ـۇ}}
| {{IPAblink|uː}}
|- align="center"
| colspan="1" | —
| colspan="1" | Ù,ù 
| colspan="1" | —
| {{script/Arabic|ۊ}}
| colspan="2" | —
| {{script/Arabic|ـۊ}}
| {{IPAblink|ʉː}}
|- align="center"
| V,v 
| V,v 
| В,в 
| {{script/Arabic|ڤ}}
| {{script/Arabic|ڤـ}}
| {{script/Arabic|ـڤـ}}
| {{script/Arabic|ـڤ}}
| {{IPAblink|v}}
|- align="center"
| W,w 
| W,w 
| Ԝ,ԝ 
| {{script/Arabic|و}}
| colspan="2" | —
| {{script/Arabic|ـو}}
| {{IPAblink|w}}
|- align="center"
| X,x 
| X,x 
| Х,х 
| {{script/Arabic|خ}}
| {{script/Arabic|خـ}}
| {{script/Arabic|ـخـ}}
| {{script/Arabic|ـخ}}
| {{IPAblink|x}}
|- align="center"
| (Ẍ, ẍ) 
| X',x'
| Ѓ,ѓ 
| {{script/Arabic|غ}}
| {{script/Arabic|غـ}}
| {{script/Arabic|ـغـ}}
| {{script/Arabic|ـغ}}
| {{IPAblink|ɣ}}
|- align="center"
| Y,y 
| Y,y 
| Й,й 
| {{script/Arabic|ی}}
| {{script/Arabic|یـ}}
| colspan="2" | —
| {{IPAblink|j}}
|- align="center"
| Z,z 
| Z,z 
| З,з 
| {{script/Arabic|ز}}
| colspan="2" | —
| {{script/Arabic|ـز}}
| {{IPAblink|z}}
|}

==See also==
* [[Kurdish typography]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://kurdishacademy.org/?q=node/145 KAL – A table of the various Kurdish alphabets]
* Omniglot: [http://www.omniglot.com/writing/kurdish.htm Kurdish language, alphabet and pronunciation]
* [http://www.kurditgroup.org/downloads.php?cid=2 Kurdish Unicode Fonts]{{dead link|date=May 2012}}

{{Arabic alphabets}}
{{Kurdish language}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Kurdish Alphabet}}
[[Category:Latin alphabets]]
[[Category:Arabic alphabets]]
[[Category:Kurdish language]]

Article (grammar)

2013-03-31T12:55:30Z

Cyrus abdi: /* Variation among languages */

{{For|articles in English|English articles}}
{{Redirect|Definite article|the Eddie Izzard comedy DVD|Definite Article}}
{{Refimprove|date=July 2008}}

An '''article''' ([[list of glossing abbreviations|abbreviated]] {{sc|'''art'''}}) is a [[word]] (or [[prefix]] or [[suffix]]) that is used with a [[noun]] to indicate the type of reference being made by the noun. Articles specify the grammatical [[definiteness]] of the noun, in some languages extending to volume or numerical scope. The articles in the [[English language]] are ''the'' and ''a/an'', and (in some contexts) ''some''. [[A_and_an#Indefinite_article|'An' and 'a']] are modern forms of the Old English 'an', which in Anglian dialects was the number 'one' (compare 'on', in Saxon dialects) and survived into Modern Scots as the number 'ane'. Both 'on' (respelled 'one' by the Normans) and 'an' survived into Modern English, with 'one' used as the number and 'an' ('a', before nouns that begin with a consonant sound) as an indefinite article.

[[Parts_of_speech#English|Traditionally in English]], an article is usually considered to be a type of [[adjective]]. In some languages, articles are a special part of speech, which cannot easily be combined with other parts of speech. It is also possible for articles to be part of another part of speech category such as a [[determiner (linguistics)|determiner]], an English part of speech category that combines articles and demonstratives (such as 'this' and 'that').

In languages that employ articles, every [[common noun]], with some exceptions, is expressed with a certain [[definiteness]] (e.g., definite or indefinite), just as many languages express every noun with a certain [[grammatical number]] (e.g., singular or plural). Every noun ''must'' be accompanied by the article, if any, corresponding to its definiteness, and the lack of an article (considered a ''[[zero article]]'') itself specifies a certain definiteness. This is in contrast to other adjectives and determiners, which are typically optional. This obligatory nature of articles makes them among the most common words in many languages—in English, for example, the most frequent word is ''the''.<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://www.world-english.org/english500.htm
|title=The 500 Most Commonly Used Words in the English Language
|author=World English
|accessdate=2007-01-14
| archiveurl= http://web.archive.org/web/20070113103028/http://www.world-english.org/english500.htm| archivedate= 13 January 2007 | deadurl= no}}</ref>

==Types==
Articles are usually characterized as either ''definite'' or ''indefinite''.<ref>[http://filesmy.com/1Ii3k/handouts/esl/eslart.html The Use and Non-Use of Articles]</ref> A few languages with well-developed systems of articles may distinguish additional subtypes.

Within each type, languages may have various forms of each article, according to grammatical attributes such as [[grammatical gender|gender]], [[grammatical number|number]], or [[grammatical case|case]], or according to adjacent sounds.

===Definite article===


A definite article indicates that its noun is a particular one (or ones) identifiable to the listener. It may be something that the speaker has already mentioned, or it may be something uniquely specified. The definite article in English, for both singular and plural nouns, is ''the''.

: '''''The children''' know '''the fastest way''' home.''

The sentence above refers to specific children and a specific way home; it contrasts with the much more general observation that:

: '''''Children''' know '''the fastest way''' home.''

The latter sentence refers to children in general, perhaps all or most of them.

Likewise,

: ''Give me '''the book'''.''

refers to a specific book whose identity is known or obvious to the listener; as such it has a markedly different meaning from

: ''Give me '''a book'''.''

which does not specify what book is to be given.

The definite article can also be used in English to indicate a specific class among other classes:

: '''''The''' cabbage white butterfly lays its eggs on members of '''the''' Brassica genus.''

The definite article is sometimes also used with [[proper name]]s, which are already specified by definition (there ''is'' just one of them). For example: ''the Amazon, the Hebrides''. In these cases, the definite article is strictly speaking superfluous. Some languages also use definite articles with [[personal name]]s. For example, such use is standard in [[Portuguese language|Portuguese]]: ''a Maria'', literally: "the Maria". It also occurs colloquially in [[Spanish language|Spanish]], [[German language|German]] and other languages, and is sometimes heard in Italian.

===Indefinite article===

An '''indefinite''' article indicates that its noun is not a particular one (or ones) identifiable to the listener. It may be something that the speaker is mentioning for the first time, or its precise identity may be irrelevant or hypothetical, or the speaker may be making a general statement about any such thing. English uses ''a/an'', from the Old English forms of the number 'one', as its primary indefinite article. The form ''an'' is used before words that begin with a vowel sound (even if spelled with an initial consonant, as in ''an hour''), and ''a'' before words that begin with a consonant sound (even if spelled with a vowel, as in ''a European'').

: ''She had '''a''' house so large that '''an''' elephant would get lost without '''a''' map.''

Before some words beginning with a pronounced (not silent) ''h'' in an unstressed first syllable, such as ''hallucination'', ''hilarious'', ''historic(al)'', ''horrendous'', and ''horrific'', some (especially older) British writers prefer to use ''an'' over ''a'' (''an historical event'', etc.).<ref name="New Oxford">New Oxford Dictionary of English, 1999, usage note for ''an'': "There is still some divergence of opinion over the form of the indefinite article to use preceding certain words beginning with '''h'''- when the first syllable is unstressed: ‘'''a''' historical document’ or ‘'''an''' historical document’; ‘'''a''' hotel’ or ‘'''an''' hotel’. The form depends on whether the initial h is sounded or not: '''an''' was common in the 18th and 19th centuries, because the initial h was commonly not pronounced for these words. In standard modern English the norm is for the '''h''' to be pronounced in words like '''hotel''' and '''historical''', and therefore the indefinite article '''a''' is used; however, the older form, with the silent '''h''' and the indefinite article '''an''', is still encountered, especially among older speakers."</ref> ''An'' is also preferred before ''hotel'' by some writers of British English (probably reflecting the relatively recent adoption of the word from French, where the ''h'' is not pronounced).<ref name=Peterspg1>[[Brown Corpus]] and [[Lancaster-Oslo-Bergen Corpus]], quoted in Peters (2004: 1)</ref> The use of "an" before words beginning with an unstressed "h" is more common generally in British English than American.<ref name=Peterspg1/> American writers normally use ''a'' in all these cases, although there are occasional uses of ''an historic(al)'' in American English.<ref>Algeo, p. 49.</ref> According to the New Oxford Dictionary of English, such use is increasingly rare in British English too.<ref name="New Oxford"/> Unlike British English, American English typically uses ''an'' before ''herb'', since the ''h'' in this word is silent for most Americans. The correct usage in respect of the term "hereditary peer" was the subject of an amendment debated in the UK Parliament.<ref>[http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld199899/ldhansrd/vo990427/text/90427-43.htm www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld199899/ldhansrd/vo990427/text/90427-43.htm].</ref>

The word ''some'' is used as a functional plural of ''a/an''. "An apple" never means more than one apple. "Give me ''some'' apples" indicates more than one is desired but without specifying a quantity. This finds comparison in Spanish, where the singular indefinite article 'un/una' ("one") is completely indistinguishable from the unit number, except where it has a plural form ('unos/unas'): ''Dame una manzana" ("Give me an apple")'' > "Dame ''unas'' manzanas" ("Give me some apples"). However, ''some'' also serves as a quantifier rather than as a plural article, as in "There are ''some'' apples there, but not many."

''Some'' also serves as a singular indefinite article, as in "There is ''some'' person on the porch". This usage differs from the usage of ''a(n)'' in that ''some'' indicates that the identity of the noun is unknown to both the listener and the speaker, while ''a(n)'' indicates that the identity is unknown to the listener without specifying whether or not it is known to the speaker. Thus ''There is some person on the porch'' indicates indefiniteness to both the listener and the speaker, while ''There is a person on the porch'' indicates indefiniteness to the listener but gives no information as to whether the speaker knows the person's identity.

===Partitive article===


A '''partitive''' article is a type of indefinite article used with a [[mass noun]] such as ''water'', to indicate a non-specific quantity of it. Partitive articles are used in [[French language|French]] and [[Italian language|Italian]] in addition to definite and indefinite articles. The nearest equivalent in English is ''some'', although this is considered a [[Determiner (linguistics)|determiner]] and not an article.
: French: ''Voulez-vous '''du''' café ?''
: ''Do you want ('''some''') coffee?'' (or, dialectally but more accurately, ''Do you want '''some of this''' coffee?'')

:See also more information about [[French articles and determiners#Partitive article|the French partitive article]].

[[Haida language|Haida]] has a partitive article (suffixed ''-gyaa'') referring to "part of something or... to one or more objects of a given group or category," e.g., ''tluugyaa uu hal tlaahlaang'' 'he is making a boat (a member of the category of boats).'<ref>{{cite book|last=Lawrence|first=Erma|year=1977|title=Haida dictionary|location=Fairbanks|publisher=Alaska Native Language Center|ref=harv|page=64|url=http://www.eric.ed.gov/ERICWebPortal/search/recordDetails.jsp?ERICExtSearch_SearchValue_0=ED162532&searchtype=keyword&ERICExtSearch_SearchType_0=no&_pageLabel=RecordDetails&accno=ED162532&_nfls=false}}</ref>

===Negative article===


A '''negative''' article specifies ''none'' of its noun, and can thus be regarded as neither definite nor indefinite. On the other hand, some consider such a word to be a simple [[determiner (linguistics)|determiner]] rather than an article. In English, this function is fulfilled by ''no'', which can appear before a singular or plural noun:
: '''''No''' man is an island.''
: '''''No''' dogs are allowed here.''

===Zero article===
{{See also|Zero article in English}}

The '''zero article''' is the absence of an article. In languages having a definite article, the lack of an article specifically indicates that the noun is indefinite. Linguists interested in [[X-bar theory]] causally link zero articles to nouns lacking a determiner.<ref>
[http://filesmy.com/1Ii3k/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_udi=B6VCH-3SWY7SY-6&_user=10&_rdoc=1&_fmt=&_orig=search&_sort=d&view=c&_version=1&_urlVersion=0&_userid=10&md5=24a31fefe9224f5077577f2789747377 ScienceDirect] Master, Peter (1997) "The English Article System: acquisition, function, and pedagogy" in: ''System'', Volume 25, Issue 2, pp. 215–232</ref> In English, the zero article rather than the indefinite is used with [[grammatical number|plurals]] and [[mass noun]]s, although the word "some" can be used as an indefinite plural article.

: '''''Visitors''' end up walking in '''mud'''.''

==Variation among languages==

[[Image:EuropeArticleLanguages.png|thumb|300px|Articles in languages in and around Europe {{legend|darkblue|indefinite and definite articles}} {{legend|blue|only definite articles}} {{legend|darkmagenta|indefinite and suffixed definite articles}} {{legend|magenta|only suffixed definite articles}} {{legend|lightgray|no articles}} Note that although the Saami languages spoken in northern parts of Norway and Sweden lack articles, Norwegian and Swedish are the majority languages in this area.]]

Articles are found in many [[Indo-European languages|Indo-European]] and [[Semitic languages|Semitic]] languages but are absent from some large languages of the world, such as [[Indonesian language|Indonesian]], [[Japanese language|Japanese]], [[Hindi]] and [[Russian language|Russian]].

Linguists believe the common ancestor of the [[Indo-European languages]], [[Proto-Indo-European language|Proto-Indo-European]], did not have articles. Most of the languages in this family do not have definite or indefinite articles; there is no article in [[Latin]], [[Sanskrit]], nor in some modern Indo-European languages, such as the families of [[Slavic languages]] (not including [[Bulgarian language|Bulgarian]]/[[Macedonian language|Macedonian]], which are rather distinctive among the Slavic languages in terms of grammar anyway) and [[Baltic languages]]. Although [[Ancient Greek|Classical]] [[Greek language|Greek]] has a definite article (which has survived into [[Modern Greek]] and which bears strong resemblance to the German definite article), the earlier [[Homeric Greek]] did not. Articles developed independently in several language families.

Not all languages have both definite and indefinite articles, and some languages have different types of definite and indefinite articles to distinguish finer shades of meaning; for example, [[French language|French]] and [[Italian language|Italian]] have a partitive article used for indefinite [[mass noun]]s, while [[Colognian language|Colognian]] has two distinct sets of definite articles indicating focus and uniqueness, and [[Macedonian language|Macedonian]] uses definite articles in a demonstrative sense, distinguishing ''this'' from ''that'' (with an intermediate degree). The words ''this'' and ''that'' (and their plurals, ''these'' and ''those'') can be understood in English as, ultimately, forms of the definite article ''the'' (whose declension in Old English included ''thaes'', an ancestral form of this/that and these/those).

In many languages, the form of the article may vary according to the [[grammatical gender|gender]], [[grammatical number|number]], or [[grammatical case|case]] of its noun. In some languages the article may be the only indication of the case. Many languages do not use articles at all, and may use other ways of indicating old versus new information, such as [[topic–comment]] constructions.

{| class="wikitable"
|+ Articles used in the world's most widely spoken languages
|-
! Language
! definite article
! indefinite article
! partitive article
|-
| [[Arabic language|Arabic]]
| ''{{transl|ar|[[al-]]}}'' or ''el'' {{lang|ar|ال}} (prefix)
|
|
|-
| [[Central Kurdish|Kurdish]]
| ''-eke'' ''-ekan''
| ''-êk'' ''-anêk''
| ''hendê'', ''birrê''
|-
| [[Hebrew language|Hebrew]]
| ''{{transl|he|ha-}}'' {{lang|he|ה}} (prefix)
|
|
|-
| [[Greek language|Greek]]
| {{lang|grc|''ο'', ''η'', ''το'' ''οι'', ''οι'', ''τα''}}
| {{lang|grc|''ένας'', ''μια'', ''ένα''}}
|
|-
| [[English articles|English]]
| ''the''
| ''a'', ''an''
| ''some''
|-
| [[German articles|German]]
| ''der'', ''die'', ''das'' ''des'', ''dem'', ''den''
| ''ein'', ''eine'', ''einer'', ''eines'' ''einem'', ''einen''
|
|-
| [[Dutch language|Dutch]]
| ''de'', ''het'' ''de''
| ''een''
|
|-
| [[Berber languages|Tamazight]]
| ''__''
| ''yan'', ''yat'' ''ittsn'', ''ittsnt''
|
|-
| [[Spanish language|Spanish]]
| ''el'', ''la'', ''lo'' ''los'', ''las''
| ''un'', ''una'' ''unos'', ''unas''
|
|-
| [[Portuguese language|Portuguese]]
| ''o'', ''a'' ''os'', ''as''
| ''um'', ''uma'' ''uns'', ''umas''
|
|-
| [[French articles|French]]
| ''le'', ''la'', ''l''' ''les''
| ''un'', ''une'' ''des''
| ''du'', ''de la'', ''de l''' ''des''
|-
| [[Italian language|Italian]]
| ''il'', ''lo'', ''la'', ''l''' ''i'', ''gli'', ''le''
| ''un''', ''uno'', ''una'', ''un''
| ''del'', ''dello'', ''della'', ''dell''' ''dei'', ''degli'', ''degl' '', ''delle''
|-
| [[Hungarian Language|Hungarian]]
| ''a'', ''az''
| ''egy''
|
|}

In the above examples, the article always precedes its noun (with the exception of the Arabic tanween and the Hebrew {{lang|he|ה}} ''{{transl|he|ha-}}''). In some languages, however, the definite article is not always a separate word, but may be suffixed, attached to the end of its noun as a suffix. For example,

* [[Albanian language|Albanian]]: ''plis'', a white fez; ''plis'''i''''', the white fez
* [[Bengali language|Bengali]]: "Boi", book; "Boiti/Boita/Boikhana" : "The Book"
* [[Romanian language|Romanian]]: ''drum'', road; ''drum''u'''''l''''', the road (the article is just "l", "u" is a "connection [[vowel]]" {{lang-ro|vocală de legătură}})
* [[Icelandic language|Icelandic]]: ''hestur'', horse; ''hestur'''inn''''', the horse
* [[Persian language|Persian]]: ''sib'', apple; ''sib'''e''''', the apple
* [[Norwegian language|Norwegian]]: ''stol'', chair; ''stol'''en''''', the chair
* [[Swedish language|Swedish]]: ''hus'' house; ''hus'''et''''', the house
* [[Bulgarian language|Bulgarian]]: стол ''stol'', chair; стол'''ът''' ''stolǎt'', the chair ([[Subject (grammar)|subject]]); стола ''stol'''a''''', the chair ([[Object (grammar)|object]])
* [[Macedonian language|Macedonian]]: стол ''stol'', chair; стол'''от''' ''stolot'', the chair; стол'''ов''' ''stolov'', this chair; стол'''он''' ''stolon'', that chair

Example of prefixed definite article:
* {{lang-he|ילד}}, transcribed as ''yeled'', a boy; {{lang|he|הילד}}, transcribed as ''{{transl|he|ha-yeled}}'', the boy

A different way, limited to the definitive article, is used by [[Latvian language|Latvian]].
The noun doesn't change but the adjective can be defined or undefined: ''gald'''s''''', a table / the table; ''balt'''s''' galds'', a white table; ''balt'''ais''' galds'', the white table.

==Evolution==

Articles have developed independently in many different language families across the globe. Generally, articles develop over time usually by specialization of certain adjectives.

[[Joseph Greenberg]] in
Universals of Human Language<ref>[http://books.google.com/books?id=maft03b0cqUC Genetic Linguistics]</ref>
describes "the cycle of the definite article": Definite articles (Stage I) evolve from demonstratives, and in turn can become generic articles (Stage II) that may be used in both definite and indefinite contexts, and later merely noun markers (Stage III) that are part of nouns other than proper names and more recent borrowings. Eventually articles may evolve anew from demonstratives.

=== Definite articles ===

Definite articles typically arise from [[demonstrative]]s meaning ''that''. For example, the definite articles in the [[Romance languages]]—e.g., ''el'', ''il'', ''le'', ''la''—derive from the [[Latin]] demonstratives ''ille'' (masculine) and ''illa'' (feminine).

The [[English language|English]] definite article ''[[English articles|the]]'', written ''þe'' in [[Middle English]], derives from an [[Old English language|Old English]] demonstrative, which, according to [[grammatical gender|gender]], was written ''se'' (masculine), ''seo'' (feminine) (''þe'' and ''þeo'' in the Northumbrian dialect), or [[That|''þæt'']] (neuter). The neuter form ''þæt'' also gave rise to the modern demonstrative ''that''. The ''ye'' occasionally seen in pseudo-archaic usage such as "[[Ye Olde]] Englishe Tea Shoppe" is actually a form of ''þe'', where the letter [[thorn (letter)|thorn]] (''þ'') came to be written as a ''y''.

Multiple demonstratives can give rise to multiple definite articles. [[Macedonian language|Macedonian]], for example, in which the articles are suffixed, has ''столот'' (''stolot''), the chair; ''столов'' (''stolov''), this chair; and ''столон'' (''stolon''), that chair. [[Colognian language|Colognian]] prepositions articles such as in ''dat Auto'', or ''et Auto'', the car; the first being specifically selected, focussed, newly introduced, while the latter is not selected, unfocussed, already known, general, or generic.

=== Indefinite articles ===

Indefinite articles typically arise from adjectives meaning ''one''. For example, the indefinite articles in the [[Romance languages]]—e.g., ''un'', ''una'', ''une''—derive from the [[Latin]] adjective ''unus''. Partitive articles, however, derive from [[Vulgar Latin]] ''de illo'', meaning ''(some) of the''.

The [[English language|English]] indefinite article ''[[English articles|an]]'' is derived from the same root as ''one''. The ''-n'' came to be dropped before consonants, giving rise to the shortened form ''a''. The existence of both forms has led to many cases of [[juncture loss]], e.g., transforming the original ''a napron'' into the modern ''an apron''.

The [[Persian language|Persian]] indefinite article is ''yek'' meaning one.

==See also==
* [[English articles]]
* [[Al-]] (definite article in Arabic)
* [[Definiteness]]
* [[Definite description]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{Collier's Poster|Article}}

{{lexical categories|state=collapsed}}

[[Category:Parts of speech]]

Article (grammar)

2013-03-31T12:53:21Z

Cyrus abdi: /* Variation among languages */

{{For|articles in English|English articles}}
{{Redirect|Definite article|the Eddie Izzard comedy DVD|Definite Article}}
{{Refimprove|date=July 2008}}

An '''article''' ([[list of glossing abbreviations|abbreviated]] {{sc|'''art'''}}) is a [[word]] (or [[prefix]] or [[suffix]]) that is used with a [[noun]] to indicate the type of reference being made by the noun. Articles specify the grammatical [[definiteness]] of the noun, in some languages extending to volume or numerical scope. The articles in the [[English language]] are ''the'' and ''a/an'', and (in some contexts) ''some''. [[A_and_an#Indefinite_article|'An' and 'a']] are modern forms of the Old English 'an', which in Anglian dialects was the number 'one' (compare 'on', in Saxon dialects) and survived into Modern Scots as the number 'ane'. Both 'on' (respelled 'one' by the Normans) and 'an' survived into Modern English, with 'one' used as the number and 'an' ('a', before nouns that begin with a consonant sound) as an indefinite article.

[[Parts_of_speech#English|Traditionally in English]], an article is usually considered to be a type of [[adjective]]. In some languages, articles are a special part of speech, which cannot easily be combined with other parts of speech. It is also possible for articles to be part of another part of speech category such as a [[determiner (linguistics)|determiner]], an English part of speech category that combines articles and demonstratives (such as 'this' and 'that').

In languages that employ articles, every [[common noun]], with some exceptions, is expressed with a certain [[definiteness]] (e.g., definite or indefinite), just as many languages express every noun with a certain [[grammatical number]] (e.g., singular or plural). Every noun ''must'' be accompanied by the article, if any, corresponding to its definiteness, and the lack of an article (considered a ''[[zero article]]'') itself specifies a certain definiteness. This is in contrast to other adjectives and determiners, which are typically optional. This obligatory nature of articles makes them among the most common words in many languages—in English, for example, the most frequent word is ''the''.<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://www.world-english.org/english500.htm
|title=The 500 Most Commonly Used Words in the English Language
|author=World English
|accessdate=2007-01-14
| archiveurl= http://web.archive.org/web/20070113103028/http://www.world-english.org/english500.htm| archivedate= 13 January 2007 | deadurl= no}}</ref>

==Types==
Articles are usually characterized as either ''definite'' or ''indefinite''.<ref>[http://filesmy.com/1Ii3k/handouts/esl/eslart.html The Use and Non-Use of Articles]</ref> A few languages with well-developed systems of articles may distinguish additional subtypes.

Within each type, languages may have various forms of each article, according to grammatical attributes such as [[grammatical gender|gender]], [[grammatical number|number]], or [[grammatical case|case]], or according to adjacent sounds.

===Definite article===


A definite article indicates that its noun is a particular one (or ones) identifiable to the listener. It may be something that the speaker has already mentioned, or it may be something uniquely specified. The definite article in English, for both singular and plural nouns, is ''the''.

: '''''The children''' know '''the fastest way''' home.''

The sentence above refers to specific children and a specific way home; it contrasts with the much more general observation that:

: '''''Children''' know '''the fastest way''' home.''

The latter sentence refers to children in general, perhaps all or most of them.

Likewise,

: ''Give me '''the book'''.''

refers to a specific book whose identity is known or obvious to the listener; as such it has a markedly different meaning from

: ''Give me '''a book'''.''

which does not specify what book is to be given.

The definite article can also be used in English to indicate a specific class among other classes:

: '''''The''' cabbage white butterfly lays its eggs on members of '''the''' Brassica genus.''

The definite article is sometimes also used with [[proper name]]s, which are already specified by definition (there ''is'' just one of them). For example: ''the Amazon, the Hebrides''. In these cases, the definite article is strictly speaking superfluous. Some languages also use definite articles with [[personal name]]s. For example, such use is standard in [[Portuguese language|Portuguese]]: ''a Maria'', literally: "the Maria". It also occurs colloquially in [[Spanish language|Spanish]], [[German language|German]] and other languages, and is sometimes heard in Italian.

===Indefinite article===

An '''indefinite''' article indicates that its noun is not a particular one (or ones) identifiable to the listener. It may be something that the speaker is mentioning for the first time, or its precise identity may be irrelevant or hypothetical, or the speaker may be making a general statement about any such thing. English uses ''a/an'', from the Old English forms of the number 'one', as its primary indefinite article. The form ''an'' is used before words that begin with a vowel sound (even if spelled with an initial consonant, as in ''an hour''), and ''a'' before words that begin with a consonant sound (even if spelled with a vowel, as in ''a European'').

: ''She had '''a''' house so large that '''an''' elephant would get lost without '''a''' map.''

Before some words beginning with a pronounced (not silent) ''h'' in an unstressed first syllable, such as ''hallucination'', ''hilarious'', ''historic(al)'', ''horrendous'', and ''horrific'', some (especially older) British writers prefer to use ''an'' over ''a'' (''an historical event'', etc.).<ref name="New Oxford">New Oxford Dictionary of English, 1999, usage note for ''an'': "There is still some divergence of opinion over the form of the indefinite article to use preceding certain words beginning with '''h'''- when the first syllable is unstressed: ‘'''a''' historical document’ or ‘'''an''' historical document’; ‘'''a''' hotel’ or ‘'''an''' hotel’. The form depends on whether the initial h is sounded or not: '''an''' was common in the 18th and 19th centuries, because the initial h was commonly not pronounced for these words. In standard modern English the norm is for the '''h''' to be pronounced in words like '''hotel''' and '''historical''', and therefore the indefinite article '''a''' is used; however, the older form, with the silent '''h''' and the indefinite article '''an''', is still encountered, especially among older speakers."</ref> ''An'' is also preferred before ''hotel'' by some writers of British English (probably reflecting the relatively recent adoption of the word from French, where the ''h'' is not pronounced).<ref name=Peterspg1>[[Brown Corpus]] and [[Lancaster-Oslo-Bergen Corpus]], quoted in Peters (2004: 1)</ref> The use of "an" before words beginning with an unstressed "h" is more common generally in British English than American.<ref name=Peterspg1/> American writers normally use ''a'' in all these cases, although there are occasional uses of ''an historic(al)'' in American English.<ref>Algeo, p. 49.</ref> According to the New Oxford Dictionary of English, such use is increasingly rare in British English too.<ref name="New Oxford"/> Unlike British English, American English typically uses ''an'' before ''herb'', since the ''h'' in this word is silent for most Americans. The correct usage in respect of the term "hereditary peer" was the subject of an amendment debated in the UK Parliament.<ref>[http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld199899/ldhansrd/vo990427/text/90427-43.htm www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld199899/ldhansrd/vo990427/text/90427-43.htm].</ref>

The word ''some'' is used as a functional plural of ''a/an''. "An apple" never means more than one apple. "Give me ''some'' apples" indicates more than one is desired but without specifying a quantity. This finds comparison in Spanish, where the singular indefinite article 'un/una' ("one") is completely indistinguishable from the unit number, except where it has a plural form ('unos/unas'): ''Dame una manzana" ("Give me an apple")'' > "Dame ''unas'' manzanas" ("Give me some apples"). However, ''some'' also serves as a quantifier rather than as a plural article, as in "There are ''some'' apples there, but not many."

''Some'' also serves as a singular indefinite article, as in "There is ''some'' person on the porch". This usage differs from the usage of ''a(n)'' in that ''some'' indicates that the identity of the noun is unknown to both the listener and the speaker, while ''a(n)'' indicates that the identity is unknown to the listener without specifying whether or not it is known to the speaker. Thus ''There is some person on the porch'' indicates indefiniteness to both the listener and the speaker, while ''There is a person on the porch'' indicates indefiniteness to the listener but gives no information as to whether the speaker knows the person's identity.

===Partitive article===


A '''partitive''' article is a type of indefinite article used with a [[mass noun]] such as ''water'', to indicate a non-specific quantity of it. Partitive articles are used in [[French language|French]] and [[Italian language|Italian]] in addition to definite and indefinite articles. The nearest equivalent in English is ''some'', although this is considered a [[Determiner (linguistics)|determiner]] and not an article.
: French: ''Voulez-vous '''du''' café ?''
: ''Do you want ('''some''') coffee?'' (or, dialectally but more accurately, ''Do you want '''some of this''' coffee?'')

:See also more information about [[French articles and determiners#Partitive article|the French partitive article]].

[[Haida language|Haida]] has a partitive article (suffixed ''-gyaa'') referring to "part of something or... to one or more objects of a given group or category," e.g., ''tluugyaa uu hal tlaahlaang'' 'he is making a boat (a member of the category of boats).'<ref>{{cite book|last=Lawrence|first=Erma|year=1977|title=Haida dictionary|location=Fairbanks|publisher=Alaska Native Language Center|ref=harv|page=64|url=http://www.eric.ed.gov/ERICWebPortal/search/recordDetails.jsp?ERICExtSearch_SearchValue_0=ED162532&searchtype=keyword&ERICExtSearch_SearchType_0=no&_pageLabel=RecordDetails&accno=ED162532&_nfls=false}}</ref>

===Negative article===


A '''negative''' article specifies ''none'' of its noun, and can thus be regarded as neither definite nor indefinite. On the other hand, some consider such a word to be a simple [[determiner (linguistics)|determiner]] rather than an article. In English, this function is fulfilled by ''no'', which can appear before a singular or plural noun:
: '''''No''' man is an island.''
: '''''No''' dogs are allowed here.''

===Zero article===
{{See also|Zero article in English}}

The '''zero article''' is the absence of an article. In languages having a definite article, the lack of an article specifically indicates that the noun is indefinite. Linguists interested in [[X-bar theory]] causally link zero articles to nouns lacking a determiner.<ref>
[http://filesmy.com/1Ii3k/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_udi=B6VCH-3SWY7SY-6&_user=10&_rdoc=1&_fmt=&_orig=search&_sort=d&view=c&_version=1&_urlVersion=0&_userid=10&md5=24a31fefe9224f5077577f2789747377 ScienceDirect] Master, Peter (1997) "The English Article System: acquisition, function, and pedagogy" in: ''System'', Volume 25, Issue 2, pp. 215–232</ref> In English, the zero article rather than the indefinite is used with [[grammatical number|plurals]] and [[mass noun]]s, although the word "some" can be used as an indefinite plural article.

: '''''Visitors''' end up walking in '''mud'''.''

==Variation among languages==

[[Image:EuropeArticleLanguages.png|thumb|300px|Articles in languages in and around Europe {{legend|darkblue|indefinite and definite articles}} {{legend|blue|only definite articles}} {{legend|darkmagenta|indefinite and suffixed definite articles}} {{legend|magenta|only suffixed definite articles}} {{legend|lightgray|no articles}} Note that although the Saami languages spoken in northern parts of Norway and Sweden lack articles, Norwegian and Swedish are the majority languages in this area.]]

Articles are found in many [[Indo-European languages|Indo-European]] and [[Semitic languages|Semitic]] languages but are absent from some large languages of the world, such as [[Indonesian language|Indonesian]], [[Japanese language|Japanese]], [[Hindi]] and [[Russian language|Russian]].

Linguists believe the common ancestor of the [[Indo-European languages]], [[Proto-Indo-European language|Proto-Indo-European]], did not have articles. Most of the languages in this family do not have definite or indefinite articles; there is no article in [[Latin]], [[Sanskrit]], nor in some modern Indo-European languages, such as the families of [[Slavic languages]] (not including [[Bulgarian language|Bulgarian]]/[[Macedonian language|Macedonian]], which are rather distinctive among the Slavic languages in terms of grammar anyway) and [[Baltic languages]]. Although [[Ancient Greek|Classical]] [[Greek language|Greek]] has a definite article (which has survived into [[Modern Greek]] and which bears strong resemblance to the German definite article), the earlier [[Homeric Greek]] did not. Articles developed independently in several language families.

Not all languages have both definite and indefinite articles, and some languages have different types of definite and indefinite articles to distinguish finer shades of meaning; for example, [[French language|French]] and [[Italian language|Italian]] have a partitive article used for indefinite [[mass noun]]s, while [[Colognian language|Colognian]] has two distinct sets of definite articles indicating focus and uniqueness, and [[Macedonian language|Macedonian]] uses definite articles in a demonstrative sense, distinguishing ''this'' from ''that'' (with an intermediate degree). The words ''this'' and ''that'' (and their plurals, ''these'' and ''those'') can be understood in English as, ultimately, forms of the definite article ''the'' (whose declension in Old English included ''thaes'', an ancestral form of this/that and these/those).

In many languages, the form of the article may vary according to the [[grammatical gender|gender]], [[grammatical number|number]], or [[grammatical case|case]] of its noun. In some languages the article may be the only indication of the case. Many languages do not use articles at all, and may use other ways of indicating old versus new information, such as [[topic–comment]] constructions.

{| class="wikitable"
|+ Articles used in the world's most widely spoken languages
|-
! Language
! definite article
! indefinite article
! partitive article
|-
| [[Arabic language|Arabic]]
| ''{{transl|ar|[[al-]]}}'' or ''el'' {{lang|ar|ال}} (prefix)
|
|
|-
| [[Central Kurdish|Kurdish]]
| ''-eke'' ''-ekan''
| ''-êk'' ''-anêk''
| ''hendê'' ''birrê''
|-
| [[Hebrew language|Hebrew]]
| ''{{transl|he|ha-}}'' {{lang|he|ה}} (prefix)
|
|
|-
| [[Greek language|Greek]]
| {{lang|grc|''ο'', ''η'', ''το'' ''οι'', ''οι'', ''τα''}}
| {{lang|grc|''ένας'', ''μια'', ''ένα''}}
|
|-
| [[English articles|English]]
| ''the''
| ''a'', ''an''
| ''some''
|-
| [[German articles|German]]
| ''der'', ''die'', ''das'' ''des'', ''dem'', ''den''
| ''ein'', ''eine'', ''einer'', ''eines'' ''einem'', ''einen''
|
|-
| [[Dutch language|Dutch]]
| ''de'', ''het'' ''de''
| ''een''
|
|-
| [[Berber languages|Tamazight]]
| ''__''
| ''yan'', ''yat'' ''ittsn'', ''ittsnt''
|
|-
| [[Spanish language|Spanish]]
| ''el'', ''la'', ''lo'' ''los'', ''las''
| ''un'', ''una'' ''unos'', ''unas''
|
|-
| [[Portuguese language|Portuguese]]
| ''o'', ''a'' ''os'', ''as''
| ''um'', ''uma'' ''uns'', ''umas''
|
|-
| [[French articles|French]]
| ''le'', ''la'', ''l''' ''les''
| ''un'', ''une'' ''des''
| ''du'', ''de la'', ''de l''' ''des''
|-
| [[Italian language|Italian]]
| ''il'', ''lo'', ''la'', ''l''' ''i'', ''gli'', ''le''
| ''un''', ''uno'', ''una'', ''un''
| ''del'', ''dello'', ''della'', ''dell''' ''dei'', ''degli'', ''degl' '', ''delle''
|-
| [[Hungarian Language|Hungarian]]
| ''a'', ''az''
| ''egy''
|
|}

In the above examples, the article always precedes its noun (with the exception of the Arabic tanween and the Hebrew {{lang|he|ה}} ''{{transl|he|ha-}}''). In some languages, however, the definite article is not always a separate word, but may be suffixed, attached to the end of its noun as a suffix. For example,

* [[Albanian language|Albanian]]: ''plis'', a white fez; ''plis'''i''''', the white fez
* [[Bengali language|Bengali]]: "Boi", book; "Boiti/Boita/Boikhana" : "The Book"
* [[Romanian language|Romanian]]: ''drum'', road; ''drum''u'''''l''''', the road (the article is just "l", "u" is a "connection [[vowel]]" {{lang-ro|vocală de legătură}})
* [[Icelandic language|Icelandic]]: ''hestur'', horse; ''hestur'''inn''''', the horse
* [[Persian language|Persian]]: ''sib'', apple; ''sib'''e''''', the apple
* [[Norwegian language|Norwegian]]: ''stol'', chair; ''stol'''en''''', the chair
* [[Swedish language|Swedish]]: ''hus'' house; ''hus'''et''''', the house
* [[Bulgarian language|Bulgarian]]: стол ''stol'', chair; стол'''ът''' ''stolǎt'', the chair ([[Subject (grammar)|subject]]); стола ''stol'''a''''', the chair ([[Object (grammar)|object]])
* [[Macedonian language|Macedonian]]: стол ''stol'', chair; стол'''от''' ''stolot'', the chair; стол'''ов''' ''stolov'', this chair; стол'''он''' ''stolon'', that chair

Example of prefixed definite article:
* {{lang-he|ילד}}, transcribed as ''yeled'', a boy; {{lang|he|הילד}}, transcribed as ''{{transl|he|ha-yeled}}'', the boy

A different way, limited to the definitive article, is used by [[Latvian language|Latvian]].
The noun doesn't change but the adjective can be defined or undefined: ''gald'''s''''', a table / the table; ''balt'''s''' galds'', a white table; ''balt'''ais''' galds'', the white table.

==Evolution==

Articles have developed independently in many different language families across the globe. Generally, articles develop over time usually by specialization of certain adjectives.

[[Joseph Greenberg]] in
Universals of Human Language<ref>[http://books.google.com/books?id=maft03b0cqUC Genetic Linguistics]</ref>
describes "the cycle of the definite article": Definite articles (Stage I) evolve from demonstratives, and in turn can become generic articles (Stage II) that may be used in both definite and indefinite contexts, and later merely noun markers (Stage III) that are part of nouns other than proper names and more recent borrowings. Eventually articles may evolve anew from demonstratives.

=== Definite articles ===

Definite articles typically arise from [[demonstrative]]s meaning ''that''. For example, the definite articles in the [[Romance languages]]—e.g., ''el'', ''il'', ''le'', ''la''—derive from the [[Latin]] demonstratives ''ille'' (masculine) and ''illa'' (feminine).

The [[English language|English]] definite article ''[[English articles|the]]'', written ''þe'' in [[Middle English]], derives from an [[Old English language|Old English]] demonstrative, which, according to [[grammatical gender|gender]], was written ''se'' (masculine), ''seo'' (feminine) (''þe'' and ''þeo'' in the Northumbrian dialect), or [[That|''þæt'']] (neuter). The neuter form ''þæt'' also gave rise to the modern demonstrative ''that''. The ''ye'' occasionally seen in pseudo-archaic usage such as "[[Ye Olde]] Englishe Tea Shoppe" is actually a form of ''þe'', where the letter [[thorn (letter)|thorn]] (''þ'') came to be written as a ''y''.

Multiple demonstratives can give rise to multiple definite articles. [[Macedonian language|Macedonian]], for example, in which the articles are suffixed, has ''столот'' (''stolot''), the chair; ''столов'' (''stolov''), this chair; and ''столон'' (''stolon''), that chair. [[Colognian language|Colognian]] prepositions articles such as in ''dat Auto'', or ''et Auto'', the car; the first being specifically selected, focussed, newly introduced, while the latter is not selected, unfocussed, already known, general, or generic.

=== Indefinite articles ===

Indefinite articles typically arise from adjectives meaning ''one''. For example, the indefinite articles in the [[Romance languages]]—e.g., ''un'', ''una'', ''une''—derive from the [[Latin]] adjective ''unus''. Partitive articles, however, derive from [[Vulgar Latin]] ''de illo'', meaning ''(some) of the''.

The [[English language|English]] indefinite article ''[[English articles|an]]'' is derived from the same root as ''one''. The ''-n'' came to be dropped before consonants, giving rise to the shortened form ''a''. The existence of both forms has led to many cases of [[juncture loss]], e.g., transforming the original ''a napron'' into the modern ''an apron''.

The [[Persian language|Persian]] indefinite article is ''yek'' meaning one.

==See also==
* [[English articles]]
* [[Al-]] (definite article in Arabic)
* [[Definiteness]]
* [[Definite description]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{Collier's Poster|Article}}

{{lexical categories|state=collapsed}}

[[Category:Parts of speech]]

Article (grammar)

2013-03-31T12:47:32Z

Cyrus abdi: /* Variation among languages */

{{For|articles in English|English articles}}
{{Redirect|Definite article|the Eddie Izzard comedy DVD|Definite Article}}
{{Refimprove|date=July 2008}}

An '''article''' ([[list of glossing abbreviations|abbreviated]] {{sc|'''art'''}}) is a [[word]] (or [[prefix]] or [[suffix]]) that is used with a [[noun]] to indicate the type of reference being made by the noun. Articles specify the grammatical [[definiteness]] of the noun, in some languages extending to volume or numerical scope. The articles in the [[English language]] are ''the'' and ''a/an'', and (in some contexts) ''some''. [[A_and_an#Indefinite_article|'An' and 'a']] are modern forms of the Old English 'an', which in Anglian dialects was the number 'one' (compare 'on', in Saxon dialects) and survived into Modern Scots as the number 'ane'. Both 'on' (respelled 'one' by the Normans) and 'an' survived into Modern English, with 'one' used as the number and 'an' ('a', before nouns that begin with a consonant sound) as an indefinite article.

[[Parts_of_speech#English|Traditionally in English]], an article is usually considered to be a type of [[adjective]]. In some languages, articles are a special part of speech, which cannot easily be combined with other parts of speech. It is also possible for articles to be part of another part of speech category such as a [[determiner (linguistics)|determiner]], an English part of speech category that combines articles and demonstratives (such as 'this' and 'that').

In languages that employ articles, every [[common noun]], with some exceptions, is expressed with a certain [[definiteness]] (e.g., definite or indefinite), just as many languages express every noun with a certain [[grammatical number]] (e.g., singular or plural). Every noun ''must'' be accompanied by the article, if any, corresponding to its definiteness, and the lack of an article (considered a ''[[zero article]]'') itself specifies a certain definiteness. This is in contrast to other adjectives and determiners, which are typically optional. This obligatory nature of articles makes them among the most common words in many languages—in English, for example, the most frequent word is ''the''.<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://www.world-english.org/english500.htm
|title=The 500 Most Commonly Used Words in the English Language
|author=World English
|accessdate=2007-01-14
| archiveurl= http://web.archive.org/web/20070113103028/http://www.world-english.org/english500.htm| archivedate= 13 January 2007 | deadurl= no}}</ref>

==Types==
Articles are usually characterized as either ''definite'' or ''indefinite''.<ref>[http://filesmy.com/1Ii3k/handouts/esl/eslart.html The Use and Non-Use of Articles]</ref> A few languages with well-developed systems of articles may distinguish additional subtypes.

Within each type, languages may have various forms of each article, according to grammatical attributes such as [[grammatical gender|gender]], [[grammatical number|number]], or [[grammatical case|case]], or according to adjacent sounds.

===Definite article===


A definite article indicates that its noun is a particular one (or ones) identifiable to the listener. It may be something that the speaker has already mentioned, or it may be something uniquely specified. The definite article in English, for both singular and plural nouns, is ''the''.

: '''''The children''' know '''the fastest way''' home.''

The sentence above refers to specific children and a specific way home; it contrasts with the much more general observation that:

: '''''Children''' know '''the fastest way''' home.''

The latter sentence refers to children in general, perhaps all or most of them.

Likewise,

: ''Give me '''the book'''.''

refers to a specific book whose identity is known or obvious to the listener; as such it has a markedly different meaning from

: ''Give me '''a book'''.''

which does not specify what book is to be given.

The definite article can also be used in English to indicate a specific class among other classes:

: '''''The''' cabbage white butterfly lays its eggs on members of '''the''' Brassica genus.''

The definite article is sometimes also used with [[proper name]]s, which are already specified by definition (there ''is'' just one of them). For example: ''the Amazon, the Hebrides''. In these cases, the definite article is strictly speaking superfluous. Some languages also use definite articles with [[personal name]]s. For example, such use is standard in [[Portuguese language|Portuguese]]: ''a Maria'', literally: "the Maria". It also occurs colloquially in [[Spanish language|Spanish]], [[German language|German]] and other languages, and is sometimes heard in Italian.

===Indefinite article===

An '''indefinite''' article indicates that its noun is not a particular one (or ones) identifiable to the listener. It may be something that the speaker is mentioning for the first time, or its precise identity may be irrelevant or hypothetical, or the speaker may be making a general statement about any such thing. English uses ''a/an'', from the Old English forms of the number 'one', as its primary indefinite article. The form ''an'' is used before words that begin with a vowel sound (even if spelled with an initial consonant, as in ''an hour''), and ''a'' before words that begin with a consonant sound (even if spelled with a vowel, as in ''a European'').

: ''She had '''a''' house so large that '''an''' elephant would get lost without '''a''' map.''

Before some words beginning with a pronounced (not silent) ''h'' in an unstressed first syllable, such as ''hallucination'', ''hilarious'', ''historic(al)'', ''horrendous'', and ''horrific'', some (especially older) British writers prefer to use ''an'' over ''a'' (''an historical event'', etc.).<ref name="New Oxford">New Oxford Dictionary of English, 1999, usage note for ''an'': "There is still some divergence of opinion over the form of the indefinite article to use preceding certain words beginning with '''h'''- when the first syllable is unstressed: ‘'''a''' historical document’ or ‘'''an''' historical document’; ‘'''a''' hotel’ or ‘'''an''' hotel’. The form depends on whether the initial h is sounded or not: '''an''' was common in the 18th and 19th centuries, because the initial h was commonly not pronounced for these words. In standard modern English the norm is for the '''h''' to be pronounced in words like '''hotel''' and '''historical''', and therefore the indefinite article '''a''' is used; however, the older form, with the silent '''h''' and the indefinite article '''an''', is still encountered, especially among older speakers."</ref> ''An'' is also preferred before ''hotel'' by some writers of British English (probably reflecting the relatively recent adoption of the word from French, where the ''h'' is not pronounced).<ref name=Peterspg1>[[Brown Corpus]] and [[Lancaster-Oslo-Bergen Corpus]], quoted in Peters (2004: 1)</ref> The use of "an" before words beginning with an unstressed "h" is more common generally in British English than American.<ref name=Peterspg1/> American writers normally use ''a'' in all these cases, although there are occasional uses of ''an historic(al)'' in American English.<ref>Algeo, p. 49.</ref> According to the New Oxford Dictionary of English, such use is increasingly rare in British English too.<ref name="New Oxford"/> Unlike British English, American English typically uses ''an'' before ''herb'', since the ''h'' in this word is silent for most Americans. The correct usage in respect of the term "hereditary peer" was the subject of an amendment debated in the UK Parliament.<ref>[http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld199899/ldhansrd/vo990427/text/90427-43.htm www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld199899/ldhansrd/vo990427/text/90427-43.htm].</ref>

The word ''some'' is used as a functional plural of ''a/an''. "An apple" never means more than one apple. "Give me ''some'' apples" indicates more than one is desired but without specifying a quantity. This finds comparison in Spanish, where the singular indefinite article 'un/una' ("one") is completely indistinguishable from the unit number, except where it has a plural form ('unos/unas'): ''Dame una manzana" ("Give me an apple")'' > "Dame ''unas'' manzanas" ("Give me some apples"). However, ''some'' also serves as a quantifier rather than as a plural article, as in "There are ''some'' apples there, but not many."

''Some'' also serves as a singular indefinite article, as in "There is ''some'' person on the porch". This usage differs from the usage of ''a(n)'' in that ''some'' indicates that the identity of the noun is unknown to both the listener and the speaker, while ''a(n)'' indicates that the identity is unknown to the listener without specifying whether or not it is known to the speaker. Thus ''There is some person on the porch'' indicates indefiniteness to both the listener and the speaker, while ''There is a person on the porch'' indicates indefiniteness to the listener but gives no information as to whether the speaker knows the person's identity.

===Partitive article===


A '''partitive''' article is a type of indefinite article used with a [[mass noun]] such as ''water'', to indicate a non-specific quantity of it. Partitive articles are used in [[French language|French]] and [[Italian language|Italian]] in addition to definite and indefinite articles. The nearest equivalent in English is ''some'', although this is considered a [[Determiner (linguistics)|determiner]] and not an article.
: French: ''Voulez-vous '''du''' café ?''
: ''Do you want ('''some''') coffee?'' (or, dialectally but more accurately, ''Do you want '''some of this''' coffee?'')

:See also more information about [[French articles and determiners#Partitive article|the French partitive article]].

[[Haida language|Haida]] has a partitive article (suffixed ''-gyaa'') referring to "part of something or... to one or more objects of a given group or category," e.g., ''tluugyaa uu hal tlaahlaang'' 'he is making a boat (a member of the category of boats).'<ref>{{cite book|last=Lawrence|first=Erma|year=1977|title=Haida dictionary|location=Fairbanks|publisher=Alaska Native Language Center|ref=harv|page=64|url=http://www.eric.ed.gov/ERICWebPortal/search/recordDetails.jsp?ERICExtSearch_SearchValue_0=ED162532&searchtype=keyword&ERICExtSearch_SearchType_0=no&_pageLabel=RecordDetails&accno=ED162532&_nfls=false}}</ref>

===Negative article===


A '''negative''' article specifies ''none'' of its noun, and can thus be regarded as neither definite nor indefinite. On the other hand, some consider such a word to be a simple [[determiner (linguistics)|determiner]] rather than an article. In English, this function is fulfilled by ''no'', which can appear before a singular or plural noun:
: '''''No''' man is an island.''
: '''''No''' dogs are allowed here.''

===Zero article===
{{See also|Zero article in English}}

The '''zero article''' is the absence of an article. In languages having a definite article, the lack of an article specifically indicates that the noun is indefinite. Linguists interested in [[X-bar theory]] causally link zero articles to nouns lacking a determiner.<ref>
[http://filesmy.com/1Ii3k/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_udi=B6VCH-3SWY7SY-6&_user=10&_rdoc=1&_fmt=&_orig=search&_sort=d&view=c&_version=1&_urlVersion=0&_userid=10&md5=24a31fefe9224f5077577f2789747377 ScienceDirect] Master, Peter (1997) "The English Article System: acquisition, function, and pedagogy" in: ''System'', Volume 25, Issue 2, pp. 215–232</ref> In English, the zero article rather than the indefinite is used with [[grammatical number|plurals]] and [[mass noun]]s, although the word "some" can be used as an indefinite plural article.

: '''''Visitors''' end up walking in '''mud'''.''

==Variation among languages==

[[Image:EuropeArticleLanguages.png|thumb|300px|Articles in languages in and around Europe {{legend|darkblue|indefinite and definite articles}} {{legend|blue|only definite articles}} {{legend|darkmagenta|indefinite and suffixed definite articles}} {{legend|magenta|only suffixed definite articles}} {{legend|lightgray|no articles}} Note that although the Saami languages spoken in northern parts of Norway and Sweden lack articles, Norwegian and Swedish are the majority languages in this area.]]

Articles are found in many [[Indo-European languages|Indo-European]] and [[Semitic languages|Semitic]] languages but are absent from some large languages of the world, such as [[Indonesian language|Indonesian]], [[Japanese language|Japanese]], [[Hindi]] and [[Russian language|Russian]].

Linguists believe the common ancestor of the [[Indo-European languages]], [[Proto-Indo-European language|Proto-Indo-European]], did not have articles. Most of the languages in this family do not have definite or indefinite articles; there is no article in [[Latin]], [[Sanskrit]], nor in some modern Indo-European languages, such as the families of [[Slavic languages]] (not including [[Bulgarian language|Bulgarian]]/[[Macedonian language|Macedonian]], which are rather distinctive among the Slavic languages in terms of grammar anyway) and [[Baltic languages]]. Although [[Ancient Greek|Classical]] [[Greek language|Greek]] has a definite article (which has survived into [[Modern Greek]] and which bears strong resemblance to the German definite article), the earlier [[Homeric Greek]] did not. Articles developed independently in several language families.

Not all languages have both definite and indefinite articles, and some languages have different types of definite and indefinite articles to distinguish finer shades of meaning; for example, [[French language|French]] and [[Italian language|Italian]] have a partitive article used for indefinite [[mass noun]]s, while [[Colognian language|Colognian]] has two distinct sets of definite articles indicating focus and uniqueness, and [[Macedonian language|Macedonian]] uses definite articles in a demonstrative sense, distinguishing ''this'' from ''that'' (with an intermediate degree). The words ''this'' and ''that'' (and their plurals, ''these'' and ''those'') can be understood in English as, ultimately, forms of the definite article ''the'' (whose declension in Old English included ''thaes'', an ancestral form of this/that and these/those).

In many languages, the form of the article may vary according to the [[grammatical gender|gender]], [[grammatical number|number]], or [[grammatical case|case]] of its noun. In some languages the article may be the only indication of the case. Many languages do not use articles at all, and may use other ways of indicating old versus new information, such as [[topic–comment]] constructions.

{| class="wikitable"
|+ Articles used in the world's most widely spoken languages
|-
! Language
! definite article
! indefinite article
! partitive article
|-
| [[Arabic language|Arabic]]
| ''{{transl|ar|[[al-]]}}'' or ''el'' {{lang|ar|ال}} (prefix)
|
|
|-
| [[Central Kurdish|Kurdish]]
| ''-eke'' ''-ekan''
| ''-êk'' ''-anêk''
| ''hendê'' ''çend ...êk''
|-
| [[Hebrew language|Hebrew]]
| ''{{transl|he|ha-}}'' {{lang|he|ה}} (prefix)
|
|
|-
| [[Greek language|Greek]]
| {{lang|grc|''ο'', ''η'', ''το'' ''οι'', ''οι'', ''τα''}}
| {{lang|grc|''ένας'', ''μια'', ''ένα''}}
|
|-
| [[English articles|English]]
| ''the''
| ''a'', ''an''
| ''some''
|-
| [[German articles|German]]
| ''der'', ''die'', ''das'' ''des'', ''dem'', ''den''
| ''ein'', ''eine'', ''einer'', ''eines'' ''einem'', ''einen''
|
|-
| [[Dutch language|Dutch]]
| ''de'', ''het'' ''de''
| ''een''
|
|-
| [[Berber languages|Tamazight]]
| ''__''
| ''yan'', ''yat'' ''ittsn'', ''ittsnt''
|
|-
| [[Spanish language|Spanish]]
| ''el'', ''la'', ''lo'' ''los'', ''las''
| ''un'', ''una'' ''unos'', ''unas''
|
|-
| [[Portuguese language|Portuguese]]
| ''o'', ''a'' ''os'', ''as''
| ''um'', ''uma'' ''uns'', ''umas''
|
|-
| [[French articles|French]]
| ''le'', ''la'', ''l''' ''les''
| ''un'', ''une'' ''des''
| ''du'', ''de la'', ''de l''' ''des''
|-
| [[Italian language|Italian]]
| ''il'', ''lo'', ''la'', ''l''' ''i'', ''gli'', ''le''
| ''un''', ''uno'', ''una'', ''un''
| ''del'', ''dello'', ''della'', ''dell''' ''dei'', ''degli'', ''degl' '', ''delle''
|-
| [[Hungarian Language|Hungarian]]
| ''a'', ''az''
| ''egy''
|
|}

In the above examples, the article always precedes its noun (with the exception of the Arabic tanween and the Hebrew {{lang|he|ה}} ''{{transl|he|ha-}}''). In some languages, however, the definite article is not always a separate word, but may be suffixed, attached to the end of its noun as a suffix. For example,

* [[Albanian language|Albanian]]: ''plis'', a white fez; ''plis'''i''''', the white fez
* [[Bengali language|Bengali]]: "Boi", book; "Boiti/Boita/Boikhana" : "The Book"
* [[Romanian language|Romanian]]: ''drum'', road; ''drum''u'''''l''''', the road (the article is just "l", "u" is a "connection [[vowel]]" {{lang-ro|vocală de legătură}})
* [[Icelandic language|Icelandic]]: ''hestur'', horse; ''hestur'''inn''''', the horse
* [[Persian language|Persian]]: ''sib'', apple; ''sib'''e''''', the apple
* [[Norwegian language|Norwegian]]: ''stol'', chair; ''stol'''en''''', the chair
* [[Swedish language|Swedish]]: ''hus'' house; ''hus'''et''''', the house
* [[Bulgarian language|Bulgarian]]: стол ''stol'', chair; стол'''ът''' ''stolǎt'', the chair ([[Subject (grammar)|subject]]); стола ''stol'''a''''', the chair ([[Object (grammar)|object]])
* [[Macedonian language|Macedonian]]: стол ''stol'', chair; стол'''от''' ''stolot'', the chair; стол'''ов''' ''stolov'', this chair; стол'''он''' ''stolon'', that chair

Example of prefixed definite article:
* {{lang-he|ילד}}, transcribed as ''yeled'', a boy; {{lang|he|הילד}}, transcribed as ''{{transl|he|ha-yeled}}'', the boy

A different way, limited to the definitive article, is used by [[Latvian language|Latvian]].
The noun doesn't change but the adjective can be defined or undefined: ''gald'''s''''', a table / the table; ''balt'''s''' galds'', a white table; ''balt'''ais''' galds'', the white table.

==Evolution==

Articles have developed independently in many different language families across the globe. Generally, articles develop over time usually by specialization of certain adjectives.

[[Joseph Greenberg]] in
Universals of Human Language<ref>[http://books.google.com/books?id=maft03b0cqUC Genetic Linguistics]</ref>
describes "the cycle of the definite article": Definite articles (Stage I) evolve from demonstratives, and in turn can become generic articles (Stage II) that may be used in both definite and indefinite contexts, and later merely noun markers (Stage III) that are part of nouns other than proper names and more recent borrowings. Eventually articles may evolve anew from demonstratives.

=== Definite articles ===

Definite articles typically arise from [[demonstrative]]s meaning ''that''. For example, the definite articles in the [[Romance languages]]—e.g., ''el'', ''il'', ''le'', ''la''—derive from the [[Latin]] demonstratives ''ille'' (masculine) and ''illa'' (feminine).

The [[English language|English]] definite article ''[[English articles|the]]'', written ''þe'' in [[Middle English]], derives from an [[Old English language|Old English]] demonstrative, which, according to [[grammatical gender|gender]], was written ''se'' (masculine), ''seo'' (feminine) (''þe'' and ''þeo'' in the Northumbrian dialect), or [[That|''þæt'']] (neuter). The neuter form ''þæt'' also gave rise to the modern demonstrative ''that''. The ''ye'' occasionally seen in pseudo-archaic usage such as "[[Ye Olde]] Englishe Tea Shoppe" is actually a form of ''þe'', where the letter [[thorn (letter)|thorn]] (''þ'') came to be written as a ''y''.

Multiple demonstratives can give rise to multiple definite articles. [[Macedonian language|Macedonian]], for example, in which the articles are suffixed, has ''столот'' (''stolot''), the chair; ''столов'' (''stolov''), this chair; and ''столон'' (''stolon''), that chair. [[Colognian language|Colognian]] prepositions articles such as in ''dat Auto'', or ''et Auto'', the car; the first being specifically selected, focussed, newly introduced, while the latter is not selected, unfocussed, already known, general, or generic.

=== Indefinite articles ===

Indefinite articles typically arise from adjectives meaning ''one''. For example, the indefinite articles in the [[Romance languages]]—e.g., ''un'', ''una'', ''une''—derive from the [[Latin]] adjective ''unus''. Partitive articles, however, derive from [[Vulgar Latin]] ''de illo'', meaning ''(some) of the''.

The [[English language|English]] indefinite article ''[[English articles|an]]'' is derived from the same root as ''one''. The ''-n'' came to be dropped before consonants, giving rise to the shortened form ''a''. The existence of both forms has led to many cases of [[juncture loss]], e.g., transforming the original ''a napron'' into the modern ''an apron''.

The [[Persian language|Persian]] indefinite article is ''yek'' meaning one.

==See also==
* [[English articles]]
* [[Al-]] (definite article in Arabic)
* [[Definiteness]]
* [[Definite description]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{Collier's Poster|Article}}

{{lexical categories|state=collapsed}}

[[Category:Parts of speech]]

Mustafa Muğlalı

2011-11-05T23:14:48Z

Cyrus abdi: /* Killing 33 Kurdish People */

{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2011}}
{{Infobox military person
|name= Mustafa Muğlalı 1316-[[Infantry|P.]] 21<ref name="Genelkurmay134">T.C. Genelkurmay Harp Tarihi Başkanlığı Yayınları, ''Türk İstiklâl Harbine Katılan Tümen ve Daha Üst Kademlerdeki Komutanların Biyografileri'', Genkurmay Başkanlığı Basımevi, Ankara, 1972, p. 134. {{Tr icon}}</ref>
|birth_date= {{Birth date|1882|00|00}}
|death_date= {{Death date and age|1951|12|11|1882|00|00}}
|birth_place= [[Muğla]], [[Ottoman Empire]]
|death_place= [[Istanbul]], Turkey
|placeofburial= [[Turkish State Cemetery|State Cemetry]]
|placeofburial_label=
|image= [[File:L.Col. Mustafa Muglali.jpg|150px]]
|caption= Yarbay Mustafa Muğlalı
|nickname=
|allegiance=[[File:Ottoman Flag.svg|22px]] [[Ottoman Empire]] {{flag|Turkey}}
|branch=
|serviceyears= Ottoman: 1901–1921 Turkey: September 20, 1921 – July 26, 1947
|rank=Orgeneral
|commands= Chief of Staff of Adana Area Command, Chief of Staff of the X Corps, 44th Division 18th Division, 13th Division, 10th Division, 3rd Division, 11th Division, 41st Division, Chief of Staff ot the [[Third Army (Turkey)|Third Army]], Deputy Second Chief of the General Staff, 57th Division, [[I Corps (Turkey)|I Corps]], Istanbul Command, [[III Corps (Turkey)|III Corps]], [[X Corps (Turkey)|X Corps]], member of the [[Supreme Military Council (Turkey)|Supreme Military Council]], [[Third Army (Turkey)|Third Army]], member of the Military Supreme Council
|unit=
|battles= [[Balkan Wars]] First World War [[Turkish War of Independence|War of Independence]]
|awards=
|laterwork=
}}

'''Mustafa Muğlalı''' (1882; [[Muğla]] – December 11, 1951; [[Istanbul]]) was an officer of the [[Ottoman Army]] and the general of the [[Turkish Army]].

==Killing 33 Kurdish People==
In 1943 Muğlalı 33 Kurdish villagers in a barrack located in Van's Özalp district, where they were executed by firing squad orders from Gen. Muğlalı.<ref>http://www.todayszaman.com/mobile_detailn.action?newsId=261877</ref> The general was eventually convicted of the murders and later died in prison, but in 2004 the military barracks in the district where he killed his victims were named after him. The incident dates back to July 1943, when a group from the Kurdish Milan tribe, a community that resides in Iran, crossed the Turkish border and smuggled some livestock out of the region. The smugglers were not captured during the ensuing gendarmerie operation, but gendarmes arrested 40 people residing in Özalp who were related to the Milan family that had smuggled the livestock out. Following court proceedings, the court released 35 suspects but put five under arrest on charges of alleged involvement in livestock theft. Despite the court's order for their release, 33 villagers, including a woman and an 11-year-old child, were executed by firing squad. At the end of the following investigation, Muğlalı was given the death penalty on March 2, 1950, which was legal at the time. However, the Military Supreme Court of Appeals overruled the initial court decision and the sentence was commuted to 20 years in prison. He died of a heart attack on Dec. 11, 1951 at the age of 71. Kurdish poet Ahmed Arif's “33 Bullets” is an elegy to the victims of the tragedy.<ref>http://www.todayszaman.com/mobile_detailn.action?newsId=261877</ref>

==See also==
*[[List of high-ranking commanders of the Turkish War of Independence]]

==Sources==
{{reflist}}

{{s-start}}
{{s-mil}}
{{succession box |
before= [[Kâzım Orbay]] |
title=[[List of Commanders of the Third Army of Turkey|Inspector]] of the [[Third Army (Turkey)|Third Army]] |
years=February 25, 1943 – September 19, 1945 |
after= [[Sabit Noyan]]
}}
{{s-end}}
{{Persondata 
| NAME = Muglali, Mustafa
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES =
| SHORT DESCRIPTION =
| DATE OF BIRTH = 1882
| PLACE OF BIRTH = [[Muğla]], [[Ottoman Empire]]
| DATE OF DEATH = December 11, 1951
| PLACE OF DEATH = [[Istanbul]], Turkey
}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Muglali, Mustafa}}
[[Category:1882 births]]
[[Category:1951 deaths]]
[[Category:People from Muğla]]
[[Category:Ottoman Military Academy alumni]]
[[Category:Graduates of the Ottoman Military College]]
[[Category:Ottoman Army officers]]
[[Category:Ottoman military personnel of the Balkan Wars]]
[[Category:Ottoman military personnel of World War I]]
[[Category:Turkish military personnel of the Turkish War of Independence]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Medal of Independence with Red Ribbon (Turkey)]]
[[Category:Turkish Army generals]]
[[Category:Prisoners who died in Turkish detention]]
[[Category:Burials at Turkish State Cemetery]]

[[tr:Mustafa Muğlalı]]

Mustafa Muğlalı

2011-11-05T23:14:08Z

Cyrus abdi: /* Killing 33 Kurdish People */

{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2011}}
{{Infobox military person
|name= Mustafa Muğlalı 1316-[[Infantry|P.]] 21<ref name="Genelkurmay134">T.C. Genelkurmay Harp Tarihi Başkanlığı Yayınları, ''Türk İstiklâl Harbine Katılan Tümen ve Daha Üst Kademlerdeki Komutanların Biyografileri'', Genkurmay Başkanlığı Basımevi, Ankara, 1972, p. 134. {{Tr icon}}</ref>
|birth_date= {{Birth date|1882|00|00}}
|death_date= {{Death date and age|1951|12|11|1882|00|00}}
|birth_place= [[Muğla]], [[Ottoman Empire]]
|death_place= [[Istanbul]], Turkey
|placeofburial= [[Turkish State Cemetery|State Cemetry]]
|placeofburial_label=
|image= [[File:L.Col. Mustafa Muglali.jpg|150px]]
|caption= Yarbay Mustafa Muğlalı
|nickname=
|allegiance=[[File:Ottoman Flag.svg|22px]] [[Ottoman Empire]] {{flag|Turkey}}
|branch=
|serviceyears= Ottoman: 1901–1921 Turkey: September 20, 1921 – July 26, 1947
|rank=Orgeneral
|commands= Chief of Staff of Adana Area Command, Chief of Staff of the X Corps, 44th Division 18th Division, 13th Division, 10th Division, 3rd Division, 11th Division, 41st Division, Chief of Staff ot the [[Third Army (Turkey)|Third Army]], Deputy Second Chief of the General Staff, 57th Division, [[I Corps (Turkey)|I Corps]], Istanbul Command, [[III Corps (Turkey)|III Corps]], [[X Corps (Turkey)|X Corps]], member of the [[Supreme Military Council (Turkey)|Supreme Military Council]], [[Third Army (Turkey)|Third Army]], member of the Military Supreme Council
|unit=
|battles= [[Balkan Wars]] First World War [[Turkish War of Independence|War of Independence]]
|awards=
|laterwork=
}}

'''Mustafa Muğlalı''' (1882; [[Muğla]] – December 11, 1951; [[Istanbul]]) was an officer of the [[Ottoman Army]] and the general of the [[Turkish Army]].

==Killing 33 Kurdish People==
In 1943 Muğlalı 33 Kurdish villagers in a barrack located in Van's Özalp district, where 33 Kurds were executed by firing squad orders from Gen. Muğlalı.<ref>http://www.todayszaman.com/mobile_detailn.action?newsId=261877</ref> The general was eventually convicted of the murders and later died in prison, but in 2004 the military barracks in the district where he killed his victims were named after him. The incident dates back to July 1943, when a group from the Kurdish Milan tribe, a community that resides in Iran, crossed the Turkish border and smuggled some livestock out of the region. The smugglers were not captured during the ensuing gendarmerie operation, but gendarmes arrested 40 people residing in Özalp who were related to the Milan family that had smuggled the livestock out. Following court proceedings, the court released 35 suspects but put five under arrest on charges of alleged involvement in livestock theft. Despite the court's order for their release, 33 villagers, including a woman and an 11-year-old child, were executed by firing squad. At the end of the following investigation, Muğlalı was given the death penalty on March 2, 1950, which was legal at the time. However, the Military Supreme Court of Appeals overruled the initial court decision and the sentence was commuted to 20 years in prison. He died of a heart attack on Dec. 11, 1951 at the age of 71. Kurdish poet Ahmed Arif's “33 Bullets” is an elegy to the victims of the tragedy.<ref>http://www.todayszaman.com/mobile_detailn.action?newsId=261877</ref>

==See also==
*[[List of high-ranking commanders of the Turkish War of Independence]]

==Sources==
{{reflist}}

{{s-start}}
{{s-mil}}
{{succession box |
before= [[Kâzım Orbay]] |
title=[[List of Commanders of the Third Army of Turkey|Inspector]] of the [[Third Army (Turkey)|Third Army]] |
years=February 25, 1943 – September 19, 1945 |
after= [[Sabit Noyan]]
}}
{{s-end}}
{{Persondata 
| NAME = Muglali, Mustafa
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES =
| SHORT DESCRIPTION =
| DATE OF BIRTH = 1882
| PLACE OF BIRTH = [[Muğla]], [[Ottoman Empire]]
| DATE OF DEATH = December 11, 1951
| PLACE OF DEATH = [[Istanbul]], Turkey
}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Muglali, Mustafa}}
[[Category:1882 births]]
[[Category:1951 deaths]]
[[Category:People from Muğla]]
[[Category:Ottoman Military Academy alumni]]
[[Category:Graduates of the Ottoman Military College]]
[[Category:Ottoman Army officers]]
[[Category:Ottoman military personnel of the Balkan Wars]]
[[Category:Ottoman military personnel of World War I]]
[[Category:Turkish military personnel of the Turkish War of Independence]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Medal of Independence with Red Ribbon (Turkey)]]
[[Category:Turkish Army generals]]
[[Category:Prisoners who died in Turkish detention]]
[[Category:Burials at Turkish State Cemetery]]

[[tr:Mustafa Muğlalı]]

Mustafa Muğlalı

2011-11-05T23:13:51Z

Cyrus abdi:

{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2011}}
{{Infobox military person
|name= Mustafa Muğlalı 1316-[[Infantry|P.]] 21<ref name="Genelkurmay134">T.C. Genelkurmay Harp Tarihi Başkanlığı Yayınları, ''Türk İstiklâl Harbine Katılan Tümen ve Daha Üst Kademlerdeki Komutanların Biyografileri'', Genkurmay Başkanlığı Basımevi, Ankara, 1972, p. 134. {{Tr icon}}</ref>
|birth_date= {{Birth date|1882|00|00}}
|death_date= {{Death date and age|1951|12|11|1882|00|00}}
|birth_place= [[Muğla]], [[Ottoman Empire]]
|death_place= [[Istanbul]], Turkey
|placeofburial= [[Turkish State Cemetery|State Cemetry]]
|placeofburial_label=
|image= [[File:L.Col. Mustafa Muglali.jpg|150px]]
|caption= Yarbay Mustafa Muğlalı
|nickname=
|allegiance=[[File:Ottoman Flag.svg|22px]] [[Ottoman Empire]] {{flag|Turkey}}
|branch=
|serviceyears= Ottoman: 1901–1921 Turkey: September 20, 1921 – July 26, 1947
|rank=Orgeneral
|commands= Chief of Staff of Adana Area Command, Chief of Staff of the X Corps, 44th Division 18th Division, 13th Division, 10th Division, 3rd Division, 11th Division, 41st Division, Chief of Staff ot the [[Third Army (Turkey)|Third Army]], Deputy Second Chief of the General Staff, 57th Division, [[I Corps (Turkey)|I Corps]], Istanbul Command, [[III Corps (Turkey)|III Corps]], [[X Corps (Turkey)|X Corps]], member of the [[Supreme Military Council (Turkey)|Supreme Military Council]], [[Third Army (Turkey)|Third Army]], member of the Military Supreme Council
|unit=
|battles= [[Balkan Wars]] First World War [[Turkish War of Independence|War of Independence]]
|awards=
|laterwork=
}}

'''Mustafa Muğlalı''' (1882; [[Muğla]] – December 11, 1951; [[Istanbul]]) was an officer of the [[Ottoman Army]] and the general of the [[Turkish Army]].

==Killing 33 Kurdish People==
I 1943 Muğlalı 33 Kurdish villagers in a barrack located in Van's Özalp district, where 33 Kurds were executed by firing squad orders from Gen. Muğlalı.<ref>http://www.todayszaman.com/mobile_detailn.action?newsId=261877</ref> The general was eventually convicted of the murders and later died in prison, but in 2004 the military barracks in the district where he killed his victims were named after him. The incident dates back to July 1943, when a group from the Kurdish Milan tribe, a community that resides in Iran, crossed the Turkish border and smuggled some livestock out of the region. The smugglers were not captured during the ensuing gendarmerie operation, but gendarmes arrested 40 people residing in Özalp who were related to the Milan family that had smuggled the livestock out. Following court proceedings, the court released 35 suspects but put five under arrest on charges of alleged involvement in livestock theft. Despite the court's order for their release, 33 villagers, including a woman and an 11-year-old child, were executed by firing squad. At the end of the following investigation, Muğlalı was given the death penalty on March 2, 1950, which was legal at the time. However, the Military Supreme Court of Appeals overruled the initial court decision and the sentence was commuted to 20 years in prison. He died of a heart attack on Dec. 11, 1951 at the age of 71. Kurdish poet Ahmed Arif's “33 Bullets” is an elegy to the victims of the tragedy.<ref>http://www.todayszaman.com/mobile_detailn.action?newsId=261877</ref>

==See also==
*[[List of high-ranking commanders of the Turkish War of Independence]]

==Sources==
{{reflist}}

{{s-start}}
{{s-mil}}
{{succession box |
before= [[Kâzım Orbay]] |
title=[[List of Commanders of the Third Army of Turkey|Inspector]] of the [[Third Army (Turkey)|Third Army]] |
years=February 25, 1943 – September 19, 1945 |
after= [[Sabit Noyan]]
}}
{{s-end}}
{{Persondata 
| NAME = Muglali, Mustafa
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES =
| SHORT DESCRIPTION =
| DATE OF BIRTH = 1882
| PLACE OF BIRTH = [[Muğla]], [[Ottoman Empire]]
| DATE OF DEATH = December 11, 1951
| PLACE OF DEATH = [[Istanbul]], Turkey
}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Muglali, Mustafa}}
[[Category:1882 births]]
[[Category:1951 deaths]]
[[Category:People from Muğla]]
[[Category:Ottoman Military Academy alumni]]
[[Category:Graduates of the Ottoman Military College]]
[[Category:Ottoman Army officers]]
[[Category:Ottoman military personnel of the Balkan Wars]]
[[Category:Ottoman military personnel of World War I]]
[[Category:Turkish military personnel of the Turkish War of Independence]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Medal of Independence with Red Ribbon (Turkey)]]
[[Category:Turkish Army generals]]
[[Category:Prisoners who died in Turkish detention]]
[[Category:Burials at Turkish State Cemetery]]

[[tr:Mustafa Muğlalı]]

Talk:Turkish Kurdistan

2011-10-25T19:22:38Z

Cyrus abdi:

{{talk header}}
{{WikiProjectBannerShell|
1={{WPTR|class=Start|importance=Mid}}
{{WPKU|class= Start|importance= Top}}
}}
{| class="messagebox standard-talk" style="text-align:center;"
|-
| width="50px" | [[Image:Evolution-tasks2.png|50px|Articles for deletion]]
|| This article was nominated for [[Wikipedia:Deletion policy|deletion]] on 24/3/2006. The result of the [[Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/Turkish Kurdistan|discussion]] was '''keep'''.
|}

== Turkish Kurdistan is wrong ==

Turkish Kurdistan is linguistically wrong and paradoxical. It mean a Kurdistan that is Turkish or of Turkish nature. This needs to be changed to Kurdistan of Turkey at least or if possible simply, Northern Kurdistan. — Preceding [[Wikipedia:Signatures|unsigned]] comment added by [[User:Cyrus abdi|Cyrus abdi]] ([[User talk:Cyrus abdi|talk]] • [[Special:Contributions/Cyrus abdi|contribs]]) 19:20, 25 October 2011 (UTC) 

== lol ==

QUOTE from the article;
"The area covers between 190,000 to 230,000 km² (88,780 sq mi), or nearly a third of Turkey."

LOLOLOL This is why no one will give a damn about any information sourced from Wikipedia. Did not read anything after first paragraph. IDIOTS!!! — Preceding [[Wikipedia:Signatures|unsigned]] comment added by [[Special:Contributions/68.82.243.20|68.82.243.20]] ([[User talk:68.82.243.20|talk]]) 06:41, 9 September 2011 (UTC) 

== asadasd ==

It is nonsense to cite the names of cities Erzurum,Kars, Erzincan, Elazig in Kurdistan. Turks form the majority in these cities and are mostly nationalist people. Please revise the section where those cities are stated in Kurdistan - a land that never existed, in fact.

Exactly... And Kars and Erzurum are way too north to be called a part of any sort of Kurdistan. If you let nationalist Kurds decide where the borders of "Kurdistan" lies, they'll easily end up somewhere in northern Bulgaria. I know Europe and America have a large bunch of people believing the evil demon Turkey is supressing the poor Kurds but even if you firmly believe in this can still do some very elementary demographic research. Throughout history there has always been more Armenians and Russians is Kars than Kurds (if there were any). And I'm not talking about the largest ethnical group there -the Turks. --[[User:Diren Yardimli|Diren Yardimli]] ([[User talk:Diren Yardimli|talk]]) 16:16, 21 November 2009 (UTC)

Hey! Are we trying to learn the truth or write an imagined history here??? This Kurdistan article, particulalry with Erzurum shown in "Kurdistan (!)" is the summary of how American politicians look at the future of Turkey. We the Turks should open our eyes to the widest possible —Preceding [[Wikipedia:Signatures|unsigned]] comment added by [[Special:Contributions/76.209.221.51|76.209.221.51]] ([[User talk:76.209.221.51|talk]]) 20:09, 22 May 2011 (UTC) 

== OK - it is official ==

Articles like that show still Wikipedia is an open battlefield of propaganda... pitty for an idealistic knowledge project... I left wikipedia for some months - still the same! Happy new year to all by the way --[[User:Gokhan|Gokhan]] 08:37, 10 January 2007 (UTC)

== Why? ==

If this term is an unofficial name and has no meaning for some, why did you write this article and give permission for discussion in this page? Some users gave "source"s about this term, but i think they are also unobjective resources. Moderators should review this article...

"'''The term has no administrative basis and is very open to controversy'''. Some sources claim that this region is the larger and northern part of the greater cultural and geographical area in the Middle East known as Kurdistan." (from main article)

: It does not need to be official. The subject just needs to be ''notable''. If it is not notable, we can delete the article. [[User:Denizz|deniz]][[User Talk:Denizz|T]][[Special:Contributions/Denizz|C]] 19:30, 29 March 2007 (UTC)

:: In order to see whether it is notable or not, I suggest check out '''books.google.com''' [http://books.google.com/books?tab=sp&sa=N&hl=en&lr=&q=%22Turkish+Kurdistan%22&btnG=Search] with '''623''' citations and also '''scholar.google.com''' with '''206''' citations [http://scholar.google.com/scholar?tab=ps&hl=en&lr=&q=%22Turkish%20Kurdistan%22]. This shows the frequent use of this term in academic circles, hence such a notable subject can not be deleted.[[User:Heja helweda|Heja Helweda]] 21:40, 26 September 2007 (UTC)
:::It should be noted that terms like Southeast Anatolia gets citations on a broad range of topics while Turkish Kurdistan is almost exclusively cited in a specific context which happens to be largely political oriented. Sorry for the awkward analogy but I must add that there are certain widely used definitions for genitals on adult content sites but that does not make them notable. Also worth noting is the political nature of this article which is much more pronounced than its informative aspect; checking the history of this text reveals a coincidence with other politically oriented texts that are especially active since 2006. Political edits in this discussion are notable as well. Therefore, ''Encyclopedia'' claim of Wikipedia requires that this 3-years-active political content should either be deleted or merged into Kurdistan and correct definition of area should be better stressed. [[user:Alfaarti]] 23:40, November 23, 2009 —Preceding [[Wikipedia:Signatures|undated]] comment added 21:46, 23 November 2009 (UTC). 

::::google books: "turkish kurdistan": 651, "southeast turkey": 671, google scholar, "turkish kurdistan":326, "southeast turkey" 1,450. Souhteast anatolia (the correct geographic name) gets even more. It is ridiculous claiming that this absurd word "turkish kurdistan" is more frequently in use that southeast turkey. Not scientist - except for one specialized in kurdish history - would use this abstract neologism. [[Special:Contributions/84.30.86.91|84.30.86.91]] ([[User talk:84.30.86.91|talk]]) 09:14, 17 September 2008 (UTC)
:::I think I was talking generally [[User:Denizz|Deniz]][[User Talk:Denizz|T]][[Special:Contributions/Denizz|C]] 16:18, 27 September 2007 (UTC)
::::Why is this called 'Turkish Kurdistan' when 'Syrian Kurdistan' redirects to [[Kurds in Syria]]? Shouldn't we have some sort of consensus on these article names? [[User:155.188.183.5|155.188.183.5]] 19:44, 18 October 2007 (UTC)
:::::You have a good point there. You can start a merger proposal if you want to. If we assume good faith, it might be that the term Turkish Kurdistan is used common enough, whereas Syrian Kurdistan is not. [[User:Denizz|Deniz]][[User Talk:Denizz|T]][[Special:Contributions/Denizz|C]] 19:29, 19 October 2007 (UTC)
::::::Deniz, it's something that has been discussed before (check the archives). Basically, the idea of a "Turkish Kurdistan" is well enough used and clearly enough defined that it's a notable concept. It doesn't mean that we approve or disapprove of it, but it's significant enough that it's worth documenting who uses it, what it means and why it's used. -- [[User:ChrisO|ChrisO]] 22:31, 19 October 2007 (UTC)

What is the range of this article? I am not sure the content of section "Modern history" fits here, it needs to be rewritten. Also something historical becomes suddenly something modern. [[User:Denizz|Deniz]][[User Talk:Denizz|T]][[Special:Contributions/Denizz|C]] 07:35, 7 November 2007 (UTC)

Another fact pointing to the political nature of this article is some certain users' contributions to this and other articles. One specific user claims to contribute to many articles, almost all of which represent a certain political view. More edits to come when I have time to investigate the situation. [[user:Alfaarti]] 23:50, November 23, 2009 —Preceding [[Wikipedia:Signatures|undated]] comment added 21:52, 23 November 2009 (UTC). 

==Merging==

I don't believe it's necessary to merge the "History of the Region" and "Modern History" sections into other articles. Losing the two sections would not benefit this article. Both appear to give an adequate summary overview of the subjects and each links to a longer article. They could probably be condensed a little, but otherwise they seem to be an appropriate use of a spinout summary - see [[WP:SPINOUT]] for guidance. -- [[User:ChrisO|ChrisO]] 09:53, 7 May 2007 (UTC)
There is no Turkish Kurdistan in Turkey or in the world. Turkish Kurds are a small tribe living in Turkey like Zazas. —Preceding [[Wikipedia:Signatures|unsigned]] comment added by [[User:Ayhan62|Ayhan62]] ([[User talk:Ayhan62|talk]] • [[Special:Contributions/Ayhan62|contribs]]) 13:37, 11 April 2008 (UTC) 

== Erzurum-Kars?? ==

Erzurum-Kars and kurds? Come on...

== Impact of Kosovo independence over the Turkish Kurdistan ==

It will be interesting to have an insight analysis related to the impact of Kosovo secession from Serbia on Kurdistan. Now, the Kurds in Turkey are having THE precedent and the Turkish Government just recognized that precedent. —Preceding [[Wikipedia:Signatures|unsigned]] comment added by [[Special:Contributions/86.105.123.228|86.105.123.228]] ([[User talk:86.105.123.228|talk]]) 20:48, 20 February 2008 (UTC) 

Kurdistan is the homeland of the kurds. Why call it turkish Kurdistan, iranian Kurdistan, syrien Kurdistan or iraqi Kurdistan? Kurds speak kurdish, not turkish, perssian or arabic. In north Kurdistan the kurds speak kurdish kirmanji, in south sorani, badini and faili, in east sorani, zazai, lak and faili, in west kirmanji and sorani. Therefore the the right name is Kurdistan. —Preceding [[Wikipedia:Signatures|unsigned]] comment added by [[Special:Contributions/83.221.143.8|83.221.143.8]] ([[User talk:83.221.143.8|talk]]) 22:40, 18 June 2008 (UTC) 

Another successful case of self-determination has occurred in recent times. Southern Sudan has voted overwhelmingly to separate from the despotic tyranny that the Bashir regime sought to impose on it.

Belgium may be moving towards a split into into two separate countries also.

By the way using harsh and/or restrictive methods to repress identity does not destroy separatist movements. Sudan might have remained one country had rational policies been pursued from the origin of that state. —Preceding [[Wikipedia:Signatures|unsigned]] comment added by [[Special:Contributions/76.23.115.144|76.23.115.144]] ([[User talk:76.23.115.144|talk]]) 19:43, 30 January 2011 (UTC) 

== Bold text (unoffical) ==

Hello. Could you please write "unoffical" word in bold text at [[Turkish Kurdistan]] page.[[User:Srhat|Srhat]] ([[User talk:Srhat|talk]]) 12:27, 27 June 2008 (UTC)

== PKK in Irak ==

is it taboo to write about the PKK militants being pursued into Irak by the turkish army ? [[User:Hope&Act3!|Hope&Act3!]] ([[User talk:Hope&Act3!|talk]]) 23:37, 22 March 2009 (UTC)

== Kurdish Majority and Transition Zones ==

The word Turkish Kurdistan can be used to refer to regions in Turkey where Kurds form the majority, however, one must pay careful attention to the fact that Kurdish nationalism claims right on non-Majority-Kurdish regions and even non Kurdish territories in many cases.
That is why cover word Kurdistan cannot be applied to some places where Wiki writes as part of Kurdistan.
Ardahan, Kars, Iğdır Erzurum, Erzincan, Malatya, Adıyaman, Gaziantep have never been Kurdish majority cities or districts. In those cities Kurds are either newcomers or old minorities. So, that Republican era Turkey witnesses Kurdish immigration to those cities and districts does not make these cities Kurdish. Labelling them as Kurdish is a historical distortion. Even in the present time, these cities have Turkish majority.

And in many places you refer as Kurdistan, Turks who once formed majority decreased to be a minority. And this cannot make those places Kurdistan.
So Wikipedia should be careful about this, even if you will determinedly refer these areas as Kurdistan, you have to write that a considerable Turkish population exists there and they are natives of those places. And you should say that once back in the time these places were not Kurdish at all. If you claim neutrality.

Yes you are right, these places (Ardahan, Kars, Iğdır Erzurum, Erzincan...ETC) are part of great Armenia, Kurds only become majority after the Armenian Massacre. —Preceding [[Wikipedia:Signatures|unsigned]] comment added by [[Special:Contributions/210.73.78.62|210.73.78.62]] ([[User talk:210.73.78.62|talk]]) 07:25, 3 November 2010 (UTC) 

== Can someone who is familiar with wikipedia edit this article ==

This article contains so many factual errors but unfortunately i am not able to fix.
İ have tried to find and contact someone responsible of taking care of this kind of issues but i couldn't.
So i would be grateful to whomever edits this nonsense article or even erase it completely.
since wikipedia is not controlled by itself, in this case us Turkish users should be careful about such propaganda and speculations. —Preceding [[Wikipedia:Signatures|unsigned]] comment added by [[Special:Contributions/88.233.36.213|88.233.36.213]] ([[User talk:88.233.36.213|talk]]) 20:39, 28 January 2010 (UTC) 

It might help those interested in factual accuracy if you could list lines you perceive to be biased? References showing them to be not factual would also help. [[User:IRWolfie-|IRWolfie-]] ([[User talk:IRWolfie-|talk]]) 20:37, 31 August 2010 (UTC)

== fake page ==

This informations and map is not true. —Preceding [[Wikipedia:Signatures|unsigned]] comment added by [[User:Torul|Torul]] ([[User talk:Torul|talk]] • [[Special:Contributions/Torul|contribs]]) 18:48, 17 April 2010 (UTC) 

== PKK - Terrorist organization, not militant separatists ==

PKK is a terrorist organization which has deliberately targeted civilians and/or non-combatants with the aim of creating fear. PKK is also known to be involved in drug trafficking and smuggling, both of which constitute a great source of PKK's funding. It is largely disputed that the primary reason for PKK's current existence is controlling of smuggling and drug trafficking gateways, as opposed to the separatist claims in the past. Therefore, this distorted identification of "militant separatists", however small, should be corrected as "terrorist organization". [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PKK#Funding]] --[[User:Alfaarti|Alfaarti]] ([[User talk:Alfaarti|talk]]) 23:58, 26 April 2010 (UTC)

Terrorist is a contentious label and as such a [[Wikipedia:Words_to_avoid#Contentious_labels|word to avoid]] [[User:IRWolfie-|IRWolfie-]] ([[User talk:IRWolfie-|talk]]) 18:56, 2 September 2010 (UTC)

There is nothing called Turkish kurdistan there is onle one FACT TURKEY

== Resmi olamayan! ==

başlamadan önce şunu belirtmeliyimki ingilizce yazma ihtiyacı duymuyorum, herşeyden önce başlığa resmi olmayan eklendiğinde buraya herşey yazmak mümkünmüdür? içeriği kanıtlanmamış bilgilerin bu şekilde kontrolsüzce yayınlanması var olan gerçeklere etki etmesede, konu hakkında bilgi sahibi olmayan ve bilgi edinmek için bu tarz siteleri kaynak olarak kullanan insanları yanlış yönlendirmeye veya olumsuz görüş sahibi oluşturmaya iteceğini düşünmekteyim. bir örnek vermek gerekirse, resmi olmayan kaynaklardan alınan bilgiye göre madonna aslında uzaylıdır, ütopya aslında var olan bir ülkedir sadece yeri haritalarda belirtilmez tarzında yazılar aklı yerinde olan insanlar tarafından kaale alınmayacak olsada, yetersiz, bilgisiz, yada kötü amaçlı kişiler tarafından yanlış yönlendirime haksız kazanç hatta propaganda amaçlı dahi kullanılabilir. Türkiye kürdistanı diye bir olgu hiç bir zaman hayata geçmemiş ve Türkiye Cumhuriyeti ayakta olduğu sürece biç bir zamanda hayata geçemeyecek sapkın bir fantazinin ürünüdür. türkiyenin bahsedilen kesiminde etnik açıdan kürtlerin yaşaması o bölgenin kürdistan olarak adlandırılabileceği anlamına gelmez. eğer böyle bişey olsaydı bizde almanyanın ve birçok avrupa ülkesinin içerisinde türk cumhuriyetleri kurmuş olurduk. bir ülkenin birliğini ve bütünlüğünü bölmek veya bölebileceğini iddia etmek tamamen hastalıklı düşüncelerin ütopik hayalleridir ve kendisine ansiklopedi sıfatını veren bir internet yayıncısının bu tarz gerçeklerden uzak hastalıklı düşünceleri (nekadar resmi olmayan başlığı altında yayınlasada) insanlara bilgi olarak sunması bi yayıncının objektifliğini sorgulamaya sebep olmaktadır. Irkçı saldırgan hareket tarzı dünyanın hiç bir yerinde hoş karşılanmazken düşünsel açıdan tarafsız olması gereken yayıncıların bu ırkçı hareketlere yataklık yapmaması gerektiğini düşünmekteyim. Sitede yöneticilik yapan yetkililerin bu yanlış bilgiyi kaldırmaları gerektiğini düşünüyorum, Türkiye Cumhuriyeti yasalarınca bir suç işlendiğini düşünmekteyim. Varliğı Politik olarak kabul edilmemiş bir hayal ürününün Türkiye Cumhuriyetinin özlük hakları, birliği ve bütünlüğüne hakaret edercesine ve hatta propaganda yaparcasına yayınlanmasını tüm kalbimle kınıyor en kısa zamanda kaldırılması için gerekenin yapılmasını taleb ediyorum! —Preceding [[Wikipedia:Signatures|unsigned]] comment added by [[Special:Contributions/88.255.148.21|88.255.148.21]] ([[User talk:88.255.148.21|talk]]) 07:04, 13 April 2011 (UTC) 

== % s are so funny only in siwas malatya are kurds not so in majorty ==

% s are so funny only in siwas malatya are kurds not in majorty ,there are asimiletd kurds. but in bitlis bingol diyarbakir ,tunceli ,urfa ,its 91% ! — Preceding [[Wikipedia:Signatures|unsigned]] comment added by [[Special:Contributions/85.182.39.112|85.182.39.112]] ([[User talk:85.182.39.112|talk]]) 09:32, 17 June 2011 (UTC)

Talk:Turkish Kurdistan

2011-10-25T19:20:22Z

Cyrus abdi: /* Turkish Kurdistan is wrong */ new section

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{| class="messagebox standard-talk" style="text-align:center;"
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| width="50px" | [[Image:Evolution-tasks2.png|50px|Articles for deletion]]
|| This article was nominated for [[Wikipedia:Deletion policy|deletion]] on 24/3/2006. The result of the [[Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/Turkish Kurdistan|discussion]] was '''keep'''.
|}

== lol ==

QUOTE from the article;
"The area covers between 190,000 to 230,000 km² (88,780 sq mi), or nearly a third of Turkey."

LOLOLOL This is why no one will give a damn about any information sourced from Wikipedia. Did not read anything after first paragraph. IDIOTS!!! — Preceding [[Wikipedia:Signatures|unsigned]] comment added by [[Special:Contributions/68.82.243.20|68.82.243.20]] ([[User talk:68.82.243.20|talk]]) 06:41, 9 September 2011 (UTC) 

== asadasd ==

It is nonsense to cite the names of cities Erzurum,Kars, Erzincan, Elazig in Kurdistan. Turks form the majority in these cities and are mostly nationalist people. Please revise the section where those cities are stated in Kurdistan - a land that never existed, in fact.

Exactly... And Kars and Erzurum are way too north to be called a part of any sort of Kurdistan. If you let nationalist Kurds decide where the borders of "Kurdistan" lies, they'll easily end up somewhere in northern Bulgaria. I know Europe and America have a large bunch of people believing the evil demon Turkey is supressing the poor Kurds but even if you firmly believe in this can still do some very elementary demographic research. Throughout history there has always been more Armenians and Russians is Kars than Kurds (if there were any). And I'm not talking about the largest ethnical group there -the Turks. --[[User:Diren Yardimli|Diren Yardimli]] ([[User talk:Diren Yardimli|talk]]) 16:16, 21 November 2009 (UTC)

Hey! Are we trying to learn the truth or write an imagined history here??? This Kurdistan article, particulalry with Erzurum shown in "Kurdistan (!)" is the summary of how American politicians look at the future of Turkey. We the Turks should open our eyes to the widest possible —Preceding [[Wikipedia:Signatures|unsigned]] comment added by [[Special:Contributions/76.209.221.51|76.209.221.51]] ([[User talk:76.209.221.51|talk]]) 20:09, 22 May 2011 (UTC) 

== OK - it is official ==

Articles like that show still Wikipedia is an open battlefield of propaganda... pitty for an idealistic knowledge project... I left wikipedia for some months - still the same! Happy new year to all by the way --[[User:Gokhan|Gokhan]] 08:37, 10 January 2007 (UTC)

== Why? ==

If this term is an unofficial name and has no meaning for some, why did you write this article and give permission for discussion in this page? Some users gave "source"s about this term, but i think they are also unobjective resources. Moderators should review this article...

"'''The term has no administrative basis and is very open to controversy'''. Some sources claim that this region is the larger and northern part of the greater cultural and geographical area in the Middle East known as Kurdistan." (from main article)

: It does not need to be official. The subject just needs to be ''notable''. If it is not notable, we can delete the article. [[User:Denizz|deniz]][[User Talk:Denizz|T]][[Special:Contributions/Denizz|C]] 19:30, 29 March 2007 (UTC)

:: In order to see whether it is notable or not, I suggest check out '''books.google.com''' [http://books.google.com/books?tab=sp&sa=N&hl=en&lr=&q=%22Turkish+Kurdistan%22&btnG=Search] with '''623''' citations and also '''scholar.google.com''' with '''206''' citations [http://scholar.google.com/scholar?tab=ps&hl=en&lr=&q=%22Turkish%20Kurdistan%22]. This shows the frequent use of this term in academic circles, hence such a notable subject can not be deleted.[[User:Heja helweda|Heja Helweda]] 21:40, 26 September 2007 (UTC)
:::It should be noted that terms like Southeast Anatolia gets citations on a broad range of topics while Turkish Kurdistan is almost exclusively cited in a specific context which happens to be largely political oriented. Sorry for the awkward analogy but I must add that there are certain widely used definitions for genitals on adult content sites but that does not make them notable. Also worth noting is the political nature of this article which is much more pronounced than its informative aspect; checking the history of this text reveals a coincidence with other politically oriented texts that are especially active since 2006. Political edits in this discussion are notable as well. Therefore, ''Encyclopedia'' claim of Wikipedia requires that this 3-years-active political content should either be deleted or merged into Kurdistan and correct definition of area should be better stressed. [[user:Alfaarti]] 23:40, November 23, 2009 —Preceding [[Wikipedia:Signatures|undated]] comment added 21:46, 23 November 2009 (UTC). 

::::google books: "turkish kurdistan": 651, "southeast turkey": 671, google scholar, "turkish kurdistan":326, "southeast turkey" 1,450. Souhteast anatolia (the correct geographic name) gets even more. It is ridiculous claiming that this absurd word "turkish kurdistan" is more frequently in use that southeast turkey. Not scientist - except for one specialized in kurdish history - would use this abstract neologism. [[Special:Contributions/84.30.86.91|84.30.86.91]] ([[User talk:84.30.86.91|talk]]) 09:14, 17 September 2008 (UTC)
:::I think I was talking generally [[User:Denizz|Deniz]][[User Talk:Denizz|T]][[Special:Contributions/Denizz|C]] 16:18, 27 September 2007 (UTC)
::::Why is this called 'Turkish Kurdistan' when 'Syrian Kurdistan' redirects to [[Kurds in Syria]]? Shouldn't we have some sort of consensus on these article names? [[User:155.188.183.5|155.188.183.5]] 19:44, 18 October 2007 (UTC)
:::::You have a good point there. You can start a merger proposal if you want to. If we assume good faith, it might be that the term Turkish Kurdistan is used common enough, whereas Syrian Kurdistan is not. [[User:Denizz|Deniz]][[User Talk:Denizz|T]][[Special:Contributions/Denizz|C]] 19:29, 19 October 2007 (UTC)
::::::Deniz, it's something that has been discussed before (check the archives). Basically, the idea of a "Turkish Kurdistan" is well enough used and clearly enough defined that it's a notable concept. It doesn't mean that we approve or disapprove of it, but it's significant enough that it's worth documenting who uses it, what it means and why it's used. -- [[User:ChrisO|ChrisO]] 22:31, 19 October 2007 (UTC)

What is the range of this article? I am not sure the content of section "Modern history" fits here, it needs to be rewritten. Also something historical becomes suddenly something modern. [[User:Denizz|Deniz]][[User Talk:Denizz|T]][[Special:Contributions/Denizz|C]] 07:35, 7 November 2007 (UTC)

Another fact pointing to the political nature of this article is some certain users' contributions to this and other articles. One specific user claims to contribute to many articles, almost all of which represent a certain political view. More edits to come when I have time to investigate the situation. [[user:Alfaarti]] 23:50, November 23, 2009 —Preceding [[Wikipedia:Signatures|undated]] comment added 21:52, 23 November 2009 (UTC). 

==Merging==

I don't believe it's necessary to merge the "History of the Region" and "Modern History" sections into other articles. Losing the two sections would not benefit this article. Both appear to give an adequate summary overview of the subjects and each links to a longer article. They could probably be condensed a little, but otherwise they seem to be an appropriate use of a spinout summary - see [[WP:SPINOUT]] for guidance. -- [[User:ChrisO|ChrisO]] 09:53, 7 May 2007 (UTC)
There is no Turkish Kurdistan in Turkey or in the world. Turkish Kurds are a small tribe living in Turkey like Zazas. —Preceding [[Wikipedia:Signatures|unsigned]] comment added by [[User:Ayhan62|Ayhan62]] ([[User talk:Ayhan62|talk]] • [[Special:Contributions/Ayhan62|contribs]]) 13:37, 11 April 2008 (UTC) 

== Erzurum-Kars?? ==

Erzurum-Kars and kurds? Come on...

== Impact of Kosovo independence over the Turkish Kurdistan ==

It will be interesting to have an insight analysis related to the impact of Kosovo secession from Serbia on Kurdistan. Now, the Kurds in Turkey are having THE precedent and the Turkish Government just recognized that precedent. —Preceding [[Wikipedia:Signatures|unsigned]] comment added by [[Special:Contributions/86.105.123.228|86.105.123.228]] ([[User talk:86.105.123.228|talk]]) 20:48, 20 February 2008 (UTC) 

Kurdistan is the homeland of the kurds. Why call it turkish Kurdistan, iranian Kurdistan, syrien Kurdistan or iraqi Kurdistan? Kurds speak kurdish, not turkish, perssian or arabic. In north Kurdistan the kurds speak kurdish kirmanji, in south sorani, badini and faili, in east sorani, zazai, lak and faili, in west kirmanji and sorani. Therefore the the right name is Kurdistan. —Preceding [[Wikipedia:Signatures|unsigned]] comment added by [[Special:Contributions/83.221.143.8|83.221.143.8]] ([[User talk:83.221.143.8|talk]]) 22:40, 18 June 2008 (UTC) 

Another successful case of self-determination has occurred in recent times. Southern Sudan has voted overwhelmingly to separate from the despotic tyranny that the Bashir regime sought to impose on it.

Belgium may be moving towards a split into into two separate countries also.

By the way using harsh and/or restrictive methods to repress identity does not destroy separatist movements. Sudan might have remained one country had rational policies been pursued from the origin of that state. —Preceding [[Wikipedia:Signatures|unsigned]] comment added by [[Special:Contributions/76.23.115.144|76.23.115.144]] ([[User talk:76.23.115.144|talk]]) 19:43, 30 January 2011 (UTC) 

== Bold text (unoffical) ==

Hello. Could you please write "unoffical" word in bold text at [[Turkish Kurdistan]] page.[[User:Srhat|Srhat]] ([[User talk:Srhat|talk]]) 12:27, 27 June 2008 (UTC)

== PKK in Irak ==

is it taboo to write about the PKK militants being pursued into Irak by the turkish army ? [[User:Hope&Act3!|Hope&Act3!]] ([[User talk:Hope&Act3!|talk]]) 23:37, 22 March 2009 (UTC)

== Kurdish Majority and Transition Zones ==

The word Turkish Kurdistan can be used to refer to regions in Turkey where Kurds form the majority, however, one must pay careful attention to the fact that Kurdish nationalism claims right on non-Majority-Kurdish regions and even non Kurdish territories in many cases.
That is why cover word Kurdistan cannot be applied to some places where Wiki writes as part of Kurdistan.
Ardahan, Kars, Iğdır Erzurum, Erzincan, Malatya, Adıyaman, Gaziantep have never been Kurdish majority cities or districts. In those cities Kurds are either newcomers or old minorities. So, that Republican era Turkey witnesses Kurdish immigration to those cities and districts does not make these cities Kurdish. Labelling them as Kurdish is a historical distortion. Even in the present time, these cities have Turkish majority.

And in many places you refer as Kurdistan, Turks who once formed majority decreased to be a minority. And this cannot make those places Kurdistan.
So Wikipedia should be careful about this, even if you will determinedly refer these areas as Kurdistan, you have to write that a considerable Turkish population exists there and they are natives of those places. And you should say that once back in the time these places were not Kurdish at all. If you claim neutrality.

Yes you are right, these places (Ardahan, Kars, Iğdır Erzurum, Erzincan...ETC) are part of great Armenia, Kurds only become majority after the Armenian Massacre. —Preceding [[Wikipedia:Signatures|unsigned]] comment added by [[Special:Contributions/210.73.78.62|210.73.78.62]] ([[User talk:210.73.78.62|talk]]) 07:25, 3 November 2010 (UTC) 

== Can someone who is familiar with wikipedia edit this article ==

This article contains so many factual errors but unfortunately i am not able to fix.
İ have tried to find and contact someone responsible of taking care of this kind of issues but i couldn't.
So i would be grateful to whomever edits this nonsense article or even erase it completely.
since wikipedia is not controlled by itself, in this case us Turkish users should be careful about such propaganda and speculations. —Preceding [[Wikipedia:Signatures|unsigned]] comment added by [[Special:Contributions/88.233.36.213|88.233.36.213]] ([[User talk:88.233.36.213|talk]]) 20:39, 28 January 2010 (UTC) 

It might help those interested in factual accuracy if you could list lines you perceive to be biased? References showing them to be not factual would also help. [[User:IRWolfie-|IRWolfie-]] ([[User talk:IRWolfie-|talk]]) 20:37, 31 August 2010 (UTC)

== fake page ==

This informations and map is not true. —Preceding [[Wikipedia:Signatures|unsigned]] comment added by [[User:Torul|Torul]] ([[User talk:Torul|talk]] • [[Special:Contributions/Torul|contribs]]) 18:48, 17 April 2010 (UTC) 

== PKK - Terrorist organization, not militant separatists ==

PKK is a terrorist organization which has deliberately targeted civilians and/or non-combatants with the aim of creating fear. PKK is also known to be involved in drug trafficking and smuggling, both of which constitute a great source of PKK's funding. It is largely disputed that the primary reason for PKK's current existence is controlling of smuggling and drug trafficking gateways, as opposed to the separatist claims in the past. Therefore, this distorted identification of "militant separatists", however small, should be corrected as "terrorist organization". [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PKK#Funding]] --[[User:Alfaarti|Alfaarti]] ([[User talk:Alfaarti|talk]]) 23:58, 26 April 2010 (UTC)

Terrorist is a contentious label and as such a [[Wikipedia:Words_to_avoid#Contentious_labels|word to avoid]] [[User:IRWolfie-|IRWolfie-]] ([[User talk:IRWolfie-|talk]]) 18:56, 2 September 2010 (UTC)

There is nothing called Turkish kurdistan there is onle one FACT TURKEY

== Resmi olamayan! ==

başlamadan önce şunu belirtmeliyimki ingilizce yazma ihtiyacı duymuyorum, herşeyden önce başlığa resmi olmayan eklendiğinde buraya herşey yazmak mümkünmüdür? içeriği kanıtlanmamış bilgilerin bu şekilde kontrolsüzce yayınlanması var olan gerçeklere etki etmesede, konu hakkında bilgi sahibi olmayan ve bilgi edinmek için bu tarz siteleri kaynak olarak kullanan insanları yanlış yönlendirmeye veya olumsuz görüş sahibi oluşturmaya iteceğini düşünmekteyim. bir örnek vermek gerekirse, resmi olmayan kaynaklardan alınan bilgiye göre madonna aslında uzaylıdır, ütopya aslında var olan bir ülkedir sadece yeri haritalarda belirtilmez tarzında yazılar aklı yerinde olan insanlar tarafından kaale alınmayacak olsada, yetersiz, bilgisiz, yada kötü amaçlı kişiler tarafından yanlış yönlendirime haksız kazanç hatta propaganda amaçlı dahi kullanılabilir. Türkiye kürdistanı diye bir olgu hiç bir zaman hayata geçmemiş ve Türkiye Cumhuriyeti ayakta olduğu sürece biç bir zamanda hayata geçemeyecek sapkın bir fantazinin ürünüdür. türkiyenin bahsedilen kesiminde etnik açıdan kürtlerin yaşaması o bölgenin kürdistan olarak adlandırılabileceği anlamına gelmez. eğer böyle bişey olsaydı bizde almanyanın ve birçok avrupa ülkesinin içerisinde türk cumhuriyetleri kurmuş olurduk. bir ülkenin birliğini ve bütünlüğünü bölmek veya bölebileceğini iddia etmek tamamen hastalıklı düşüncelerin ütopik hayalleridir ve kendisine ansiklopedi sıfatını veren bir internet yayıncısının bu tarz gerçeklerden uzak hastalıklı düşünceleri (nekadar resmi olmayan başlığı altında yayınlasada) insanlara bilgi olarak sunması bi yayıncının objektifliğini sorgulamaya sebep olmaktadır. Irkçı saldırgan hareket tarzı dünyanın hiç bir yerinde hoş karşılanmazken düşünsel açıdan tarafsız olması gereken yayıncıların bu ırkçı hareketlere yataklık yapmaması gerektiğini düşünmekteyim. Sitede yöneticilik yapan yetkililerin bu yanlış bilgiyi kaldırmaları gerektiğini düşünüyorum, Türkiye Cumhuriyeti yasalarınca bir suç işlendiğini düşünmekteyim. Varliğı Politik olarak kabul edilmemiş bir hayal ürününün Türkiye Cumhuriyetinin özlük hakları, birliği ve bütünlüğüne hakaret edercesine ve hatta propaganda yaparcasına yayınlanmasını tüm kalbimle kınıyor en kısa zamanda kaldırılması için gerekenin yapılmasını taleb ediyorum! —Preceding [[Wikipedia:Signatures|unsigned]] comment added by [[Special:Contributions/88.255.148.21|88.255.148.21]] ([[User talk:88.255.148.21|talk]]) 07:04, 13 April 2011 (UTC) 

== % s are so funny only in siwas malatya are kurds not so in majorty ==

% s are so funny only in siwas malatya are kurds not in majorty ,there are asimiletd kurds. but in bitlis bingol diyarbakir ,tunceli ,urfa ,its 91% ! — Preceding [[Wikipedia:Signatures|unsigned]] comment added by [[Special:Contributions/85.182.39.112|85.182.39.112]] ([[User talk:85.182.39.112|talk]]) 09:32, 17 June 2011 (UTC) 

== Turkish Kurdistan is wrong ==

Turkish Kurdistan is linguistically wrong and paradoxical. It mean a Kurdistan that is Turkish or of Turkish nature. This needs to be changed to Kurdistan of Turkey at least or if possible simply, Northern Kurdistan.

Lake Van

2011-10-25T19:17:10Z

Cyrus abdi:

{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2011}}
{{Refimprove|date=November 2007}}
{{Infobox lake
|lake_name = Lake Van
|image_lake = Van golu.jpg
|caption_lake = From space, September 1996 (top of image is roughly northwest)
|image_bathymetry =
|caption_bathymetry =
|coords = {{coord|38|38|N|42|49|E|region:TR_type:waterbody|display=inline,title|format=dm}}
|type = [[saline lake]]
|inflow = Karasu, Hoşap, Güzelsu, Bendimahi, Zilan and Yeniköprü streams<ref name=Coskun_2004/>
|outflow = none
|catchment = {{convert|12500|km2|sqmi|abbr=on}}<ref name=Coskun_2004/>
|basin_countries = Turkey
|length = {{convert|119|km|mi|abbr=on}}
|width =
|area = {{convert|3755|km2|sqmi|0|abbr=on}}
|depth = {{convert|171|m|ft|abbr=on}}
|max-depth = {{convert|451|m|ft|abbr=on}}<ref name=Degens_1984/>
|volume = {{convert|607|km3|cumi|abbr=on}}<ref name=Degens_1984/>
|residence_time =
|shore = {{convert|430|km|mi|abbr=on}}
|elevation = {{convert|1640|m|ft|abbr=on}}
|islands = [[Akdamar Island|Akdamar]], [[Charpanak|Çarpanak Adası]] (İçeriçarpanak), [[Adır Adası]] (Lim), [[Arter|Kuş Adası]] (Arter)
|cities = [[Van, Turkey|Van]], [[Tatvan]], [[Ahlat]], [[Erciş]]
}}
'''Lake Van''' ({{lang-ku|Gola Wanê}}<ref>[http://www.avestakurd.net/arshiv/Avesta%2053/metran%20isa.htm Rojnameya AVESTA]. Avestakurd.net. Retrieved on 27 September 2010.</ref><ref>[http://www.netkurd.com/gotar.asp?id=1372&yazid=46 ]{{dead link|date=September 2010}}</ref><ref>[http://www.institutkurde.org/products/details/143/ Kîne em ? – CD 5]. Institutkurde.org. Retrieved on 27 September 2010.</ref> , {{lang-tr|Van Gölü}}, {{lang-hy|Վանա լիճ}} ''Vana lich'' or ''Vana Lij'') is the largest lake in Turkey and [[Norther Kurdistan]], located in the far east of the country in Van district. It is a [[salt lakes|saline]] and soda lake, receiving water from numerous small streams that descend from the surrounding mountains. Lake Van is one of the world's largest [[endorheic lake]]s (having no outlet). The original outlet from the basin was blocked by an ancient volcanic eruption.

==Hydrology and chemistry==
[[Image:Akhtamar Island on Lake Van with the Armenian Cathedral of the Holy Cross.jpg|thumb|left|300px|[[Akdamar Island]] and the ''[[Armenian Cathedral of the Holy Cross]],'' a 10th century church and monastic complex. Mount Sipan seen on the background.]]
Lake Van is {{convert|119|km}} across at its widest point, averaging a depth of {{convert|171|m|ft}} with a maximum recorded depth of {{convert|451|m|ft}}.<ref name=Degens_1984>{{Citation|last=Degens|first=E.T.| last2=Wong|first2=H.K.| last3=Kempe|first3=S.| last4=Kurtman|first4=F.| title=A geological study of Lake Van, eastern Turkey | url=http://www.springerlink.com/content/x5285613642v3665/| journal=International Journal of Earth Sciences| publisher=Springer|date=June 1984| volume=73| issue=2| pages=701–734| doi=10.1007/BF01824978}}</ref> The lake surface lies {{convert|1640|m|ft}} above sea level and the shore length is {{convert|430|km|mi}}. Lake Van has an area of {{convert|3755|km2|sqmi|abbr=on}} and a volume of {{convert|607|km3}}.<ref name=Degens_1984/>

The western portion of the lake is deepest, with a large basin deeper than {{convert|400|m|ft|abbr=on}} lying northeast of [[Tatvan]] and south of [[Ahlat]]. The eastern arms of the lake are shallower. The Van-Ahtamar portion shelves gradually, with a maximum depth of about {{convert|250|m|ft|abbr=on}} on its northwest side where it joins the rest of the lake. The Erciş arm is much shallower, mostly less than {{convert|50|m|ft|abbr=on}}, with a maximum depth of about {{convert|150|m|ft|abbr=on}}.<ref name=Wong_1978>{{Citation| last=Wong| first=H.K. |last2=Degens| first2=E.T.| contribution=The bathymetry of Lake Van, eastern Turkey| title=Geology of Lake Van| pages=6–10| publisher=General Directorate of Mineral Research and Exploration| place=Ankara|year=1978| issue=169}}</ref><ref name=Tomonaga_2007>{{Citation|last=Tomonaga| first=Yama| last2=Brennwald| first2=Matthias S.| last3=Kipfer| first3=Rolf| title=Spatial variability in the release of terrigenic He from the sediments of Lake Van (Turkey) | url=http://www.internal.eawag.ch/~tomonaga/pdf/MINOGA_2007_Poster.pdf|format=PDF| publisher=4th Mini Conference on Noble Gases in the Hydrosphere and in Natural Gas Reservoirs|year=2007| doi=10.2312/GFZ.mga.045 }}</ref>

The lake water is strongly [[alkaline]] ([[pH]] 9.7–9.8) and rich in [[sodium carbonate]] and other salts, which are extracted by evaporation and used as [[detergent]]s.<ref name="Sari2008">{{Citation | last = Sari| first = Mustafa | title = Threatened fishes of the world: Chalcalburnus tarichi (Pallas 1811) (Cyprinidae) living in the highly alkaline Lake Van, Turkey | journal=Environmental Biology of Fishes | volume = 81 | issue = 1 | pages = 21–23 | publisher=Springer Netherlands | year = 2008 | doi = 10.1007/s10641-006-9154-9 | postscript = . }}</ref>

==Geology==
[[Image:Lakevanlandsat.jpeg|left|thumb|270px|Lake Van [[Landsat]] photo]]
The lake's outlet was blocked at some time during the [[Pleistocene]], when [[lava flows]] from [[Nemrut (volcano)|Nemrut]] volcano blocked westward outflow towards the [[Muş Province|Muş Plain]]. Now dormant, [[Nemrut (volcano)|Nemrut Dağı]] is close to the western shore of the lake, and another dormant [[stratovolcano]], [[Mount Süphan|Süphan Dağı]] dominates the northern side of the lake.

The water level of the lake has often altered dramatically: near Tatvan, Oswald (see Geology of Armenia, 1901) noted a raised beach high above the present level of the lake as well as recently drowned trees. Investigation by Degens and others in the early 1980s determined that the highest lake levels ({{convert|72|m}} above the current height) had been during the last ice age, about 18,000 years ago. About 9,500 years ago there was a dramatic drop to more than {{convert|300|m}} below the present level. This was followed by an equally dramatic rise around 6,500 years ago.<ref name=Degens_1984/>

Similar but smaller fluctuations have been seen recently. The level of the lake rose by at least three metres during the 1990s, drowning much agricultural land, and (after a brief period of stability and then retreat) seems to be rising again. The level rose about two meters in the ten years immediately prior to 2004.<ref name=Coskun_2004>{{Citation|last=Coskun| first=M.| last2=Musaoğlu| first2=N. | url=http://www.isprs.org/istanbul2004/comm7/papers/52.pdf|format=PDF| title=Proceedings of the 20th Congress of the International Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing|year=2004| contribution-url=Investigation of Rainfall-Runoff Modelling of the Van Lake Catchment by Using Remote Sensing and GIS Integration}}</ref>

As a deep lake with no outlet, Lake Van has accumulated great amounts of sediment washed in from surrounding plains and valleys, and occasionally deposited as ash from eruptions of nearby volcanoes.
This layer of sediment is estimated to be up to {{convert|400|m}} thick in places, and has attracted climatologists and vulcanologists interested in drilling cores to examine the layered sediments.
[[Image:Van1 20 modified.jpg|right|thumb|300px|Mountain [[Çadır Dağı]] seen from the [[Akdamar Island]]]]
In 1989 and 1990, an international team of geologists led by Dr. Stephan Kempe from the University of Hamburg (now Professor at the Technische Universität Darmstadt) retrieved ten sediment cores from depths up to {{convert|446|m|ft|abbr=on}}. Although these cores only penetrated the first few meters of sediment, they provided sufficient [[varves]] to give proxy climate data for up to 14,570 years [[Before Present|BP]].<ref name=Landmann_1996>{{Citation| first=Günter| last=Landmann| first2=Andreas| last2=Reimera| first3=Gerry| last3=Lemcke| first4=Stephan| last4=Kempe| title=Dating Late Glacial abrupt climate changes in the 14,570 yr long continuous varve record of Lake Van, Turkey | journal=Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology | publisher=[[Elsevier|Elsevier Science B.V.]]|date=June 1996| volume=122| issue=1–4| pages=107–118| doi=10.1016/0031-0182(95)00101-8}}</ref>

A team of scientists headed by palaeontologist Professor Thomas Litt at the [[University of Bonn]] has applied for funding from the [[International Continental Scientific Drilling Program]] (ICDP) for a new, deeper drilling project to examine the lake's sediments. Litt expects to find that "Lake Van stores the climate history of the last 800,000 years—an incomparable treasure house of data which we want to tap for at least the last 500,000 years."<ref name=BonnLitt>{{Citation|title=Turkey's Lake Van Provides Precise Insights Into Eurasia's Climate History | url=http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/03/070314110552.htm| work=Science Daily |date=15 March 2007|publisher=[[Science Daily]]}}</ref> A test drilling in 2004 detected evidence of 15 volcanic eruptions in the past 20,000 years.

==Ecology==
[[File:STS41G-37-79.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Lake Van viewed from the [[Space Shuttle Challenger]].]]
The only fish known to live in the [[brackish water]] of Lake Van is ''[[Chalcalburnus tarichi]]'' the Pearl Mullet or ''inci kefalı'',<ref>[http://www.springerlink.com/content/p4050j7u81790t3k/ Journal; Fish Physiology and Biochemistry]</ref> a [[Cyprinid]] fish related to [[European chub|chub]] and [[Common Dace|dace]], which is caught during the spring floods. In May and June, these fish migrate from the lake to less alkaline water, spawning either near the mouths of the rivers feeding the lake or in the rivers themselves. After spawning season it returns to the lake.<ref>[http://www.incikefali.net/ozet-en.htm Inci kefali summary]</ref>

103 species of [[phytoplankton]] have been recorded in the lake including [[flagellate]]s, [[diatom]]s, bacteria, [[cyanobacteria]], [[green algae]] and [[brown algae]]. 36 species of [[zooplankton]] have also been recorded including [[Rotatoria]], [[Cladocera]] and [[Copepoda]] in the lake.<ref>Selçuk 1992</ref>

In 1991, researchers reported the discovery of {{convert|40|m|ft|abbr=on}} tall [[stromatolite|microbialites]] in Lake Van. These are solid towers on the lake bed created by mats of coccoid [[cyanobacteria]] (''[[Pleurocapsa]]'' group) that create [[aragonite]] in combination with [[calcite]] precipitating out of the lake water.<ref name=Kempe_1991>{{Citation|last=Kempe|first=S.| last2=Kazmierczak |first2=J. |last3=Landmann |first3=G. |last4=Konuk |first4=T. |last5= Reimer |first5=A. |last6=Lipp |first6=A. | title=Largest known microbialites discovered in Lake Van, Turkey | url=http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v349/n6310/abs/349605a0.html| journal=Nature|date=14 February 1991| volume=349| pages=605–608| doi=10.1038/349605a0 | issue=6310}}</ref>

The Lake Van region is the home of the rare [[Van Cat]] breed of cat, noted for among other things its unusual fascination with water.

Since about 1995 there have been reported sightings of a [[Lake Van Monster|'Lake Van monster']] about {{convert|15|m}} in length named ''Van Gölü Canavarı'' ("Monster of Lake Van").

The lake is surrounded by fruit and [[cereal|grain]]-growing agricultural areas.

==History==
{{see|Urartu}}
[[Tushpa]], the capital of [[Urartu]], was located near the shores of Lake Van, on the site of what became medieval Van's castle, west of present-day [[Van (Turkey)|Van city]].<ref>The Concise Encyclopædia of Archaeology — Page 488 by Leonard Cottrell – 1960</ref> The ruins of the medieval city of Van are still visible below the southern slopes of the rock on which [[Van Castle]] is located.

===Armenian kingdoms===
[[Image:Armenian gravestones. Lake Van. .JPG|thumb|[[Armenians|Armenian]] gravestones near Lake Van. 1993.]]

The lake was the centre of the [[Armenians|Armenian]] kingdom of [[Urartu|Ararat]] from about 1000 BC, afterwards of the Satrapy of Armina, [[Kingdom of Armenia (antiquity)|Kingdom of Greater Armenia]], and the Armenian Kingdom of [[Vaspurakan]].

Along with [[Lake Sevan]] in today's [[Armenia]] and [[Lake Urmia]] in today's [[Iran]], Van was one of the three great lakes of the Armenian Kingdom, referred to as ''the seas of [[Armenia]]'' (in ancient Assyrian sources: "tâmtu ša mât Nairi" (Upper Sea of [[Nairi]]), the Lower Sea being [[Lake Urmia]]). Over time, the lake was known by various Armenian names, including {{lang-hy|Վանա լիճ (Lake of Van), Վանա ծով (Sea of Van), Արճեշի ծով (Sea of Arčeš), Բզնունեաց ծով (Sea of Bznunik),<ref name="Hewsen1997-p9">Hewsen, p. 9 {{ref|Hewsen 1997|Hewsen 1997}}</ref> Ռշտունեաց ծով (Sea of Rshtunik),<ref name="Hewsen1997-p9"/> and Տոսպայ լիճ (Lake of Tosp)}}.

===Byzantine empire===
By the 11th century the region around Lake Van was on the border between the [[Byzantine]] empire, with its capital at [[Constantinople]], and the [[Great Seljuq Empire|Seljuk]] Turkish empire, with its capital at [[Isfahan]]. In the uneasy peace between the two empires, local Armenian-Byzantine landowners employed [[Turkmen people|Turcoman]] [[gazi]]s and Byzantine [[akritoi]] for protection.

In the second half of the 11th century Emperor [[Romanus IV Diogenes]] launched a campaign to re-conquer Armenia and head off growing Seljuk control. Diogenes and his large army crossed the [[Euphrates]] and confronted a much smaller Seljuk force led by [[Alp Arslan]] at the [[Battle of Manzikert]], north of Lake Van on 26 August 1071. Despite their greater numbers, the cumbersome Byzantine force was defeated by the more mobile Turkish horsemen and Diogenes was captured.

===Seljuk empire===
[[Alp Arslan]] divided the conquered eastern portions of the Byzantine empire among his Turcoman generals, with each ruled as a hereditary [[bey]]lik, under overall sovereignty of the [[Great Seljuq Empire]]. Alp Arslan gave the region around Lake Van to his commander Sökmen el Kutbî (literally ''Sökmen the Slave''), who set up his capital at Ahlat on the western side of the lake. The dynasty of [[Ahlatshahs]] (also known as ''Sökmenler'') ruled this area from 1085 to 1192.

The Ahlatshahs were succeeded by the [[Ayyubid]] dynasty.

==Architecture==
[[Image:Narekavank.jpg|thumb|The 10th century Armenian monastery of [[Narekavank]], formerly near the southeastern shore of the lake]]
{{main|Armenian architecture}}
Near the [[Van Castle]] and the southern shore, on [[Akdamar Island]] lies the 10th century [[Armenian Cathedral of the Holy Cross|Church of the Holy Cross]] ({{lang-hy|Սուրբ Խաչ}}, Surb Khach), which served as a royal church to the Armenian [[Vaspurakan]] kingdom. The ruins of Armenian monasteries also exist on the other three islands of Lake Van: Lim, Arter, and Ktuts. The area around Lake Van was also the home to a large number Armenian monasteries, among the most prominent of these being the 10th century [[Narekavank]] and the 11th century [[Varagavank]], both now destroyed.

The Ahlatshahs left a large number of historic [[tombstones]] in and around the town of [[Ahlat]]. Local administrators are currently trying to have the tombstones included in [[UNESCO]]'s [[World Heritage List]],<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.losangeleschronicle.com/articles/viewArticle.asp?articleID=26515 (article)| title = On the Roads of Anatolia — Van|author=Yüksel Oktay| publisher=Los Angeles Chronicle}}</ref> where they are currently listed tentatively.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://whc.unesco.org/en/tentativelists/1401/ (List) | title = Tentative World Heritage Sites| publisher=[[UNESCO]]}}</ref>

==Transportation==
[[Image:Van Ferrybot-lake Van-from Van harbour.jpg|thumb|Ferry ''Van'' approaching Van harbour.]]
The railway connecting Turkey and [[Iran]] built in the 1970s uses a [[train ferry]] across Lake Van between the cities [[Tatvan]] and [[Van (Turkey)|Van]], rather than building railway tracks around the rugged shore line. Transfer from train to ship and back again limits the total carrying capacity.

In May, 2008 talks started between Iran and Turkey to replace the ferry with a double track electrified railway.<ref>[http://yenisafak.com.tr/English/?t=27.07.2007&i=58392 "Turkey, Iran agree on joint railway"]. 27 July 2007 – Yeni Åafak</ref>

==Islands==
*[[Kuş Island]]
*[[Adır Adası]]
*[[Akdamar Island]]
*[[Çarpanak Island]]

==See also==

* [[Lakes of Turkey]]
* [[Geography of Turkey]]
* [[Transportation in Turkey]]

==References==
{{reflist|2}}

==Further reading==
* {{Note|Hewsen 1997}} {{The Armenian People-Vol I|first=Hewsen|last=Robert H.|author-link=Robert Hewsen|title=The Geography of Armenia|pages=1–17}}

==External links==
{{commons category|Lake Van}}
*[http://www.adiyamanli.org/vangolu.html Description of Lake Van]
*[http://www.tatvan.net/galeri4.htm Pictures of Lake Van]
*[http://www.allaboutturkey.com/vanlake.htm All About Turkey – Lake Van]
*[http://www.tulpart.com/pic.asp?cmd=2&cid=14&sid=51 High Resolution Pictures of Van Castle]

{{Lake Van}}
{{Lakes of Turkey}}

[[Category:Lake Van|Lake Van]]
[[Category:Eastern Anatolia Region|Lake Van]]
[[Category:Endorheic lakes of Asia|Van]]
[[Category:Saline lakes|Van]]
[[Category:Archaeological sites in Turkey]]
[[Category:History of Armenia|Lake Van]]

{{Link GA|lv}}
{{Link FA|ru}}

[[ar:بحيرة فان]]
[[az:Van gölü]]
[[be:Возера Ван]]
[[bs:Van (jezero)]]
[[br:Lenn Van]]
[[bg:Ван (езеро)]]
[[ca:Llac Van]]
[[cs:Vanské jezero]]
[[cy:Llyn Van]]
[[da:Vansøen]]
[[de:Vansee]]
[[et:Vani järv]]
[[es:Lago Van]]
[[eo:Van (lago)]]
[[eu:Van aintzira]]
[[fa:دریاچه وان]]
[[fr:Lac de Van]]
[[gl:Lago Van]]
[[hy:Վանա լիճ]]
[[hr:Van (jezero)]]
[[id:Danau Van]]
[[it:Lago di Van]]
[[he:ימת ואן]]
[[ka:ვანი (ტბა)]]
[[kk:Ван көлі]]
[[ku:Gola Wanê]]
[[la:Lacus Van]]
[[lv:Vana ezers]]
[[lt:Vano ežeras]]
[[hu:Van-tó]]
[[mk:Ван (езеро)]]
[[ml:വാൻ തടാകം]]
[[ms:Tasik Van]]
[[nl:Vanmeer]]
[[ja:ヴァン湖]]
[[no:Vansjøen]]
[[pnb:جھیل وان]]
[[pl:Wan (jezioro)]]
[[pt:Lago Van]]
[[crh:Van gölü]]
[[ro:Lacul Van]]
[[ru:Ван (озеро)]]
[[simple:Lake Van]]
[[sl:Jezero Van]]
[[ckb:وان (گۆل)]]
[[sr:Језеро Ван]]
[[su:Dano Van]]
[[fi:Vanjärvi (Turkki)]]
[[sv:Vansjön]]
[[tr:Van Gölü]]
[[tk:Wan köli]]
[[udm:Ван (ты)]]
[[uk:Ван (озеро)]]
[[ur:جھیل وان]]
[[vi:Hồ Van]]
[[vo:Lak di Van]]
[[war:Danaw Van]]
[[zh:凡湖]]

Gola Wanê

2011-10-25T19:15:50Z

Cyrus abdi: ←Redirected page to Lake Van

#REDIRECT [[Lake Van]]

Lake Van

2011-10-25T19:11:39Z

Cyrus abdi:

{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2011}}
{{Refimprove|date=November 2007}}
{{Infobox lake
|lake_name = Lake Van
|image_lake = Van golu.jpg
|caption_lake = From space, September 1996 (top of image is roughly northwest)
|image_bathymetry =
|caption_bathymetry =
|coords = {{coord|38|38|N|42|49|E|region:TR_type:waterbody|display=inline,title|format=dm}}
|type = [[saline lake]]
|inflow = Karasu, Hoşap, Güzelsu, Bendimahi, Zilan and Yeniköprü streams<ref name=Coskun_2004/>
|outflow = none
|catchment = {{convert|12500|km2|sqmi|abbr=on}}<ref name=Coskun_2004/>
|basin_countries = Turkey
|length = {{convert|119|km|mi|abbr=on}}
|width =
|area = {{convert|3755|km2|sqmi|0|abbr=on}}
|depth = {{convert|171|m|ft|abbr=on}}
|max-depth = {{convert|451|m|ft|abbr=on}}<ref name=Degens_1984/>
|volume = {{convert|607|km3|cumi|abbr=on}}<ref name=Degens_1984/>
|residence_time =
|shore = {{convert|430|km|mi|abbr=on}}
|elevation = {{convert|1640|m|ft|abbr=on}}
|islands = [[Akdamar Island|Akdamar]], [[Charpanak|Çarpanak Adası]] (İçeriçarpanak), [[Adır Adası]] (Lim), [[Arter|Kuş Adası]] (Arter)
|cities = [[Van, Turkey|Van]], [[Tatvan]], [[Ahlat]], [[Erciş]]
}}
'''Lake Van''' ({{lang-ku|Gola Wanê}}<ref>[http://www.avestakurd.net/arshiv/Avesta%2053/metran%20isa.htm Rojnameya AVESTA]. Avestakurd.net. Retrieved on 27 September 2010.</ref><ref>[http://www.netkurd.com/gotar.asp?id=1372&yazid=46 ]{{dead link|date=September 2010}}</ref><ref>[http://www.institutkurde.org/products/details/143/ Kîne em ? – CD 5]. Institutkurde.org. Retrieved on 27 September 2010.</ref> , {{lang-tr|Van Gölü}}, {{lang-hy|Վանա լիճ}} ''Vana lich'' or ''Vana Lij'') is the largest lake in Turkey, located in the far east of the country in Van district. It is a [[salt lakes|saline]] and soda lake, receiving water from numerous small streams that descend from the surrounding mountains. Lake Van is one of the world's largest [[endorheic lake]]s (having no outlet). The original outlet from the basin was blocked by an ancient volcanic eruption.

==Hydrology and chemistry==
[[Image:Akhtamar Island on Lake Van with the Armenian Cathedral of the Holy Cross.jpg|thumb|left|300px|[[Akdamar Island]] and the ''[[Armenian Cathedral of the Holy Cross]],'' a 10th century church and monastic complex. Mount Sipan seen on the background.]]
Lake Van is {{convert|119|km}} across at its widest point, averaging a depth of {{convert|171|m|ft}} with a maximum recorded depth of {{convert|451|m|ft}}.<ref name=Degens_1984>{{Citation|last=Degens|first=E.T.| last2=Wong|first2=H.K.| last3=Kempe|first3=S.| last4=Kurtman|first4=F.| title=A geological study of Lake Van, eastern Turkey | url=http://www.springerlink.com/content/x5285613642v3665/| journal=International Journal of Earth Sciences| publisher=Springer|date=June 1984| volume=73| issue=2| pages=701–734| doi=10.1007/BF01824978}}</ref> The lake surface lies {{convert|1640|m|ft}} above sea level and the shore length is {{convert|430|km|mi}}. Lake Van has an area of {{convert|3755|km2|sqmi|abbr=on}} and a volume of {{convert|607|km3}}.<ref name=Degens_1984/>

The western portion of the lake is deepest, with a large basin deeper than {{convert|400|m|ft|abbr=on}} lying northeast of [[Tatvan]] and south of [[Ahlat]]. The eastern arms of the lake are shallower. The Van-Ahtamar portion shelves gradually, with a maximum depth of about {{convert|250|m|ft|abbr=on}} on its northwest side where it joins the rest of the lake. The Erciş arm is much shallower, mostly less than {{convert|50|m|ft|abbr=on}}, with a maximum depth of about {{convert|150|m|ft|abbr=on}}.<ref name=Wong_1978>{{Citation| last=Wong| first=H.K. |last2=Degens| first2=E.T.| contribution=The bathymetry of Lake Van, eastern Turkey| title=Geology of Lake Van| pages=6–10| publisher=General Directorate of Mineral Research and Exploration| place=Ankara|year=1978| issue=169}}</ref><ref name=Tomonaga_2007>{{Citation|last=Tomonaga| first=Yama| last2=Brennwald| first2=Matthias S.| last3=Kipfer| first3=Rolf| title=Spatial variability in the release of terrigenic He from the sediments of Lake Van (Turkey) | url=http://www.internal.eawag.ch/~tomonaga/pdf/MINOGA_2007_Poster.pdf|format=PDF| publisher=4th Mini Conference on Noble Gases in the Hydrosphere and in Natural Gas Reservoirs|year=2007| doi=10.2312/GFZ.mga.045 }}</ref>

The lake water is strongly [[alkaline]] ([[pH]] 9.7–9.8) and rich in [[sodium carbonate]] and other salts, which are extracted by evaporation and used as [[detergent]]s.<ref name="Sari2008">{{Citation | last = Sari| first = Mustafa | title = Threatened fishes of the world: Chalcalburnus tarichi (Pallas 1811) (Cyprinidae) living in the highly alkaline Lake Van, Turkey | journal=Environmental Biology of Fishes | volume = 81 | issue = 1 | pages = 21–23 | publisher=Springer Netherlands | year = 2008 | doi = 10.1007/s10641-006-9154-9 | postscript = . }}</ref>

==Geology==
[[Image:Lakevanlandsat.jpeg|left|thumb|270px|Lake Van [[Landsat]] photo]]
The lake's outlet was blocked at some time during the [[Pleistocene]], when [[lava flows]] from [[Nemrut (volcano)|Nemrut]] volcano blocked westward outflow towards the [[Muş Province|Muş Plain]]. Now dormant, [[Nemrut (volcano)|Nemrut Dağı]] is close to the western shore of the lake, and another dormant [[stratovolcano]], [[Mount Süphan|Süphan Dağı]] dominates the northern side of the lake.

The water level of the lake has often altered dramatically: near Tatvan, Oswald (see Geology of Armenia, 1901) noted a raised beach high above the present level of the lake as well as recently drowned trees. Investigation by Degens and others in the early 1980s determined that the highest lake levels ({{convert|72|m}} above the current height) had been during the last ice age, about 18,000 years ago. About 9,500 years ago there was a dramatic drop to more than {{convert|300|m}} below the present level. This was followed by an equally dramatic rise around 6,500 years ago.<ref name=Degens_1984/>

Similar but smaller fluctuations have been seen recently. The level of the lake rose by at least three metres during the 1990s, drowning much agricultural land, and (after a brief period of stability and then retreat) seems to be rising again. The level rose about two meters in the ten years immediately prior to 2004.<ref name=Coskun_2004>{{Citation|last=Coskun| first=M.| last2=Musaoğlu| first2=N. | url=http://www.isprs.org/istanbul2004/comm7/papers/52.pdf|format=PDF| title=Proceedings of the 20th Congress of the International Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing|year=2004| contribution-url=Investigation of Rainfall-Runoff Modelling of the Van Lake Catchment by Using Remote Sensing and GIS Integration}}</ref>

As a deep lake with no outlet, Lake Van has accumulated great amounts of sediment washed in from surrounding plains and valleys, and occasionally deposited as ash from eruptions of nearby volcanoes.
This layer of sediment is estimated to be up to {{convert|400|m}} thick in places, and has attracted climatologists and vulcanologists interested in drilling cores to examine the layered sediments.
[[Image:Van1 20 modified.jpg|right|thumb|300px|Mountain [[Çadır Dağı]] seen from the [[Akdamar Island]]]]
In 1989 and 1990, an international team of geologists led by Dr. Stephan Kempe from the University of Hamburg (now Professor at the Technische Universität Darmstadt) retrieved ten sediment cores from depths up to {{convert|446|m|ft|abbr=on}}. Although these cores only penetrated the first few meters of sediment, they provided sufficient [[varves]] to give proxy climate data for up to 14,570 years [[Before Present|BP]].<ref name=Landmann_1996>{{Citation| first=Günter| last=Landmann| first2=Andreas| last2=Reimera| first3=Gerry| last3=Lemcke| first4=Stephan| last4=Kempe| title=Dating Late Glacial abrupt climate changes in the 14,570 yr long continuous varve record of Lake Van, Turkey | journal=Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology | publisher=[[Elsevier|Elsevier Science B.V.]]|date=June 1996| volume=122| issue=1–4| pages=107–118| doi=10.1016/0031-0182(95)00101-8}}</ref>

A team of scientists headed by palaeontologist Professor Thomas Litt at the [[University of Bonn]] has applied for funding from the [[International Continental Scientific Drilling Program]] (ICDP) for a new, deeper drilling project to examine the lake's sediments. Litt expects to find that "Lake Van stores the climate history of the last 800,000 years—an incomparable treasure house of data which we want to tap for at least the last 500,000 years."<ref name=BonnLitt>{{Citation|title=Turkey's Lake Van Provides Precise Insights Into Eurasia's Climate History | url=http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/03/070314110552.htm| work=Science Daily |date=15 March 2007|publisher=[[Science Daily]]}}</ref> A test drilling in 2004 detected evidence of 15 volcanic eruptions in the past 20,000 years.

==Ecology==
[[File:STS41G-37-79.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Lake Van viewed from the [[Space Shuttle Challenger]].]]
The only fish known to live in the [[brackish water]] of Lake Van is ''[[Chalcalburnus tarichi]]'' the Pearl Mullet or ''inci kefalı'',<ref>[http://www.springerlink.com/content/p4050j7u81790t3k/ Journal; Fish Physiology and Biochemistry]</ref> a [[Cyprinid]] fish related to [[European chub|chub]] and [[Common Dace|dace]], which is caught during the spring floods. In May and June, these fish migrate from the lake to less alkaline water, spawning either near the mouths of the rivers feeding the lake or in the rivers themselves. After spawning season it returns to the lake.<ref>[http://www.incikefali.net/ozet-en.htm Inci kefali summary]</ref>

103 species of [[phytoplankton]] have been recorded in the lake including [[flagellate]]s, [[diatom]]s, bacteria, [[cyanobacteria]], [[green algae]] and [[brown algae]]. 36 species of [[zooplankton]] have also been recorded including [[Rotatoria]], [[Cladocera]] and [[Copepoda]] in the lake.<ref>Selçuk 1992</ref>

In 1991, researchers reported the discovery of {{convert|40|m|ft|abbr=on}} tall [[stromatolite|microbialites]] in Lake Van. These are solid towers on the lake bed created by mats of coccoid [[cyanobacteria]] (''[[Pleurocapsa]]'' group) that create [[aragonite]] in combination with [[calcite]] precipitating out of the lake water.<ref name=Kempe_1991>{{Citation|last=Kempe|first=S.| last2=Kazmierczak |first2=J. |last3=Landmann |first3=G. |last4=Konuk |first4=T. |last5= Reimer |first5=A. |last6=Lipp |first6=A. | title=Largest known microbialites discovered in Lake Van, Turkey | url=http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v349/n6310/abs/349605a0.html| journal=Nature|date=14 February 1991| volume=349| pages=605–608| doi=10.1038/349605a0 | issue=6310}}</ref>

The Lake Van region is the home of the rare [[Van Cat]] breed of cat, noted for among other things its unusual fascination with water.

Since about 1995 there have been reported sightings of a [[Lake Van Monster|'Lake Van monster']] about {{convert|15|m}} in length named ''Van Gölü Canavarı'' ("Monster of Lake Van").

The lake is surrounded by fruit and [[cereal|grain]]-growing agricultural areas.

==History==
{{see|Urartu}}
[[Tushpa]], the capital of [[Urartu]], was located near the shores of Lake Van, on the site of what became medieval Van's castle, west of present-day [[Van (Turkey)|Van city]].<ref>The Concise Encyclopædia of Archaeology — Page 488 by Leonard Cottrell – 1960</ref> The ruins of the medieval city of Van are still visible below the southern slopes of the rock on which [[Van Castle]] is located.

===Armenian kingdoms===
[[Image:Armenian gravestones. Lake Van. .JPG|thumb|[[Armenians|Armenian]] gravestones near Lake Van. 1993.]]

The lake was the centre of the [[Armenians|Armenian]] kingdom of [[Urartu|Ararat]] from about 1000 BC, afterwards of the Satrapy of Armina, [[Kingdom of Armenia (antiquity)|Kingdom of Greater Armenia]], and the Armenian Kingdom of [[Vaspurakan]].

Along with [[Lake Sevan]] in today's [[Armenia]] and [[Lake Urmia]] in today's [[Iran]], Van was one of the three great lakes of the Armenian Kingdom, referred to as ''the seas of [[Armenia]]'' (in ancient Assyrian sources: "tâmtu ša mât Nairi" (Upper Sea of [[Nairi]]), the Lower Sea being [[Lake Urmia]]). Over time, the lake was known by various Armenian names, including {{lang-hy|Վանա լիճ (Lake of Van), Վանա ծով (Sea of Van), Արճեշի ծով (Sea of Arčeš), Բզնունեաց ծով (Sea of Bznunik),<ref name="Hewsen1997-p9">Hewsen, p. 9 {{ref|Hewsen 1997|Hewsen 1997}}</ref> Ռշտունեաց ծով (Sea of Rshtunik),<ref name="Hewsen1997-p9"/> and Տոսպայ լիճ (Lake of Tosp)}}.

===Byzantine empire===
By the 11th century the region around Lake Van was on the border between the [[Byzantine]] empire, with its capital at [[Constantinople]], and the [[Great Seljuq Empire|Seljuk]] Turkish empire, with its capital at [[Isfahan]]. In the uneasy peace between the two empires, local Armenian-Byzantine landowners employed [[Turkmen people|Turcoman]] [[gazi]]s and Byzantine [[akritoi]] for protection.

In the second half of the 11th century Emperor [[Romanus IV Diogenes]] launched a campaign to re-conquer Armenia and head off growing Seljuk control. Diogenes and his large army crossed the [[Euphrates]] and confronted a much smaller Seljuk force led by [[Alp Arslan]] at the [[Battle of Manzikert]], north of Lake Van on 26 August 1071. Despite their greater numbers, the cumbersome Byzantine force was defeated by the more mobile Turkish horsemen and Diogenes was captured.

===Seljuk empire===
[[Alp Arslan]] divided the conquered eastern portions of the Byzantine empire among his Turcoman generals, with each ruled as a hereditary [[bey]]lik, under overall sovereignty of the [[Great Seljuq Empire]]. Alp Arslan gave the region around Lake Van to his commander Sökmen el Kutbî (literally ''Sökmen the Slave''), who set up his capital at Ahlat on the western side of the lake. The dynasty of [[Ahlatshahs]] (also known as ''Sökmenler'') ruled this area from 1085 to 1192.

The Ahlatshahs were succeeded by the [[Ayyubid]] dynasty.

==Architecture==
[[Image:Narekavank.jpg|thumb|The 10th century Armenian monastery of [[Narekavank]], formerly near the southeastern shore of the lake]]
{{main|Armenian architecture}}
Near the [[Van Castle]] and the southern shore, on [[Akdamar Island]] lies the 10th century [[Armenian Cathedral of the Holy Cross|Church of the Holy Cross]] ({{lang-hy|Սուրբ Խաչ}}, Surb Khach), which served as a royal church to the Armenian [[Vaspurakan]] kingdom. The ruins of Armenian monasteries also exist on the other three islands of Lake Van: Lim, Arter, and Ktuts. The area around Lake Van was also the home to a large number Armenian monasteries, among the most prominent of these being the 10th century [[Narekavank]] and the 11th century [[Varagavank]], both now destroyed.

The Ahlatshahs left a large number of historic [[tombstones]] in and around the town of [[Ahlat]]. Local administrators are currently trying to have the tombstones included in [[UNESCO]]'s [[World Heritage List]],<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.losangeleschronicle.com/articles/viewArticle.asp?articleID=26515 (article)| title = On the Roads of Anatolia — Van|author=Yüksel Oktay| publisher=Los Angeles Chronicle}}</ref> where they are currently listed tentatively.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://whc.unesco.org/en/tentativelists/1401/ (List) | title = Tentative World Heritage Sites| publisher=[[UNESCO]]}}</ref>

==Transportation==
[[Image:Van Ferrybot-lake Van-from Van harbour.jpg|thumb|Ferry ''Van'' approaching Van harbour.]]
The railway connecting Turkey and [[Iran]] built in the 1970s uses a [[train ferry]] across Lake Van between the cities [[Tatvan]] and [[Van (Turkey)|Van]], rather than building railway tracks around the rugged shore line. Transfer from train to ship and back again limits the total carrying capacity.

In May, 2008 talks started between Iran and Turkey to replace the ferry with a double track electrified railway.<ref>[http://yenisafak.com.tr/English/?t=27.07.2007&i=58392 "Turkey, Iran agree on joint railway"]. 27 July 2007 – Yeni Åafak</ref>

==Islands==
*[[Kuş Island]]
*[[Adır Adası]]
*[[Akdamar Island]]
*[[Çarpanak Island]]

==See also==

* [[Lakes of Turkey]]
* [[Geography of Turkey]]
* [[Transportation in Turkey]]

==References==
{{reflist|2}}

==Further reading==
* {{Note|Hewsen 1997}} {{The Armenian People-Vol I|first=Hewsen|last=Robert H.|author-link=Robert Hewsen|title=The Geography of Armenia|pages=1–17}}

==External links==
{{commons category|Lake Van}}
*[http://www.adiyamanli.org/vangolu.html Description of Lake Van]
*[http://www.tatvan.net/galeri4.htm Pictures of Lake Van]
*[http://www.allaboutturkey.com/vanlake.htm All About Turkey – Lake Van]
*[http://www.tulpart.com/pic.asp?cmd=2&cid=14&sid=51 High Resolution Pictures of Van Castle]

{{Lake Van}}
{{Lakes of Turkey}}

[[Category:Lake Van|Lake Van]]
[[Category:Eastern Anatolia Region|Lake Van]]
[[Category:Endorheic lakes of Asia|Van]]
[[Category:Saline lakes|Van]]
[[Category:Archaeological sites in Turkey]]
[[Category:History of Armenia|Lake Van]]

{{Link GA|lv}}
{{Link FA|ru}}

[[ar:بحيرة فان]]
[[az:Van gölü]]
[[be:Возера Ван]]
[[bs:Van (jezero)]]
[[br:Lenn Van]]
[[bg:Ван (езеро)]]
[[ca:Llac Van]]
[[cs:Vanské jezero]]
[[cy:Llyn Van]]
[[da:Vansøen]]
[[de:Vansee]]
[[et:Vani järv]]
[[es:Lago Van]]
[[eo:Van (lago)]]
[[eu:Van aintzira]]
[[fa:دریاچه وان]]
[[fr:Lac de Van]]
[[gl:Lago Van]]
[[hy:Վանա լիճ]]
[[hr:Van (jezero)]]
[[id:Danau Van]]
[[it:Lago di Van]]
[[he:ימת ואן]]
[[ka:ვანი (ტბა)]]
[[kk:Ван көлі]]
[[ku:Gola Wanê]]
[[la:Lacus Van]]
[[lv:Vana ezers]]
[[lt:Vano ežeras]]
[[hu:Van-tó]]
[[mk:Ван (езеро)]]
[[ml:വാൻ തടാകം]]
[[ms:Tasik Van]]
[[nl:Vanmeer]]
[[ja:ヴァン湖]]
[[no:Vansjøen]]
[[pnb:جھیل وان]]
[[pl:Wan (jezioro)]]
[[pt:Lago Van]]
[[crh:Van gölü]]
[[ro:Lacul Van]]
[[ru:Ван (озеро)]]
[[simple:Lake Van]]
[[sl:Jezero Van]]
[[ckb:وان (گۆل)]]
[[sr:Језеро Ван]]
[[su:Dano Van]]
[[fi:Vanjärvi (Turkki)]]
[[sv:Vansjön]]
[[tr:Van Gölü]]
[[tk:Wan köli]]
[[udm:Ван (ты)]]
[[uk:Ван (озеро)]]
[[ur:جھیل وان]]
[[vi:Hồ Van]]
[[vo:Lak di Van]]
[[war:Danaw Van]]
[[zh:凡湖]]

Lake Van Monster

2011-10-25T19:09:31Z

Cyrus abdi:

{{Infobox paranormal creatures
|Creature_Name = Lake Van Monster
|Image_Name =
|Image_Caption = Statue of the Monster of Lake Van in the city of Van, Turkey
|Grouping = [[Cryptid]]
|Sub_Grouping = [[Lake monster]]
|AKA = Van Gölü Canavarı (Turkish)
|Country = [[Turkey]]
|Region = [[Lake Van]], [[Van, Turkey|Van]]
|Habitat = Water
|First_Reported = 1889
|Status = Non Existence
}}
The '''Lake Van Monster''' ({{lang-ku|'''Dêwa Gola Wanê'''}}, {{lang-tr|'''Van Gölü Canavarı'''}}) is a legendary creature that allegedly lives in [[Turkey]].
[[image:Lakevanlandsat.jpeg|235px|right|thumb|Lake Van]]

==History==
The Lake Van Monster was not reported until 1995 in [[Lake Van]], a large alkaline lake in Eastern [[Turkey]]. There are now more than 1,000 people claiming to have witnessed the beast which is reported to measure around fifteen meters long with spikes on its back and appears similar to a [[Plesiosaur]] or [[Ichthyosaurus]]. Researches showed creature first mentioned on Saadet newspaper's (a newspaper published at Istanbul at the time) 29 April 1889 issue,<ref>http://www.trt.net.tr/haber/HaberDetay.aspx?HaberKodu=6f885286-8f37-431c-bbc6-37dba5c19c13 TRT(Turkish Radio and Television Corporation) News (tr)</ref> says that the creature dragged a man into lake while he was doing [[wudu]]. Following these reports the Turkish government sent an official scientific survey group to the lake who failed to spot the creature.

In 1997 a local man, Unal Kozak, a teaching assistant at Van University, captured the creature on video which was sent for analysis. He has written a book about the monster. Yet his video is under constant criticism, with questions like why it never pans left, possibly because of a boat that may have carried the creature. Or why the monster only goes straight, instead of curving through the water. Even criticism as to why the breathing is not in and out, but a continuous release, much like the effects of an air hose.

A 4-meter high statue based on reported sightings has been erected to its honor in [[Van, Turkey]].

Skeptics point out that the region would benefit from tourist revenue and a hoax might attract visitors.<ref name="LVm">{{cite web | author=RJ | title=Sea monster or monster hoax? - June 12, 1997 | year=1997 | work=CNN Interactive - World News | url=http://www.cnn.com/WORLD/9706/12/fringe/turkey.monster/ | accessdate=2006-05-01}}</ref>

==Popular culture==
The Lake Van Monster appears in ''[[The Secret Saturdays]]'' episode "The Unblinking Eye." This version resembles a [[Mosasaurus]]-like creature.

==See also==
*[[Loch Ness Monster]]
*[[Lake monster]]
*[[Lake Van]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://www.makli.com/lake-van-monster-009108/ The Lake Van Monster Article by the Golden Globe]
{{Cryptozoology}}

[[Category:Lake cryptids]]
[[Category:Turkish culture]]
[[Category:Van, Turkey]]
[[Category:Bitlis]]

[[hu:Van-tavi szörny]]
[[ja:ジャノ]]
[[pl:Potwór z jeziora Van]]
[[tr:Van Gölü Canavarı]]

Lake Van Monster

2011-10-25T19:07:50Z

Cyrus abdi:

{{Infobox paranormal creatures
|Creature_Name = Lake Van Monster
|Image_Name =
|Image_Caption = Statue of the Monster of Lake Van in the city of Van, Turkey
|Grouping = [[Cryptid]]
|Sub_Grouping = [[Lake monster]]
|AKA = Van Gölü Canavarı (Turkish)
|Country = [[Turkey]]
|Region = [[Lake Van]], [[Van, Turkey|Van]]
|Habitat = Water
|First_Reported = 1889
|Status = Non Existence
}}
The '''Lake Van Monster''' ({{lang-ku|'''Dêwa Gola Wan'''}}, {{lang-tr|'''Van Gölü Canavarı'''}}) is a legendary creature that allegedly lives in [[Turkey]].
[[image:Lakevanlandsat.jpeg|235px|right|thumb|Lake Van]]

==History==
The Lake Van Monster was not reported until 1995 in [[Lake Van]], a large alkaline lake in Eastern [[Turkey]]. There are now more than 1,000 people claiming to have witnessed the beast which is reported to measure around fifteen meters long with spikes on its back and appears similar to a [[Plesiosaur]] or [[Ichthyosaurus]]. Researches showed creature first mentioned on Saadet newspaper's (a newspaper published at Istanbul at the time) 29 April 1889 issue,<ref>http://www.trt.net.tr/haber/HaberDetay.aspx?HaberKodu=6f885286-8f37-431c-bbc6-37dba5c19c13 TRT(Turkish Radio and Television Corporation) News (tr)</ref> says that the creature dragged a man into lake while he was doing [[wudu]]. Following these reports the Turkish government sent an official scientific survey group to the lake who failed to spot the creature.

In 1997 a local man, Unal Kozak, a teaching assistant at Van University, captured the creature on video which was sent for analysis. He has written a book about the monster. Yet his video is under constant criticism, with questions like why it never pans left, possibly because of a boat that may have carried the creature. Or why the monster only goes straight, instead of curving through the water. Even criticism as to why the breathing is not in and out, but a continuous release, much like the effects of an air hose.

A 4-meter high statue based on reported sightings has been erected to its honor in [[Van, Turkey]].

Skeptics point out that the region would benefit from tourist revenue and a hoax might attract visitors.<ref name="LVm">{{cite web | author=RJ | title=Sea monster or monster hoax? - June 12, 1997 | year=1997 | work=CNN Interactive - World News | url=http://www.cnn.com/WORLD/9706/12/fringe/turkey.monster/ | accessdate=2006-05-01}}</ref>

==Popular culture==
The Lake Van Monster appears in ''[[The Secret Saturdays]]'' episode "The Unblinking Eye." This version resembles a [[Mosasaurus]]-like creature.

==See also==
*[[Loch Ness Monster]]
*[[Lake monster]]
*[[Lake Van]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://www.makli.com/lake-van-monster-009108/ The Lake Van Monster Article by the Golden Globe]
{{Cryptozoology}}

[[Category:Lake cryptids]]
[[Category:Turkish culture]]
[[Category:Van, Turkey]]
[[Category:Bitlis]]

[[hu:Van-tavi szörny]]
[[ja:ジャノ]]
[[pl:Potwór z jeziora Van]]
[[tr:Van Gölü Canavarı]]

User talk:Kurdo777

2010-06-29T13:18:46Z

Cyrus abdi: /* تۆ کوردی و خۆت بۆ فارسه‌کان ئه‌کوژی */ new section

{{usertalk}}

==Green Movement==
{{User:Userboxes/Green movement of Iran}}
<big>Pls put this userbox in your user page if you support [[Green Movement]] of Iran and send it to your friends in Wiki.</big>

==did you?==
I cant see man, be courageous!

==My edit==
Can you please be a bit more specific? Which edit makes no gramatical sense?
BTW, I moved the article to Iranian Kordestan because it couldn't be moved to Iranian Kurdistan. Some PKK supporter had moved the article to Kurdistan - Iran, so I had no other option.[[User:Kermanshahi|Kermanshahi]] ([[User talk:Kermanshahi|talk]]) 09:02, 23 January 2010 (UTC)

There is no poor English in it at all but if you disagree with the grammar go ahead and correct it, make it what you think is proper English, there is no need for reverting. As for the first statement, first of all there is not a single gramatical mistake in it, secondly it is not original research, there are just no official figures.

And yes, I made a slight mistake leaving the library of congress, but that wasn't like that the first time, only after I re-added it I forgot to remove that bit. [[User:Kermanshahi|Kermanshahi]] ([[User talk:Kermanshahi|talk]]) 09:59, 23 January 2010 (UTC)

They say 26% Turkic and Turkic dialects and 1% Turkish, however this doesn't make sense since "Turkic" is not a language, that's why I put 27% Turkish and Turkic dialects.[[User:Kermanshahi|Kermanshahi]] ([[User talk:Kermanshahi|talk]]) 10:16, 23 January 2010 (UTC)

==Serious vandalism==

I am still on break.. but saw some vandalism..

[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:Contributions/Ilgar_Khankishiyev].
Report him to Moreschi also. He removed sources from [[Khaqani]] and added anachronistic terms to various Iranian figures and poets (there was no Azerbaijani back then). Thanks —Preceding [[Wikipedia:Signatures|unsigned]] comment added by [[Special:Contributions/66.92.168.124|66.92.168.124]] ([[User talk:66.92.168.124|talk]]) 17:10, 6 February 2010 (UTC) 
See also here: [http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=List_of_languages_by_number_of_native_speakers&action=historysubmit&diff=341933516&oldid=341811851].

Report this [http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=List_of_languages_by_number_of_native_speakers&action=historysubmit&diff=341933516&oldid=341811851] and this [http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Khaqani&action=historysubmit&diff=342239791&oldid=327556814] to Moreschi. --[[Special:Contributions/66.92.168.124|66.92.168.124]] ([[User talk:66.92.168.124|talk]]) 17:31, 6 February 2010 (UTC)

Basically write: "User Ilgar Khankishiyev removes sources [[http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=List_of_languages_by_number_of_native_speakers&action=historysubmit&diff=341933516&oldid=341811851][http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Khaqani&action=historysubmit&diff=342239791&oldid=327556814] without any comments and removes Armenian people from list of people from Tabriz. He also removes tags and commits original research.. all for nationalistic-ideological purpose. Request him to be banned as a SPA."

I fixed everything except Nezami (ip protected and so hope you can revert him) and list of people from Tabriz (he removed some Armenian people). I would report the fact that he also removed Armenian people from Tabriz.

==Please stop Vandalizing Farokhzad article==
Your decision to use Wikipedia as a political platform is highly dubious and quite possibly against policy. Please stop vandalizing in the interests of your political POV's.--[[User:Mehrshad123|Mehrshad123]] ([[User talk:Mehrshad123|talk]]) 22:56, 9 February 2010 (UTC)

==1953 coup==

A proposal for a [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talk:1953_Iranian_coup_d%27%C3%A9tat#Problems_with_lead_and_proposed_rewrite new lead] has been posted in Iranian 1953 coup talk page. I suspect that some regular editors on that page will oppose using it and am planning to request comments [[WP:RfC]] in that case. If that is no help I plan to request mediation or arbitration --[[User:BoogaLouie|BoogaLouie]] ([[User talk:BoogaLouie|talk]]) 19:41, 10 February 2010 (UTC)

:Still busy? --[[User:BoogaLouie|BoogaLouie]] ([[User talk:BoogaLouie|talk]]) 18:55, 17 February 2010 (UTC)

::http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talk:1953_Iranian_coup_d%27%C3%A9tat#Proposed_new_lead The new lead] has been on the table since Feb 9 (two weeks) so I'm proposing this be the last week waiting for replies before we move on to [[Wikipedia:Requests for comment]]. --[[User:BoogaLouie|BoogaLouie]] ([[User talk:BoogaLouie|talk]]) 16:37, 22 February 2010 (UTC)

==Hi==

Thank you for your message. As you are probably aware, the Arabian Gulf / Persian Gulf is always disputed on Wikipedia. All I have simply done is create pages using templates of exisiting pages. I'm not really concerned about Arabian/Persian Gulf, so mayeb you should challenge memebers who constantly change the titles on pages that were around before i created these new pages. [[User:Druryfire|Druryfire]] ([[User talk:Druryfire|talk]]) 15:07, 21 February 2010 (UTC)
:Ever since I have used wikipedia, the Gulf Cup pages have always been chnaged form Persian to Arabian on a constant basis, to the fact that it gets boring renaming. The other pages I created, is to give a sense of history to the tournaments, of which when i created them, i would have used the Arabian contexted that was previously used in whatever edition i copied from on the day i created the new articles. Now that I know Wiki just likes the Persian context, i will continue to use Persian on any new articles I create.[[User:Druryfire|Druryfire]] ([[User talk:Druryfire|talk]]) 15:15, 21 February 2010 (UTC)

== Killjoy ==

What is with removing all the trolling?? LOL! --[[User:Kansas Bear|Kansas Bear]] ([[User talk:Kansas Bear|talk]]) 06:39, 24 February 2010 (UTC)

==Abdolmalek Rigi==
You said
 ''what you cited is not an "interactive column", it's a blog, and it's not clear if it has any editorial supervision or not.''
 What is the difference between a permitted "interactive column" and a forbidden blog? --[[User:BoogaLouie|BoogaLouie]] ([[User talk:BoogaLouie|talk]]) 23:13, 27 February 2010 (UTC)
You said
 ''The Tehran-based news analysis site Iran Diplomacy, citing the same report, claimed that Rigi was arrested by, or with the help of, Pakistan''
 What is the evidence Diplomacy.ir [http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/tehranbureau/2010/02/rigi-snagged.html report] cited the same and not some independent (confirming) report? --[[User:BoogaLouie|BoogaLouie]] ([[User talk:BoogaLouie|talk]]) 23:21, 27 February 2010 (UTC)

:That's not a "report", or an objective news story, but an opinion piece, or "analysis" at best, which shouldn't not have been cited in the first place. Iran Diplomacy's news item is [http://irdiplomacy.ir/?Lang=fa&Page=24&TypeId=3&ArticleId=7040&Action=ArticleBodyView here] [[User:Kurdo777|Kurdo777]] ([[User talk:Kurdo777|talk]]) 23:53, 27 February 2010 (UTC)

::What is not a "report", or an objective news story? [http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/tehranbureau/2010/02/rigi-snagged.html Diplomacy.ir] or the [http://thelede.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/02/26/broadcast-may-be-intended-to-undercut-support-for-obama-in-iran/ newspaper blog]? When has commentary by a [[WP:RS]] been forbidden in wikipedia? What evidence do you have its an "opinion piece"? --[[User:BoogaLouie|BoogaLouie]] ([[User talk:BoogaLouie|talk]]) 00:20, 28 February 2010 (UTC)

::Any reply to my questions? --[[User:BoogaLouie|BoogaLouie]] ([[User talk:BoogaLouie|talk]]) 19:18, 2 March 2010 (UTC)
::: Already answered you on the article's talk page. --[[User:Kurdo777|Kurdo777]] ([[User talk:Kurdo777#top|talk]]) 19:33, 2 March 2010 (UTC)
==check==
check here:
[[Khanates]] —Preceding [[Wikipedia:Signatures|unsigned]] comment added by [[User:Pahlavannariman|Pahlavannariman]] ([[User talk:Pahlavannariman|talk]] • [[Special:Contributions/Pahlavannariman|contribs]]) 18:51, 8 March 2010 (UTC) 

== Iran coup, 1953 ==

As you know, there is an expostion of [[wp:rs| reliable sources]] at [[Talk:1953_Iranian_coup_d%27%C3%A9tat#Fear_vs_Smoke|Iran coup 1953]], seeking [[wp:rs]] on two conflicting theories of the motivation behind the coup. Your provision of [[wp:rs]], with specific academic citations, would be much appreciated. --[[User:Work permit|Work permit]] ([[User talk:Work permit|talk]]) 00:28, 10 March 2010 (UTC)

== Mediation at 1953 Iranian coup d'état ==

A request for formal mediation of the dispute concerning ''1953 Iranian coup d'état'' has been filed with the [[Wikipedia:Mediation Committee|Mediation Committee]] (MedCom). You have been named as a party in this request. Please review the request at [[Wikipedia:Requests for mediation/1953 Iranian coup d'état]] and then indicate in the "Party agreement" section whether you would agree to participate in the mediation or not.

Mediation is a process where a group of editors in disagreement over matters of article content are guided through discussing the issues of the dispute (and towards developing a resolution) by an uninvolved editor experienced with handling disputes (the mediator). The process is voluntary and is designed for parties who disagree in good faith and who share a common desire to resolve their differences. Further information on the MedCom is at [[Wikipedia:Mediation Committee]]; the policy the Committee will work by whilst handling your dispute is at [[Wikipedia:Mediation Committee/Policy]]; further information on Wikipedia's policy on resolving disagreements is at [[Wikipedia:Resolving disputes]].

If you would be willing to participate in the mediation of this dispute but wish for its scope to be adjusted then you may propose on the case talk page amendments or additions to the list of issues to be mediated. Any queries or concerns that you have may be directed to an [[Wikipedia:Mediation Committee/Active Mediators|active mediator]] of the Committee or by e-mailing the MedCom's private mailing list ([[User:Mediation Committee|click here]] for details).

Please indicate on the case page your agreement to participate in the mediation within seven days of the request's submission.

Thank you, [[User:Binksternet|Binksternet]] ([[User talk:Binksternet|talk]]) [[User:Binksternet|Binksternet]] ([[User talk:Binksternet|talk]]) 00:16, 11 March 2010 (UTC)

== Assyria ==

What is a "Sock Puppet Account?" Mr Kurd?, Iam not Izedine, whoever that is, and my edits were useful and relevant and contained non pov external links, i'd appreciate it if you wish to discuss me and my edits, at least have the guts to do so, rather than tell tales and accuse someone of having a "sock puppet account"......Your user name explains EXACTLY why you wish to interfere in an Assyrian subject! —Preceding [[Wikipedia:Signatures|unsigned]] comment added by [[User:Sinharib99|Sinharib99]] ([[User talk:Sinharib99|talk]] • [[Special:Contributions/Sinharib99|contribs]]) 20:16, 11 March 2010 (UTC) 

== New Message ==
{{tb|Work permit}}
== New Message ==
{{tb|Work permit}}

==Request for mediation not accepted==
{| class="messagebox" style="width:90%"
|-
|[[Image:Exquisite-folder4.png|75px]]
|A [[Wikipedia:Requests for mediation|Request for Mediation]] to which you were are a party was [[Wikipedia:Requests for mediation/Common reasons for rejection|not accepted]] and has been delisted. You can find more information on the case subpage, [[Wikipedia:Requests for mediation/1953 Iranian coup d'état]].</center> 
::''For the Mediation Committee,'' '''[[User:Seddon|Seddon]]''' [[User talk:Seddon|talk]] and [[User:Xavexgoem|Xavexgoem]] ([[User talk:Xavexgoem|talk]]) 03:10, 20 March 2010 (UTC)
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== Talkback ==

{{talkback|Uirauna|Hi|ts=12:27, 25 March 2010 (UTC)}}
[[User:Uirauna|Uirauna]] ([[User talk:Uirauna|talk]]) 12:27, 25 March 2010 (UTC)

== Talkback ==

{{talkback|Uirauna|Hi|ts=16:48, 25 March 2010 (UTC)}}
[[User:Uirauna|Uirauna]] ([[User talk:Uirauna|talk]]) 16:48, 25 March 2010 (UTC)

==Complaint against you==

[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Wikiquette_alerts#User_talk:Kurdo777_and_User_talk:Skywriter_and_less-than-civil_comments_connected_to_1953_Iranian_coup_d.27.C3.A9tat_article for incivility ] --[[User:BoogaLouie|BoogaLouie]] ([[User talk:BoogaLouie|talk]]) 17:09, 30 March 2010 (UTC)

== Thanks ==

For the barnstar. I know there is alot of mistrust amongst the editors on this page. My first instinct was to give my 3O comment and leave, given all the bad blood. But I couldn't. There is SO much knowledge by the editors, so much knowledge that can lead to a really great article. I've given you a hard time, since I'm a stickler for sources and kept asking you for sources time and time again. You gave me a hard time on the compilation of the references section, feeling I was unfair (and thanks, you were right as I said so). Our collective edits are really good. Your latest edits on the the origins section are just one example. We tweaked around the paragraph on the shah's dragnet, and finally you said "what has this got to do with US motives"?, which of course it didn't. Thanks for sticking around. [[wp:agf]], even if you can't. It works.--[[User:Work permit|Work permit]] ([[User talk:Work permit|talk]]) 03:22, 1 April 2010 (UTC)

=="[[WP:CHERRY]]/ half-truths/synthesized/POV-ridden," ==
Kurdo if the proposed section for [[1953 Iranian coup d%27%C3%A9tat#1950s]] is "[[WP:CHERRY]]/ half-truths/synthesized/POV-ridden," where are the non-cherry-picked sources? The "balanced set of information" that overwhelms my alleged unrepresentative fact picking? You have accused me repeatedly of [[WP:CHERRY]] picking, synthesizing and POV. WHERE IS YOUR EVIDENCE? --[[User:BoogaLouie|BoogaLouie]] ([[User talk:BoogaLouie|talk]]) 15:00, 8 April 2010 (UTC)

== Edit warring at [[1953 Iranian coup d'état]] ==

This a formal warning from me to you: stop edit warring at [[1953 Iranian coup d'état]] or you will be blocked. [[User:Binksternet|Binksternet]] ([[User talk:Binksternet|talk]]) 15:11, 11 April 2010 (UTC)

:Once again, stop edit warring at [[1953 Iranian coup d'état]] or you will be blocked. Simple reversions of the article are not building toward a more useful version, they are edit warring. [[User:Binksternet|Binksternet]] ([[User talk:Binksternet|talk]]) 19:30, 17 April 2010 (UTC)

:And again! Straight reversions are not the way forward. Please stop edit warring. The article is being built as neutrally as it can be. [[User:Binksternet|Binksternet]] ([[User talk:Binksternet|talk]]) 22:28, 17 April 2010 (UTC)

==Racist user==
Where are the good admins?
[http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Talk%3ATurkmen_people&action=historysubmit&diff=355324018&oldid=326960529] --[[User:Pahlavannariman|Pahlavannariman]] ([[User talk:Pahlavannariman|talk]]) 17:02, 12 April 2010 (UTC)

==Civility complaint==

[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Administrators%27_noticeboard/Incidents#Possible_continued_incivility Here] --[[User:BoogaLouie|BoogaLouie]] ([[User talk:BoogaLouie|talk]]) 19:13, 14 April 2010 (UTC)

== Blocked ==

A review of the [http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=1953_Iranian_coup_d%27%C3%A9tat&limit=250&action=history last 250 edits] at [[1953 Iranian coup d'état]] reveals persistent, ongoing, and sterile edit warring mostly between you and [[User:Binksternet|Binksternet]]. [[Wikipedia:Edit warring]] states that, "Editors who violate this rule [the three-revert rule] are often blocked, although edit wars that don't involve 3RR violations can attract blocks too." Edit wars are a blockable offense even when a user makes three (partial or full) reverts on an article within 24 hours. Such blocks are especially warranted if the reverts continue to occur over a long period of time. This is the case between you and Binksternet. This persistent and constant edit warring is harmful to the project, and [[Wikipedia:Gaming the system|gaming the system]] is even more disruptive when it occurs almost every single day. Please review Wikipedia's policies and guidelines on reverting and [[Wikipedia:Dispute resolution|dispute resolution]] while you are blocked, and make a sincere effort to modify your behavior once it expires. There is no reason that you cannot discuss your revisions with other members of the community. Please consider why Wikipedia contributors are here in the first place: to build an encyclopedia, and not constantly undo one another's edits. Thank you. <tt class="plainlinks">[[User:Khoikhoi|Khoi]][[User talk:Khoikhoi|khoi]]</tt> 02:43, 20 April 2010 (UTC)
: This is outrageous. Why am ''I'' getting blocked? Binksternet is the one who has violated [[WP:3RR]] on three different occasions, and he is the one edit-warring and POV-pushing against [[WP:Consensus]], and I get blocked? What about [[User:BoogaLouie]] in all of this, he is the main cause of all the troubles at [[1953 Iranian coup d'état]]. He keeps going in cycles, refuses to ''get it'', repeatedly copy/pastes his comments (aka forum shopping) until he gets his way, and has been frustrating everyone at that page, canvassing people like Binksternet to do his bidding on the page, falsifying sources even on biographies of living people, making false attributions. The list goes on and on. Is any of you administrators even paying any attention to this guy's behavior? Did you even bother to check the complaints against him [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User_talk:Khoikhoi#User_talk:BoogaLouie here]? The guy is knowingly compromising Wikipedia's integrity and credibility , and nobody seems to care. --[[User:Kurdo777|Kurdo777]] ([[User talk:Kurdo777#top|talk]]) 05:15, 20 April 2010 (UTC)

::The behavior of others does not excuse your own. However, I will review your complaint in the near future. I haven't had time to do it as of late. <tt class="plainlinks">[[User:Khoikhoi|Khoi]][[User talk:Khoikhoi|khoi]]</tt> 05:53, 20 April 2010 (UTC)

== Arbcom notice: 1953 Iranian coup POV ==

You are involved in a recently-filed request for arbitration. Please review the request at [[Wikipedia:Arbitration/Requests#1953 Iranian coup POV]] and, if you wish to do so, enter your statement and any other material you wish to submit to the Arbitration Committee. Additionally, the following resources may be of use—
* [[Wikipedia:Arbitration/Requests#Requests for Arbitration]];
* [[Wikipedia:Arbitration guide]].

Thanks, [[User:Binksternet|Binksternet]] ([[User talk:Binksternet|talk]]) 16:54, 27 April 2010 (UTC)

== [[Dubai]] ==

Hi!

Following a discussion at [[Talk:Dubai#Persian Gulf vs. Arabian Gulf vs. Gulf|the talk page]], I've recently made a series of edits which may or may not be considered controversial. I'm letting you know because you've recently edited [[Dubai]]. If you disagree with my edits I'd welcome the chance to discuss this at [[Talk:Dubai|the talk page]] (or, indeed, anywhere!)

Cheers, [[User:TFOWR|TFOWR]][[User talk:TFOWR|propaganda]] 12:12, 15 May 2010 (UTC)

== Salaam==
Damet garm...Movaazeb maqaalaati chon nezami/khaqani baashid akhiran yek pan-tork digeh oomadeh (ilgar ..) —Preceding [[Wikipedia:Signatures|unsigned]] comment added by [[Special:Contributions/72.196.206.178|72.196.206.178]] ([[User talk:72.196.206.178|talk]]) 02:52, 1 June 2010 (UTC) 

== Damet garm ==
Baaz ham damet garm... —Preceding [[Wikipedia:Signatures|unsigned]] comment added by [[Special:Contributions/72.196.206.178|72.196.206.178]] ([[User talk:72.196.206.178|talk]]) 02:55, 1 June 2010 (UTC) 

== تۆ کوردی و خۆت بۆ فارسه‌کان ئه‌کوژی ==

کاکی من به‌ جێگه‌ی ئه‌وه‌ی خزمه‌تی فه‌رهه‌نگ و تاریخی فارس وه‌ختت دانه‌ بۆ کاری کوردی.
تا که‌ی قنخۆدڕی بۆ بێگانه‌.

Kurdistan Democratic Party

2010-06-29T13:14:36Z

Cyrus abdi:

{{Infobox political party
| party_name = Kurdistan Democratic Party
| name_native = Partiya Demokrata Kurdistanê پارتی دیموکراتی کوردستان الحزب الديمقراطي الكردستاني 
| colorcode = yellow
| party_logo = [[Image:PDK_Kurdistan.jpg|200px]]
| leader = [[Massoud Barzani]]
| foundation = August 16, 1946
| ideology = [[Kurdish nationalism]], [[social democracy]]
| international = [[Alliance of Democrats]]
| colors = [[Yellow]]
| headquarters = [[Hewler]]
| website = [http://www.kdp.se KDP]
}}
[[File:Flag of KDP.png|thumb|right|240px|The current flag of the KDP]]
::''For other uses of KDP see [[KDP (disambiguation)]]; for other uses of Kurdistan Democratic Party see [[Kurdistan Democratic Party (disambiguation)]]''
The '''Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP)''' ({{lang-ku|'''Partîya Demokrata Kurdistan (PDK)'''}} is one of the main [[Kurdish Language|Kurdish]] parties in [[Iraqi Kurdistan]]. It was founded in 1946 in [[Silemani]], and elected [[Mustafa Barzani]], a [[Kurdish People|Kurdish]] tribal leader and nationalist who fought numerous revolts against [[Baghdad]].

==Foundation==
In 1946, the leader of the Soviet-backed [[Republic of Mahabad]], [[Qazi Muhammad]], announced the formation of a "Kurdish Democratic Party" based in Iran, or [[Eastern Kurdistan]]. The [[Soviet Union]], then supporting the Kurdish national struggle against the monarchies of Iran and Iraq, instructed [[Mustafa Barzani]] to place himself under the authority of Qazi Muhammad. It is not clear whether Mulla Mustafa ever formally agreed to this arrangement, but as a fugitive from Iraqi authorities he relied upon the goodwill of the Iranian Kurds and their Soviet backers, and local Kurds were ordered by the authority of the [[Republic of Mahabad]] to house and feed his destitute forces. <ref>McDowall, David. ''A Modern History of the Kurds''. [[London]]: [[I.B. Tauris]], 2007 ed. p. 241</ref>

It was "well-known in nationalist circles that the relations between the two men [Mulla Mustafa and Qazi] were not easy".<ref>McDowall, David. ''A Modern History of the Kurds''. [[London]]: [[I.B. Tauris]], 2007 ed. p. 242</ref> Mulla Mustafa attempted to create a special dispensation for the Barzanis in Iran, but Qazi rebuffed them stating "There is to be only one party, and you must not operate separate from it." <ref>McDowall, David. ''A Modern History of the Kurds''. [[London]]: [[I.B. Tauris]], 2007 ed. p. 242</ref> In the meantime, Mulla Mustafa was negotiating with Baghdad to allow his return to Iraq, and was successfully attempting to convince Iraqi Kurdish notables of the need for an Iraqi KDP. Rizgari, the Kurdish section of the Iraqi Communist Party (ICP), was vehemently opposed to the idea, as it would fracture the purpose of pan-Kurdish unity and give legitimacy to the Iraq-Iran border that divided Kurdistan. <ref>McDowall, David. ''A Modern History of the Kurds''. [[London]]: [[I.B. Tauris]], 2007 ed. p. 242</ref>

Nevertheless, Barzani's manouverings were successful and he split Rizgari - gaining support even from committed Leftists as due the wide popularity Mulla Mustafa enjoyed amongst the common Kurdish people, and his position as chief notable of the tribal elders, who it was argued, the nationalist movement needed on their side if it were to be militarily successful. <ref>McDowall, David. ''A Modern History of the Kurds''. [[London]]: [[I.B. Tauris]], 2007 ed. p. 242</ref>

The new KDP of Iraq held its first congress in Baghdad on August 16, 1946. The 32 delegates elected a central committee with Hamza Abd Allah as secretary-general, Shaykh Latif and Ziyad Agha as vice-presidents, and Mullah Mustafa as president-in-exile. The party demanded autonomy for Iraqi Kurdistan, stating that the political and economic situation of the [[Kurds]] in [[Iraqi Kurdistan|Iraq]] was different from that of [[Iranian Kurdistan|Iran]]. The party programme was not specific about any social or economic content for fear of alienating the highly conservative tribal chiefs and landlords who had agreed to support it. <ref>McDowall, David. ''A Modern History of the Kurds''. [[London]]: [[I.B. Tauris]], 2007 ed. p. 242</ref>

==Consolidation==
After the collapse of the Mahabad republic in early 1947, [[Ibrahim Ahmad]], previously the Sulaymaniyah representative of the Iranian KDP (from now on referred to as [[KDP-I]]), joined the Iraqi KDP. Ahmad was a highly influential Leftist intellectual, who by 1951 had succeeded in rallying most of the Iraqi Kurdish leftist-nationalists to the KDP, which in turn, took the opportunity to convene a second Party Congress and duly elect Ahmad as secretary-general (effectively acting Chairman). <ref>McDowall, David. ''A Modern History of the Kurds''. [[London]]: [[I.B. Tauris]], 2007 ed. p. 297</ref>

Throughout the late 1940s and early 1950s, the KDP and the Kurdish members of the Iraqi Communist Party steadily increased their working relationship - in many cases fielding joint candidates. The ICP campaigned directly against the aghas (tribal elders) and won the support of the workers in the cities of Erbil, Duhok, and Sulaymaniyah - while the KDP reassured the aghas that the ICP was ultimately under their control. By 1954 the KDP was advocating the replacement of the Iraqi monarchy with a popular democratic republic - much to the consternation of many of their tribal supporters. <ref>McDowall, David. ''A Modern History of the Kurds''. [[London]]: [[I.B. Tauris]], 2007 ed. p. 299</ref>

Indeed, in 1956, antagonism between the Kurdish aghas and the KDP-ICP reached such a height that emissaries for the former contacted the British consul in Mosul requesting arms and finance to establish an "anti-Communist and independent Kurdistan" in northern Iraq. <ref>McDowall, David. ''A Modern History of the Kurds''. [[London]]: [[I.B. Tauris]], 2007 ed. p. 300</ref>

==Under Revolutionary Iraq==
On 14th July, 1958, Brigadier [[Abd al-Karim Qasim]] and his fellow "Free Officers" (modeled after [[Nasser]]'s [[Egyptian]] [[Free Officers]]) staged a successful coup that promised a brighter future for the Kurds of Iraq. Although the KDP and ICP were excluded from the new United National Front government, Qasim formed a three-man "Sovereignty Council" of a Sunni, a Shi'i, and a Kurd.<ref>McDowall, David. ''A Modern History of the Kurds''. [[London]]: [[I.B. Tauris]], 2007 ed. p. 302</ref> The KDP immediately pledged its support for the new regime, in its newspaper hailing a new era of "freedom and equality for the Kurdish and Arab peoples". <ref>McDowall, David. ''A Modern History of the Kurds''. [[London]]: [[I.B. Tauris]], 2007 ed. p. 302</ref>

[[Ibrahim Ahmad]] attempted to pressure Qasim into including Kurdish autonomy in the Provisional Constitution. However, Qasim was under much greater pressure from his deputy [[Abdul Salam Arif]] and other pan-Arab Nationalists - not least the Ba'ath - who wanted to take Iraq into the [[United Arab Republic]] (UAR). They objected to Qasim's apparently pro-Kurdish attitude and his friendliness towards [[Mustafa Barzani]] in particular. <ref>McDowall, David. ''A Modern History of the Kurds''. [[London]]: [[I.B. Tauris]], 2007 ed. p. 303</ref>

Qasim and Mulla Mustafa had developed a close relationship, as Qasim saw in Barzani a powerful military ally that he could employ as a counterweight to the pan-Arab nationalists, who, he feared, threatened to subvert Iraq to Nasser's Egypt. Qasim had officially named him Chairman of the KDP (a position he held on paper since the party's founding), gave him one of [[Nuri as-Said]]'s old residences in Baghdad, an automobile, and a "handsome monthly stipend" (salary).<ref>McDowall, David. ''A Modern History of the Kurds''. [[London]]: [[I.B. Tauris]], 2007 ed. p. 303</ref> Mulla Mustafa would prove his loyalty in March 1959, where he helped Qasim suppress a serious uprising in Mosul of pan-Arab nationalists and Ba'athist officers - at the behest of Mulla Mustafa, Kurds, in tandem with the Communists (also led by a Kurd) attacked Mosul wreaking havoc on Nationalists and Baathists and killing as many as 2,500 people in four days. While the Communists and Kurds settled scores, Qasim used the revolt as a pretext to purge Nationalists and Baathists from the Iraqi armed forces and government. <ref>McDowall, David. ''A Modern History of the Kurds''. [[London]]: [[I.B. Tauris]], 2007 ed. p. 305</ref>

Ironically, Qasim would use an almost identical event that July, but this time in Kirkuk, as a pretext to act against the KDP's closest allies, the Communists. In 1959 half of the 150,000 population of Kirkuk was [[Iraqi Turkmen]], with the balance comprising Kurds, Arabs, Assyrians, and Armenians (in that order). Mulla Mustafa's triumphal visit to the city the previous October had resulted in bloodshed, but this time killings were carried out by Communist and Kurdish members of a group called the "Popular Resistance Force", who attacked shops and their owners. As many as 50 Turkmen were killed. Qasim held the Communists responsible and claimed to have uncovered plans for a similar action in Baghdad. During the next few months, Mulla Mustafa helped Qasim reduce the ICP and there was open conflict in Iraqi Kurdistan between the KDP, backed by Kurdish tribesmen, and the Kurdish Communists. <ref>McDowall, David. ''A Modern History of the Kurds''. [[London]]: [[I.B. Tauris]], 2007 ed. p. 305</ref>

Meanwhile, an ideological rift developed in the KDP between the intellectual and Lefists [[Ibrahim Ahmad]] and [[Jalal Talabani]] on the one hand, and Mulla Mustafa and the Barzanis on the other. Mulla Mustafa "talked freely, with a bitterness amounting to hatred, against the... intellectual presumptuousness of the KDP politicians, singling out Ibrahim Ahmad for his particular dislike". While Admad complained of Mulla Mustafa's "selfishness, arbitrariness, unfairness, tribal backwardness and even his dishonesty." But while each wanted to reduce the others' influence in the KDP, each also knew that the other was indispensable in securing the loyalty of their respective support-bases - the tribal villagers and nomads for Barzani, and the urban and educated for Ahmad/Talabani. <ref>McDowall, David. ''A Modern History of the Kurds''. [[London]]: [[I.B. Tauris]], 2007 ed. p. 306</ref>

=Political Ideology=
The KDP ranges from [[centrist]] to a [[centre-left]] position. Most of the members are [[Social Democrats]], and a much smaller number [[Democratic Socialism|Democratic Socialists]]. The KDP is a member of the [[Alliance of Democrats]], and participates in some meetings of the [[Socialist International]].

=Branches=
Kurdistan Democratic Party was established on 16th August 1946 under the leadership of the late Mustafa Barzani. <ref>http://www.kdp.se</ref>
The leadership and organisational structure of the Party is as following:
President
Vice President
Political Bureau
Central Committee
The structure and party administration is divided into regions or branches known as “liq”, districts as “nawcha”, local organisations as “rek-khraw” and cells as “shana”. Eack liq is subdivided into nawchas; nawchas into rek-khraws and rek-khraws into shanas.
*1st Branch – Dohuk
*2nd Branch – Hewler
*3rd Branch – Kerkuk
*4th Branch – Silemani
*5th Branch – Formerly Baghdad
*6th Branch – Europe (London)
*7th Branch – Northern America (Washington D.C.)
*8th Branch – Iran
*9th Branch – Aqra
*10th Branch – Soran (Rwanduz region)
*11th Branch – Rania/Qala Diza
*12th Branch – Halabja
*14th Branch - Mosul
*15th Branch - Dyala-Qaniqin
*16th Branch - Hewler-Shawis
*17th Branch - Shingal
*18th Branch - Amedi
*19th Branch - Jamjamal
*20th Branch - Shekhan
*21st Branch - Canada
*22nd Branch - Garmiyan-Kalar
*23rd Branch - Makhmor
*24th Branch - Shaqlawa
Members of Political Bureau or Central Committee head each branch. Other members are elected at branch and district conferences.

=Congresses=
===First Congress===
The first congress of the party convened in [[Baghdad]] in 1946, thanks to the immortal [[Mustafa Barzani|Barzani]]'s initiative in the wake of world war II and the emergence and development of world liberation movements and democratic trends. Indeed, the peculiar circumstances of the [[Kurdish people]] necessitated the existence of a patriotic, nationalist and democratic party capable of leading the movement of the [[Kurds]]. At this congress, the party's statute was formulated and the immortal [[Mustafa Barzani|Barzani]] was elected the first chairman of the Party.
===Second Congress===
The Second Congress convened in [[Baghdad]] in march 1951 at a time when some of the party's leadership members had been arrested by the [[Iraq|Iraqi regime]] and the party members were subjected to arrest and chasing under martial laws and the party ranks were beginning to disintegrate. The congress was devoted to resolving such problems

===Third Congress===
The Third Congress convened in [[Kirkuk]] on January 26, 1953 with the view of reinforcing the party ranks. It was in this congress that the party's name was changed from the Kurdish Democratic Party into the Kurdistan Democratic Party. It was also decided to form a number of [[Kurdish People|Kurdish]] popular and professional organisations, and the name of the party's organ was changed from Rizgari to Khebat.
===Forth Congress===
This congress convened in [[Baghdad]], October 4-7, 1959 following the demise of the Iraqi Monarchy amidst considerable political freedom. The immortal [[Mustafa Barzani|Barzani]] and his comrades had already returned home from the Soviet exile. This Congress is considered to be one of the most important congresses of the KDP and the first one to be attended by [[Mustafa Barzani]]. In this congress, the KDP was able to rid itself of the ideological conflicts and adopt a nationalist and progressive method.
===Fifth Congress===
The Fifth Congress convened at the KDP's Headquarter in [[Baghdad]] in early May 1960. It convened following the announcement of the political parties' law. This was the first time for the KDP to be officially permitted to conduct its activities publicly and legally.
===Sixth Congress===
This congress convened in Qala Diza in early July 1964. It was devoted to the conflicts, within the leadership, brought about by the negotiations that had taken place between the Kurdish movement and the Iraqi regime. This congress realised its objectives successfully.
===Seventh Congress===
The Seventh Congress convened in Galala on November 15, 1966 in the wake of June 29 agreement. The KDP seized the chance to further unify its ranks
===Eighth Congress===
This congress convened in Naw Pirdan on July 1, 1970 almost four months after March 11 Agreement with the objective of enhancing the ranks of the Party, the people of [[Kurdistan]] and that of Iraqi people as whole. This congress is considered to be a very important one with regard to organisation, maximum attendance by Party members, guests, friends of the Party and the [[Kurdish people]] as well as realisation of the congressional objectives.
===Ninth Congress===
This congress convened on the Iraqi-Iranian-Turkish borders, December 4-13, 1979. It was the first congress after the death of its leader [[Mustafa Barzani|Barzani]]. It was also the first congress after the 1975 conspiracy. The congress was considerably successful in reorganising the parties ranks and re-establishment of the May Revolution institutions. It was in this congress that [[Massoud Barzani]] was elected the chairman of the KDP; in his words, “this was the most difficult and burdensome congress”.
===Tenth Congress===
This congress of the KDP convened in the district of Margewer, December 12-17, 1989. It was in the aftermath of the well documented barbaric chemical attacks against the [[Kurds]] and the [[Anfal]] operations by the Iraqi regime resulting in the annihilation of tens of thousands of helpless people, displacement and deportation of a similar number of innocent civilians with devastation of more than 4.500 [[Kurdish People|Kurdish]] villages and townships. In this congress heavy emphasis was laid on unifying the party ranks, and consolidating the Kurdistan Front and popular unity
===Eleventh Congress===
This congress was convened in [[Hewler]] on August 16th 1993 against the background of new and rapid developments in [[Kurdish People|Kurdish]] politics and the region. Over two third of [[Iraqi Kurdistan]] was controlled by the [[Kurds]] and an elected [[Kurdistan National Assembly|Kurdish National Assembly]] with a [[Kurdistan Regional Government|regional government]] was running the affairs of [[Kurds]]. In the 11th Congress, a number of other political parties reunited with the KDP and further consolidated and strengthened the Party's position amongst the [[Kurdish People|Kurdish]] nation.
===Twelfth Congress===
This congress was convened in [[Hewler]] 6th October-13th October and held against a background of several years of internal conflicts and KDP's leading role in the third cabinet of the [[Kurdistan Regional Government|regional government]]. The developments in the region and the world all contributed to KDP's new outlook and approaches to international and regional politics. New figures and fresh blood were introduced into the new leadership through a free and democratic election of Central Committee.
==Kurdistan Women Union==
'''Kurdistan Women Union''' (KWU) is the KDP's women organisation division which advocates for the rights of women and interests within the party and society. Ever since its formation in 1952, the KWU has actively participated in the [[Kurdish People|Kurdish]] national struggle and fought for the realisation of human and democratic rights for the people of [[Kurdistan]]. The organisation is engaged on two fronts against oppression and discrimination. In addition, taking an active role in the resistance movements of the KDP against repression of the [[Kurds]] by successive Iraqi regimes. KWU has attempted to end discrimination and prejudices within the male dominated [[Kurdish People|Kurdish]] society.
The KWU has established a sewing factory to create jobs for women in [[Hewler]]. The Union also operates a social and health care centre to extent basic essential services to poor families. Other projects include the opening of a recreation facility and playground with the assistance of International NGO's to engage children with physical activities after school. Educational programs have been created through meetings and publications to explain the discrimination and injustices endured by women in the society. The Union has sent delegations to a number of [[Europe|European]] countries to develop relations with women organisations, seek humanitarian assistance for female victims in [[Kurdistan]], and exchange experience on administration and organisation. Future aspirations include opening nursing schools, orphanages for the [[Anfal]] children who have lost their parents and obtaining more school supplies. Owing to the economic, political and social transformations, [[Kurdish People|Kurdish]] women have made great progress. Today, [[Kurdish People|Kurdish]] women are members of parliament, ministers, teachers, engineers, lawyers, labourers and other professional bodies.

==See also==
*[[Nechirvan Barzani]]
==References==
{{reflist}}

{{Kurdistan National Assembly}}
[[Category:Political parties established in 1946]]
[[Category:Political parties in Iraq]]
[[Category:Kurdish organisations]]
[[Category:Political parties in Iraqi Kurdistan]]
[[ar:الحزب الديمقراطي الكردستاني]]
[[cs:Kurdská demokratická strana Iráku]]
[[de:Demokratische Partei Kurdistans]]
[[et:Kurdistani Demokraatlik Partei]]
[[eo:PDK]]
[[fa:حزب دموکرات کردستان عراق]]
[[fr:Parti démocratique du Kurdistan]]
[[ku:Partiya Demokrata Kurdistanê]]
[[lt:Irako Kurdistano demokratinė partija]]
[[nl:Koerdische Democratische Partij Irak]]
[[ja:クルド民主党]]
[[no:Kurdistans Demokratiske Parti]]
[[pl:Demokratyczna Partia Kurdystanu]]
[[ru:Демократическая партия Курдистана]]
[[ckb:پارتی دیموکراتی کوردستان]]
[[tr:Kürdistan Demokrat Partisi]]

Dersim massacre

2010-03-27T20:51:55Z

Cyrus abdi:

[[File:Wilayah_Dersim_1937.png|thumb|230px|Tunceli 1938]]
The '''Dêrsîm Genocide''' is a name given to violent suppression during the [[Dersim rebellion]] in the summer of 1937 and the spring of 1938 of the local population of Dersim, now called [[Tunceli Province]] (in [[Turkey]]). Thousands of Alevi [[Kurds]]<ref>[http://www.let.uu.nl/~Martin.vanBruinessen/personal/publications/Dersim_rebellion.pdf The Suppression of the Dersim Rebellion in Turkey (1937-38) Page 4]</ref> were killed and thousands more were taken into exile, depopulating the province. A key component of the [[turkification]] process was the policy of massive population resettlement, a result of the 1934 law on resettlement, a policy targeting the region of Dersim as one of its first test cases with disastrous consequences for the local population<ref>George J Andreopoulos, ''Genocide'', page 11</ref>.

In 2008, the [[Kurdistan Workers' Party|PKK]], a Kurdish terrorist organization responsible for 30.000 killings in south-eastern Turkey,<ref>http://www.state.gov/s/ct/rls/crt/2006/82738.htm</ref> organized a "Dersim genocide conference" in which it reached the conclusion that Turkey was guilty of so-called 'genocide' not only of Alevis, but also [[Armenians]], [[Assyrian people|Assyrians]], [[Greeks]], non-Alevi [[Kurds]] and [[Jews]].<ref>[http://www.jamestown.org/single/?no_cache=1&tx_ttnews%5Btt_news%5D=34808&tx_ttnews%5BbackPid%5D=7&cHash=887bf4a0cb].</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
===English===
*[http://www.let.uu.nl/~Martin.vanBruinessen/personal/publications/Dersim_rebellion.pdf The Suppression of the Dersim Rebellion in Turkey (1937-38) by Martin Van Bruinessen]
*[http://www.guengl.org/showPage.jsp?ID=6762&PR=0&AREA=5337&GRP=0&SITE=0&CH=1&TYPE=1&FILENAME=showPage.jsp&INTERNAL=1&ISSUE=0&POPUP=0 Dersim 1938 - 70 Years After]
*[http://www.todayszaman.com/tz-web/detaylar.do?load=detay&link=157244 Dersim on Turkey's ‘genocide' list]
*[http://www.araratnews.eu/nuce.php?aid=310 EU-Parliament hosts Armenian and Kurdish conferences on genocides]

===Turkish===
* {{cite news|url=http://taraf.com.tr/makale/2797.htm
|accessdate=2008-11-23
|title=“Atatürk Dersim’i vuracağız dedi, vurduk”
|work=[[Taraf]]
|author=Hür, Ayşe
|date=2008-11-23
|language=Turkish
}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Dersim Genocide}}

[[Category:Genocides]]
[[Category:Ethnic cleansing]]
[[Category:History of Turkey]]
[[Category:History of Kurdistan]]
[[Category:1936 in Turkey]]

[[tr:Dersim Katliamı]]

Syria Newroz killings

2010-03-27T20:42:11Z

Cyrus abdi:

"Raqqah Newroz Killing" Refers to Syrian police's attack on the Kurdish population in [[Raqqah]] city, who had gathered to celebrate new Kurdish year (Newroz festival) in March 2010. The attack by Syrian police left 2 or 3 people killed, one of them a 15-year-old girl, and more than 50 people wounded.<ref>[http://www.rojhelat.info/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=198:2010-03-24-20-49-16&catid=29:rojava&Itemid=61] </ref>

The Ba'thist regime of Syria, who is believed to be following the same policies as Saddam Hussein's Ba'thist regime, has denied the Kurdish minority of this country (known as [[Western Kurdistan]]) of their basic ethnic rights and any Kurdish cultural and political activiy is looked at as a crime. In 1962, 20 percent of the Syria's Kurdish population were stripped of their Syrian citizenship following a very highly controversial census raising concerns among human rights groups.

==Qamishli Newroz Killing==
In March 2008, according to [[Human Rights Watch]], <ref>[http://www.hrw.org/en/news/2008/03/23/syria-investigate-killing-kurds Syria: Investigate Killing of Kurds - Human Rights Watch] </ref> Syrian security forces opened fire at Kurds celebrating spring festival of Newroz. The shooting left three people dead. The city is renowned for throwing a large Christmas parade every year in December, and celebrating Newroz festival by a large crowd every year in March.

<gallery>
File:KurdistanSyria.jpg|Map for Syrian Kurdistan or Kurdistan of Syria
</gallery>

==see also==
* [[Western Kurdistan]]
* [[Kurdistan]]
* [[Kurdish People]]

==Reference==
{{reflist}}

Syria Newroz killings

2010-03-27T20:40:56Z

Cyrus abdi:

"Raqqah Newroz Killing" Refers to Syrian police's attack on the Kurdish population in Raqqah, who had gathered to celebrate new Kurdish year (Newroz festival) in March 2010. The attack by Syrian police left 2 or 3 people killed, one of them a 15-year-old girl, and more than 50 people wounded.<ref>[http://www.rojhelat.info/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=198:2010-03-24-20-49-16&catid=29:rojava&Itemid=61] </ref>

The Ba'thist regime of Syria, who is believed to be following the same policies as Saddam Hussein's Ba'thist regime, has denied the Kurdish minority of this country (known as [[Western Kurdistan]]) of their basic ethnic rights and any Kurdish cultural and political activiy is looked at as a crime. In 1962, 20 percent of the Syria's Kurdish population were stripped of their Syrian citizenship following a very highly controversial census raising concerns among human rights groups.

==Qamishli Newroz Killing==
In March 2008, according to [[Human Rights Watch]], <ref>[http://www.hrw.org/en/news/2008/03/23/syria-investigate-killing-kurds Syria: Investigate Killing of Kurds - Human Rights Watch] </ref> Syrian security forces opened fire at Kurds celebrating spring festival of Newroz. The shooting left three people dead. The city is renowned for throwing a large Christmas parade every year in December, and celebrating Newroz festival by a large crowd every year in March.

<gallery>
File:KurdistanSyria.jpg|Map for Syrian Kurdistan or Kurdistan of Syria
</gallery>

==see also==
* [[Western Kurdistan]]
* [[Kurdistan]]
* [[Kurdish People]]

==Reference==
{{reflist}}

Syria Newroz killings

2010-03-27T20:33:53Z

Cyrus abdi: ←Created page with '"Raqqah Newroz Killing" Refers to Syrian police's attack on the Kurdish population in Raqqah, who had gathered to celebrate new Kurdish year (Newroz festival) in Ma...'

Gulus

2010-03-19T10:54:09Z

Cyrus abdi: ←Redirected page to Newroz (Kurdistan)

#REDIRECT [[Newroz (Kurdistan)]]

User talk:Cyrus abdi

2010-03-19T10:52:56Z

Cyrus abdi: /* Sacrificing */

'''Welcome!'''

Hello, {{BASEPAGENAME}}, and [[Wikipedia:Introduction|welcome]] to Wikipedia! Thank you for [[Special:Contributions/{{BASEPAGENAME}}|your contributions]]{{#if:|, especially what you did for [[:{{{art}}}]]}}. I hope you like the place and decide to stay. Here are some pages that you might find helpful:
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I hope you enjoy editing here and being a [[Wikipedia:Wikipedians|Wikipedian]]! Please [[Wikipedia:Signatures|sign]] your messages on [[Wikipedia:talk page|discussion page]]s using four [[tilde]]s (<nowiki>~~~~</nowiki>); this will automatically insert your username and the date. If you need help, check out [[Wikipedia:Questions]], ask me on {{#if:|[[user talk:{{{1}}}|my talk page]]|my talk page}}, or ask your question on this page and then place <code><nowiki>{{helpme}}</nowiki></code> before the question. Again, welcome! --[[User:Nepaheshgar|Nepaheshgar]] ([[User talk:Nepaheshgar|talk]]) 12:50, 13 November 2008 (UTC)
==[[:Newroz (Kurdistan)]]==
[[Image:Nuvola apps important.svg|left|40px]]
This is an automated message from [[User:CorenSearchBot|CorenSearchBot]]. I have performed a search with the contents of [[:Newroz (Kurdistan)]], and it appears to be very similar to another Wikipedia page: [[:Newroz as celebrated by Kurds]]. It is possible that you have accidentally duplicated contents, or made an error while creating the page— you might want to look at the pages and see if that is the case. If you are intentionally trying to rename an article, please see [[Help:Moving a page]] for instructions on how to do this without copying and pasting. If you are trying to move or copy content from one article to a different one, please see [[Wikipedia:Copying within Wikipedia]] and be sure you have acknowledged the duplication of material in an [[Help:edit summary|edit summary]] to preserve attribution history.

This message was placed automatically, and it is possible that the bot found similarity where none actually exists. If that is the case, you can remove the tag from the article and it would be appreciated if you could drop a note on [[User talk:Coren|the maintainer's talk page]]. [[User:CorenSearchBot|CorenSearchBot]] ([[User talk:CorenSearchBot|talk]]) 07:14, 19 March 2010 (UTC)

== Sacrificing ==

I don't think I'm sacrificing anything...Please explain what error you think I made.

Also, I went to your translation website. I'm a lover of languages and enjoy translation. Good luck with your endeavors. One thing I wanted to mention, totally for your benefit and not for mine, is regarding your motto "We are Native and Expert in Middle Eastern Languages" -- as a native English speaker, I believe it should be "We are Native '''Speakers''' and Expert in Middle Eastern Languages"...of course that is up to you--[[User:达伟|达伟]] ([[User talk:达伟|talk]]) 08:11, 19 March 2010 (UTC)
:Thank you. I'm glad to get all the information. I'm very sympathetic, but unfortunately there's not anything I can do to change the situation. However, if you'd like to share any more facts with me, I'm happy to listen. I'm sorry to hear about peoples' ignorance and I will try to educate myself more about Kurdish culture.--[[User:达伟|达伟]] ([[User talk:达伟|talk]]) 08:36, 19 March 2010 (UTC)
::Thanks for your caring. However kindly be careful and not allow monopolizing attempts whenever possible. There is a picture of Istanbul in the nowrouz article. Under the image it was written "Greater Iran". They are still dreaming about the great empire of the past and it is difficult for them to confirm that it is a Kurd, a different nation, who celebrates this festivity in Turkey. I fixed it however if not reverted.--[[User:Cyrus abdi|Cyrus abdi]] ([[User talk:Cyrus abdi#top|talk]]) 08:43, 19 March 2010 (UTC)
:::I understand and will be on the lookout in the future. Can I ask you a question? Since you're an English translator can I make one other small suggestion to you regarding grammar?--08:55, 19 March 2010 (UTC)
::::sure! What is it?--[[User:Cyrus abdi|Cyrus abdi]] ([[User talk:Cyrus abdi#top|talk]]) 09:37, 19 March 2010 (UTC)
:::::This might have been a totally random mistake, but I've noticed that people from many many countries make this mistake. You said: "it is only the Kurds who know '''what is''' newroz." It is important that you say, "it is only the Kurd who know what newroz '''is'''." That verb must come at the end to be correct. Thanks for being patient with my pedantry. Please ask me any questions in the future about grammar; I'm a native speaker of English and happy to help with anything. I can also help you with Chinese if you wanna learn some day!--[[User:达伟|达伟]] ([[User talk:达伟|talk]]) 10:22, 19 March 2010 (UTC)
:::::: Thank you a billion for the correction. I won't forget it. Actually this happens automatically even though I know it is wrong.--[[User:Cyrus abdi|Cyrus abdi]] ([[User talk:Cyrus abdi#top|talk]]) 10:52, 19 March 2010 (UTC)

User talk:Cyrus abdi

2010-03-19T10:52:11Z

Cyrus abdi: /* Sacrificing */

Newroz (Kurdistan)

2010-03-19T09:42:51Z

Cyrus abdi:

[[File:Newroz Kurdistan.jpg|300px|right|thumb||Kurdistan celebrates Newroz (Newroj). Kurdish people com together and set a big fire as a symbol of Newroz. They welcome spring and say farewell to winder by wearing new dresses and dancing together around the fire. Unlike Persians, Kurds make their Newroz fire on the eve of the first day of spring.]]
'''Newroz''', '''Newroj''' or '''Nûroj'''<ref>Thomas Bois, ''Connaissance des Kurdes'', 164 pp., 1965. (see p.69)</ref> ({{lang-ku|نه‌ورۆز/Newroz/Nûroj}}, also: '''Gulus''')<ref>Abdurrahman Sharafkandi ([[Hejar]]), ''Henbane Borîne (Kurdish-Kurdish-Persian Dictionary)'', Soroush Press, 1991, Tehran, p. 715</ref> ({{lang-ku|گوڵوس}}) refers to the celebration of the traditional [[Kurdish People|Kurdish]] new year holiday of [[Newroz]] in [[Kurdish culture|Kurdish]] society. Newroz is celebrated throughout the countries of the [[Middle East]] and [[Central Asia]] such as in [[Iran]], [[Azerbaijan]], [[Afghanistan]] and [[Turkey]] by their Kurds. Newroz is also celebrated by some communities in [[Pakistan]]. In Kurdish legend, the holiday celebrates the deliverance of the [[Kurds]] from a tyrant, and it is seen as another way of demonstrating support for the Kurdish cause.<ref name="murphy">{{cite web | title = For Kurds, a day of bonfires, legends, and independence | first = Dan | last = Murphy | publisher = The Christian Science Monitor | url = http://www.csmonitor.com/2004/0323/p07s02-woiq.html| date = 2004-03-24| accessdate = 2007-03-08}}</ref><ref name="religionjournal">{{cite journal | journal = Middle Eastern Studies | volume = 42 | issue = 2 | pages = pp. 285–302 | date = 2006-03 | first = Lerna K. | last = Yanik | title = ‘Nevruz’ or ‘Newroz’? Deconstructing the ‘Invention’ of a Contested Tradition in Contemporary Turkey | doi = 10.1080/00263200500417710}}</ref><ref name="thekurds">{{cite book | title = The Kurds: A Concise Handbook | first = Mehrdad R. | last = Izady | year = 1992 | publisher = Taylor francis | location = United Kingdom | isbn = 0844817279 | pages = 243–244}}</ref><ref name="Australia">{{cite book | title = The Australian People: An Encyclopedia of the Nation, its People and their Origins | first =James | last = Jupp | year = 2001 | isbn = 0521807891 | publisher = Cambridge University Press | location = Cambridge}}</ref><ref name="Yildiz">{{cite book | title = The Kurds: Culture and Language Rights | first = Kerim | last = Yildiz | coauthors = Fryer, Georgina | publisher = Kurdish Human Rights Project | year = 2004 | isbn = 1900175746}}</ref><ref name="diaspora">{{cite book | year = 1999 | isbn = 0312220677 | title = Kurdish Diasporas: A Comparative Study of Kurdish Refugee Communities (Migration, Minorities and Citizenship) | first = Osten | last = Wahlbeck | publisher = Macmillan | location = Basingstoke}}</ref> The celebration is commonly [[Kurdish language|transliterated]] ''Newroz'' by the Kurds and coincides with the [[spring equinox]] which falls mainly on 21 March <ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.bbc.co.uk/london/yourlondon/unitedcolours/features/kurdish_newyear.shtml | title =Newroz - Kurdish New Year | publisher = BBC}}</ref> and the festival is held usually between the 18th and 24 March. The festival currently has an important place in the terms of Kurdish identity for the majority of Kurds, mostly in [[Turkey]] and [[Syria]].<ref name="murphy" /><ref name="religionjournal" /><ref name="thekurds" /><ref name="Yildiz" /> Though celebrations vary, people generally gather together to welcome the coming of spring; people wear coloured clothes and flags of green, yellow and red, the colours of the Kurdish people are waved.<ref name="nyt">{{cite news |first= Douglas |last= Frantz |title= Diyarbakir Journal: Where Misery Abounds, the Kurds Make Merry|url= http://www.library.cornell.edu/colldev/mideast/diarbkrj.htm |work= The New York Times |date= 2001-03-23 |accessdate=2007-03-08}}</ref><ref name="providence">{{cite news |first= Gina |last= Macris |title= Kurds Ring in New Year|url= http://www.kurdistan.org/Current-Updates/ring.html |work= Providence Journal |date= 2002-03-25 |accessdate=2007-03-08}}</ref>

==Mythology==
===Story of Zahak===
In [[The Meadows of Gold]] by Muslim historian [[Masudi]] <ref name=autogenerated1>Hakan Ozoglu, Kurdish notables and the Ottoman State, 2004, SUNY Press, page: 30. ISBN 0791459934</ref>, and [[Shahnameh]], a poetic opus written by the [[Sharafnameh]] of medieval Kurdish historian [[Sherefxan Bidlisi]], [[Zahhak]] is an evil king who conquers [[Kurdistan]] and who has serpents growing out of his shoulders.<ref name="myths">{{cite book | title = World of Myths: Roman Myths | first = Marina | last = Warner | coauthors = Fernández-Armesto, Felipe | year = 2004 | publisher = University of Texas Press | isbn = 0292706073}}</ref> The Iranian Zahak's rule lasts for a thousand years during which two young kurdish men are sacrificed daily to provide their brains to the serpents to alleviate the pain that Zahak felt.<ref name="myths" /> The man who was charged with slaughtering two young people each day would instead kill one person a day and would mix their brains with that of a sheep, thus saving one young man a day. As discontent grows against Zahhak's rule, the nobleman plan a revolt, being led by [[Kaveh]], a blacksmith (cf. Ossetian ''Kurdalægon''), who has lost six sons to Zahhak.<ref name="myths" /> Therefor, the saved young children (who according to the legend were ancestors of the Kurds <ref name=autogenerated1 /><ref>[http://www.shahnameh.com/Epic/05Zahak/index.html 05001 Zahak]</ref>) are then trained by Kawa into an army marches to Zahhak's castle where Kawa kills the king with a hammer; eventually Kawa instates [[Fereydun]] as king.<ref name="myths" /> The root of this story goes back to ancient Iranian legends. According to [[Evliya Çelebi]], the district ([[sancak]]) of ''Merkawe'' in ''Shahrazur'' ([[Sharazur]]) is named after the blacksmith Kawe(Kaveh), who overthrew Zahhak<ref name=autogenerated2>Martin van Bruinessen, ''Kurdistan in the 16th and 17th centuries, as reflected in Elviya Çelebi's Seyahatname'', The Journal of Kurdish Studies, Vol. 3, pp.1-11, 2000.</ref>. The 12th century geographer [[Yaqoot Hamawi]], mentions ''Zor'' son of [[Zahhak]] (Aji Dahak) as founder of the famous city of [[Sharazor]]<ref>Kitab Mu'jam Al Buldan by [[Yaqoot Hamawi]], Book 3, p: 425-427</ref>.
[[Image:Newroz Istanbul(4).jpg|thumb|250px|It is a tradition to jump across a fire at Newroz]]

===Death of Dehak and spring===
According to Kurdish myth, Kawa lived for 2,500 years under the tyranny of Zahhak, an [[Assyria]]n who is named Zuhak or Dehak by the Kurds.<ref name="murphy" /><ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.institutkurde.org/en/publications/bulletins/bulletins.php?bul=192 | title =Newroz 2001: In Diyarbekir the celebrations brought together, in a calm atmosphere, 5000,000 people but there were many incidents in Istanbul | accessdate = 2007-03-13 | date = 2001-03 | author = Kurdish Institute of Paris}}</ref> Dehak's evil reign caused spring to no longer come to [[Kurdistan]].<ref name="murphy" /> March 20 is traditionally marked as the day that Kawa defeated Dehak. He is then said to have set fires on the hillsides to celebrate the victory and summon his supporters; subsequently spring returned to Kurdistan the next day.<ref name="murphy" />

In some of the present Kurdish versions of the story of Zahhak and Kawe, there is no mention of ''[[Fereydun]]''<ref name=autogenerated2 />. Although in the [[Ahl-e Haqq]] (Yarsan) Kurdish tradition, Kawa rebelled against Zahak and helped Fereydun bound Zahak in Damavand<ref>Hajj Nematollah, Shah-Nama-Ye Haqiqat, Intishaaraat Jeyhun, (1982).</ref>.

This legend is now used by the Kurds to remind themselves that they are a different, strong people, and the lighting of the fires has since become a symbol of freedom.<ref name="murphy" />

In the 1930s, the Kurdish poet ''Taufik Abdullah'', wanting to instil a new Kurdish cultural revival, used a previously known modified form of the story of Kaveh, (written as Kawa in [[Kurdish language|Kurdish]]).<ref name="murphy"/> He connected the myths where people felt oppressed with Newroz, thus reviving a dying holiday and made it a symbol of Kurdish national struggle.<ref name="murphy" /> However it should be noted that Kurds celebrated ''Newroz'' long before this, and the word ''Newroz'' has been mentioned in the Kurdish poetry of 16th century. Indeed the arrival of spring was celebrated in Asia Minor since neolithic times, a good example is the Indo-European Phrygians who mourned the death of Attis, and rejoiced over his resurrection during the fourth week of March.

===Divergent views===
According to the Kurdish writer, Musa Anter, Newruz was originally celebrated on August 31, not March 21. However, after the introduction of the Arab calendar, the celebration was shifted to March <ref>http://www.xs4all.nl/~tank/kurdish/htdocs/cult/anter.html</ref>.
Some scholars associate ''Dehak'' or ''Zehhak'' with [[Astyages]], the last Emperor of the [[Medes]]. During the reign of Astyages, the native religion of '[[Yazdanism]] had a strong influence on Zoroastrianism, through introduction of [[Magi]] priests into that faith. It was during the Achaemenian period that the honorific royal title of ''Azhi Dahak'' was given a demonic character by the Zoroastrians as an attempt to reverse the ''Magi'' influence.

==Newruz customs and celebration==

Newruz is considered the most important festival in Kurdish culture, and is a time for entertainments such as games, dancing, family gathering, preparation of special foods and the reading of poetry<ref name="IranicaFestivals">[http://www.iranica.com/newsite/index.isc?Article=http://www.iranica.com/newsite/articles/unicode/v9f5/v9f553c.html#v Festivals: Kurdish, in Encyclopedia Iranica, by KEITH HITCHINS]</ref>. The celebration of Newruz has its local peculiarities in different regions of Kurdistan<ref name="IranicaFestivals"/>. On the eve of Newruz, in southern and eastern Kurdistan, bonfires are lit. These fires symbolize the passing of the dark season, winter, and the arrival of spring, the season of light<ref name="IranicaFestivals"/>.

==Political overtone==
[[File:Zakia Alkan 1.jpg|thumb|250px|A statue of Zakia Alkan, the women who set herself on fire to protest the Turkish ban on Nowruz, [[Sulaymaniyah]].]]
The Kurdish association with Newroz has become increasingly pronounced since the 1950s when the Kurds in the Middle East and those in the diaspora in Europe started adopting it as a tradition.<ref name="religionjournal" /> In combination with the persecution they suffered in [[Turkey]], the revival of the Newroz celebration become more intense and politicized and became a symbol of their resurrection.<ref name="religionjournal" /> By the end of the 1980s Newroz was mainly associated with Kurdish identity and the attempts to express and resurrect it.<ref name="religionjournal" />

While the Kurdish celebration has taken the form of a political expression in Turkey, most Kurdish celebrations in Iran are identical to the national festivals.<ref name="thekurds"/> Izady states that the reason for this may be that the original tradition and folklore behind Newroz has been lost in the northern and western parts of [[Kurdistan]] (i.e. Turkey), where it was never as involving, as it was in the southern and eastern parts.<ref name="thekurds" /> Izady further states that Newroz might have gained prominence in the northern and western parts because of the prominence of the celebrations that the staunchest Kurdish adherents of Newruz, the Iraqi and Iranian Kurds, have enjoyed through their more frequent popular uprisings.<ref name="thekurds" /> Thus the western and northern Kurds seem to have resolved to the celebration of the new year as a unifying political expression.<ref name="thekurds" />

In 2000, Turkey legalized the celebration of the spring holiday, spelling it ''Nevruz'' and claiming it as a Turkish spring holiday.<ref name="religionjournal" /><ref>{{cite web | title = Kurds and No Way | url = http://www.schnews.org.uk/archive/news496.htm | date = 2005-05-06 | accessdate = 2007-03-10 | publisher = SchNEWS}}</ref> Also using ''Newroz'' rathern than ''Nevruz'' i.e. using Kurdish spelling has been officially forbidden,<ref>[http://www.bianet.org/english/kategori/english/105753/let-newroz-and-nevruz-bring-peace-and-spring Bianet :: Let Newroz and Nevruz bring Peace and Spring!]</ref> though it is still widely used by Kurds. In the Kurdish regions of the country, specifically in Eastern Anatolia, but also in [[Istanbul]] and [[Ankara]] where there is a large Kurdish population, people gather and jump over bonfires.<ref name="religionjournal" /> Previous to it being legalized, the [[PKK]], the Kurdistan Workers’ Party, had chosen Newroz to stage attacks to obtain publicity for its cause;<ref name="religionjournal" /> this had led to Turkish forces detaining thousands of people who were seen as supporters of the Kurdish rebel movements.<ref>{{cite web | date = 1999-03-22 | title = Turkish police arrest thousands | publisher = BBC | accessdate = 2007-03-10 | url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/300830.stm}}</ref> In Newroz 1992 more than 50 Kurdish participants were killed by Turks; also in Newroz 2008 two participants were killed.<ref>[http://www.rte.ie/news/2008/0323/turkey.html RTÉ News: Two demonstrators die in Turkey clashes]</ref>

In Syria, the Kurds dress up in their national dress and celebrate the new year.<ref>{{cite book | title = The Kurds | first = Philip G. | last = Kreyenbroek | coauthors = Sperl, Stefan Sperl | publisher = Routledge | year = 1991 | isbn = 0415072654}}</ref> According to Human Rights Watch, the Kurds have had to struggle to celebrate Newroz, and in the past the celebration has led to violent oppression, leading to several deaths and mass arrests.<ref name="Yildiz"/><ref>{{cite web | title = Syria: Mass arrests of Syrian Kurds and fear of torture and other ill-treatment | url = http://web.amnesty.org/library/Index/ENGMDE240202004?open&of=ENG-352 | date = 2004-03-16 | accessdate = 2007-03-10 | publisher = Amnesty International | author = Amnesty International}}</ref> The government had stated that the Newroz celebrations will be tolerated as long as they do not become political demonstrations of the treatment of the Kurds.<ref name="Yildiz" /> During Newroz 2008, three Kurdish celebrators were shot dead by Syrian security forces.<ref>[http://news.monstersandcritics.com/middleeast/news/article_1396362.php/Three_Kurds_killed_in_Syria_shooting_human_rights_group_says Three Kurds killed in Syria shooting, human rights group says - Middle East]</ref>
<ref>[http://www.reuters.com/article/latestCrisis/idUSL21565217 Police kill three Kurds in northeast Syria - group | Reuters]</ref>

Kurds in the [[diaspora]] also celebrate the new year; for example Kurds in [[Australia]] celebrate Newroz, not only as the beginning of the new year but also as the Kurdish National Day;<ref name="Australia" /> and the Kurds in [[Finland]] celebrate the new year as a way of demonstrating support for the Kurdish cause.<ref>{{cite book | title = Kurdish Diasporas: A Comparative Study of Kurdish Refugee Communities | first = Osten | last = Wahlbeck | publisher = Palgrave Macmillan | year = 1999 | isbn = 0312220677}}</ref> Also in [[London]], organizers estimated that 25,000 people celebrated Newroz during March 2006.<ref>{{cite web | title = London celebrates Newroz: The Kurdish New Year | url = http://www.london.gov.uk/londoner/06mar/p7b.jsp?nav=on | accessdate = 2007-03-10 | date = 2006-03 | publisher = The Londoner}}</ref>

==Newroz in Kurdish literature==

Newroz has been mentioned in works of many Kurdish [[poet]]s and writers as well as [[musician]]s.<ref name="artists">{{cite web | year = 2000 | first = Martin | last = van Bruinessen | title = Transnational aspects of the Kurdish question | publisher = Robert Schuman Centre for Advanced Studies, European University Institute | location= Florence | url = http://www.let.uu.nl/~Martin.vanBruinessen/personal/publications/transnational_Kurds.htm}}</ref>
One of the earliest records of ''Newroz'' in [[Kurdish literature]] is from [[Melayê Cizîrî]] (1570–1640):<ref name="poem">{{cite web | first = Sandrine | last = Alexie | title = Newroz û Sersal (Newroz and New Year) | url = http://northerniraq.info/blog/?p=176 | accessdate = 2007-03-22 | date = 2007-03-21 | publisher = Roj Bash}}</ref>
:''Whithout the light and the fire of Love,''
:''Without the Designer and the power of Creator'',
:''We are not able to reach Union.''
:''(Light is for us and dark is the night)''

:''This fire massing and washing the Heart,''
:''My heart claim after it.''
:''And here come '''Newroz''' and the New Year,''
:''When a such light is rising.''

Also the famous Kurdish writer and poet [[Piramerd]] (1867–1950) writes in his 1948 poem Newroz:<ref name="poem">{{cite web | first = Kamal | last = Mirawdeli | title = The old man and the fire | url = http://www.kurdistanreferendum.org/writers/kamalmirawdeli/cultural-oldmanandfire.htm | accessdate = 2007-03-08 | date = 2005-03-21 | publisher = Kurdistan Referendum Movement}}</ref>
:''The New Year’s day is today. '''Newroz''' is back.''
:''An ancient Kurdish festival, with joy and verdure.''
:''For many years, the flower of our hopes was downtrodden''
:''The fresh rose of spring was the blood of the youth''
:''It was that red colour on the high horizon of [[Kurdish people|Kurd]]''
:''Which was carrying the happy tidings of dawn to remote and near nations''
:''It was Newroz which imbued the hearts with such a fire''
:''That made the youth receive death with devoted love''
:''Hooray! The sun is shining from the high mountains of [[Kurdistan|homeland]]''
:''It is the blood of our martyrs which the horizon reflects''
:''It has never happened in the history of any nation''
:''To have the breasts of girls as shields against bullets''
:''Nay. It is not worth crying and mourning for the martyrs of homeland''
:''They die not. They live on in the heart of the nation.''

==See also==
*[[Kurdish culture]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://www.iranica.com/newsite/index.isc?Article=http://www.iranica.com/newsite/articles/unicode/v9f5/v9f553a.html Festivals: Kurdish, in Encyclopedia Iranica, KEITH HITCHINS]
*[http://www.library.cornell.edu/colldev/mideast/diarbkrj.htm Where Misery Abounds, the Kurds Make Merry]
*[http://www.csmonitor.com/2004/0323/p07s02-woiq.html Newroz for Kurds, a day of bonfires, legends, and independence]
*[http://www.kerkuk-kurdistan.com/kulturek.asp?ser=4&cep=3&nnimre=2021 Kawa and the Story of Newroz, By Mark Campbell]
*[http://www.kurdistanica.com/english/culture/ncharacters/calendar/calendar.html Newroz and Kurds (a good academic sources on Kurds)]
*[http://www.bbc.co.uk/persian/interactivity/yourphotos/story/2008/03/080321_fe-mehabad-pix.shtml Newroz 2008 in Mahabad (Iranian Kurdistan), BBC photo]
{{Kurdish culture}}
{{Nowruz}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Newroz As Celebrated By Kurds}}
[[Category:Kurdish culture]]
[[Category:March observances]]
[[Category:New Year celebrations]]

[[ar:نه‌وروز]]
[[da:Kurdisk fejring af Newroz]]
[[fa:نوروز در میان کردها]]
[[ku:Newroz]]
[[sv:Newroz]]

User talk:Cyrus abdi

2010-03-19T09:37:54Z

Cyrus abdi: /* Sacrificing */

User talk:Cyrus abdi

2010-03-19T08:43:23Z

Cyrus abdi: /* Sacrificing */

User talk:Cyrus abdi

2010-03-19T08:42:41Z

Cyrus abdi: /* Sacrificing */

User talk:达伟

2010-03-19T08:21:11Z

Cyrus abdi: /* Sacrificing */

== Welcome! ==

[[Image:Chocolate chip cookies.jpg|thumb|300px|Some cookies to welcome you! [[File:Face-smile.svg|25px]]]] [[Wikipedia:Welcoming committee/Welcome to Wikipedia|Welcome to Wikipedia]], 达伟! I {{#if: Marek69|am [[User:Marek69|Marek69]] and|}} have been editing Wikipedia for quite some time. I just wanted to say hi and welcome you to Wikipedia! If you have any questions, feel free to leave me a message on {{#if: Marek69|[[User talk:Marek69|my talk page]]|my talk page}} or by typing ''{{tl|helpme}}'' at the bottom of this page. I love to help new users, so don't be afraid to leave a message! {{#if:| {{{2}}}|}} I hope you like the place and decide to stay. Here are some pages that you might find helpful:
* [[Wikipedia:Introduction|Introduction]]
* [[Wikipedia:Five pillars|The five pillars of Wikipedia]]
* [[Wikipedia:How to edit a page|How to edit a page]]
* [[Help:Contents|Help pages]]
* [[Wikipedia:Article development|How to write a great article]]
I hope you enjoy editing here and being a [[Wikipedia:Wikipedians|Wikipedian]]! Oh yeah, I almost forgot, when you post on [[Wikipedia:Talk page|talk pages]] you should [[Wikipedia:Sign your posts on talk pages|sign your name]] on talk pages using four tildes (<nowiki>~~~~</nowiki>); that should automatically produce your username and the date after your post.
If you need help, check out [[Wikipedia:Questions]], ask me on {{#if: Marek69|[[User talk:Marek69|my talk page]]|my talk page}}, or place {{tl|helpme}} on your talk page and ask your question there. Again, welcome! {{#if:| {{{3}}}|}}

[[User:Marek69|{{#if:||Marek}}]].[[Special:Contributions/Marek69|{{#if:||69}}]][[User_talk:Marek69|{{#if:|'' talk'';color:Green;">|'' talk''}}]] 03:25, 23 December 2009 (UTC)

== Hamlet ==

Well, I felt I had to step in when I saw you were being given erroneous information about Anglican doctrine:) Glad to have helped. "Henrican" is indeed a word, but much less common than Elizabethan, and most people would be confused on first seeing it.... - [[User:Nunh-huh|Nunh-huh]] 05:01, 12 January 2010 (UTC)

==Pronunciation of name==
Just a matter of curiosity, how is your name pronounced? Either [[IPA]] ot standard English syllables would be useful. Thanks. [[User:Bielle|Bielle ]] ([[User talk:Bielle|talk]]) 00:28, 11 March 2010 (UTC)
:You put the following on my talk page: "Hi. Thanks for the message. See [http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/达]; [http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/伟]. :)". I can't work out the pronunciation of the characters. Obviously, I don't read any of these scripts, so I would appreciate a personal "gloss" if you like. You can reply here; I have your page watchlisted for the moment. Thanks, [[User:Bielle|Bielle ]] ([[User talk:Bielle|talk]]) 01:41, 11 March 2010 (UTC)
::"Da Wei"; now I just have to remember what the characters look like so that I know it is you. Thank you. [[User:Bielle|Bielle ]] ([[User talk:Bielle|talk]]) 03:32, 11 March 2010 (UTC)
:::Thank you for putting the pronunciation on your user page. That is likely to help a lot of people. Next, you might consider adding it to your signature, and make things really easy for those of us who have never learned the character sets. :-) [[User:Bielle|Bielle ]] ([[User talk:Bielle|talk]]) 03:39, 11 March 2010 (UTC)

== Circular referencing ==

Re: [http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Ministry_of_Foreign_Affairs_and_Trade_(South_Korea)&curid=11533941&diff=349322272&oldid=328005903 this edit] --- thanks for the edit, but please keep in mind that [[WP:CIRCULAR|Wikipedia can't be a reference for itself]]. Facts in articles shouldn't be cited to other language Wikipedias; instead, they should be cited to external [[WP:RS|reliable sources]]. Cheers, [[User:CaliforniaAliBaba|cab]] ([[User talk:CaliforniaAliBaba|talk]]) 01:02, 12 March 2010 (UTC)

== Thanks! ==

Thanks buddy for answering my question![[Special:Contributions/174.3.107.176|174.3.107.176]] ([[User talk:174.3.107.176|talk]]) 13:53, 14 March 2010 (UTC)

:If you feel I am a specialist:-). My mom makes Chinese food all the time. Yes I did make a lot of changes to the cuisine articles. I'd like to make a cuisine task force at wikiproject food and drink. Those articles, especially the Cantonese cuisine article had a lot of POV. Didn't like it one bit. If there's any POV or original research let me know, and I'll take it out. I hope I work with you in the future.[[Special:Contributions/174.3.107.176|174.3.107.176]] ([[User talk:174.3.107.176|talk]]) 03:21, 15 March 2010 (UTC)

::No, please pester! Sure, you can explain the pros of username.[[Special:Contributions/174.3.107.176|174.3.107.176]] ([[User talk:174.3.107.176|talk]]) 09:45, 16 March 2010 (UTC)

:::That's true, but I stand up for IP rights:-)[[Special:Contributions/174.3.107.176|174.3.107.176]] ([[User talk:174.3.107.176|talk]]) 09:55, 16 March 2010 (UTC)

:::: :-) Yep, those are those rights:-) Me too! I would love to work with you in the future as well!. Also, I do have an account: [[user:100110100|100110100]]. Sometimes I use it:-)[[Special:Contributions/174.3.107.176|174.3.107.176]] ([[User talk:174.3.107.176|talk]]) 10:05, 16 March 2010 (UTC)

::::: :-) Cool! Where are you from!:-)[[Special:Contributions/174.3.107.176|174.3.107.176]] ([[User talk:174.3.107.176|talk]]) 10:32, 16 March 2010 (UTC)

::::::Whereabouts? I should maybe put some of those userboxes I once had back on my page:-)[[Special:Contributions/174.3.107.176|174.3.107.176]] ([[User talk:174.3.107.176|talk]]) 10:43, 16 March 2010 (UTC)

:::::::What foods do you like? Are you ethnically Cantonese?[[Special:Contributions/174.3.107.176|174.3.107.176]] ([[User talk:174.3.107.176|talk]]) 10:48, 16 March 2010 (UTC)

::::::::I guess it's a cultural affection, but your Mandarin?[[Special:Contributions/174.3.107.176|174.3.107.176]] ([[User talk:174.3.107.176|talk]]) 11:15, 16 March 2010 (UTC)

:::::::::Oh really? Where did you get that statistic? How about the states? In 2031, 28% of the population will be a visible minority.[[Special:Contributions/174.3.107.176|174.3.107.176]] ([[User talk:174.3.107.176|talk]]) 11:54, 16 March 2010 (UTC)

::::::::::What's the stats for states:-)[[Special:Contributions/174.3.107.176|174.3.107.176]] ([[User talk:174.3.107.176|talk]]) 14:05, 16 March 2010 (UTC)

:::::::::::Hmm, thanks. What do they categorize midden eastern people and Indians?[[Special:Contributions/174.3.107.176|174.3.107.176]] ([[User talk:174.3.107.176|talk]]) 00:41, 17 March 2010 (UTC)

== Kurdistan ==

Kurdistan is not a state but the truth of 40 million Kurds exists. Also it is not fair to sacrifice everything about newroz for the benefit of Persians. Even Persians themselves confirm that Kurds are much ancient than them in the Mesopotamia region. The reality is that Newroz is like Zoroast of a Kurdish origin. I am not bias about Kurds but I am against sacrificing truth for any purpose. —Preceding [[Wikipedia:Signatures|unsigned]] comment added by [[User:Cyrus abdi|Cyrus abdi]] ([[User talk:Cyrus abdi|talk]] • [[Special:Contributions/Cyrus abdi|contribs]]) 08:05, 19 March 2010 (UTC) 

== Sacrificing ==

I did not mean you sacrifice anything. I meant by that Persians are monopolizing it and some other people who don't know the truth simply confirm it. Unfortunately due to lack of powerful Kurdish state many things in their culture have been stolen. In Iraq and Turkey and Syria, it is only the Kurds who know what is newroz and celebrate it as part of their cultural identity. But even in the UN resolution there is no mention of Kurds. Turkish government has banned newroz and even the letter "W" which is absent in their alphabet, but now UN resolution has idiotically mentioned the name of Turkey as a celebrator of Newroz.

Newroz fire was first set in Babylon (today southern Iraq) more than 6000 years ago. --[[User:Cyrus abdi|Cyrus abdi]] ([[User talk:Cyrus abdi|talk]]) 08:19, 19 March 2010 (UTC)

User talk:达伟

2010-03-19T08:19:35Z

Cyrus abdi: /* Sacrificing */ new section

== Welcome! ==

[[Image:Chocolate chip cookies.jpg|thumb|300px|Some cookies to welcome you! [[File:Face-smile.svg|25px]]]] [[Wikipedia:Welcoming committee/Welcome to Wikipedia|Welcome to Wikipedia]], 达伟! I {{#if: Marek69|am [[User:Marek69|Marek69]] and|}} have been editing Wikipedia for quite some time. I just wanted to say hi and welcome you to Wikipedia! If you have any questions, feel free to leave me a message on {{#if: Marek69|[[User talk:Marek69|my talk page]]|my talk page}} or by typing ''{{tl|helpme}}'' at the bottom of this page. I love to help new users, so don't be afraid to leave a message! {{#if:| {{{2}}}|}} I hope you like the place and decide to stay. Here are some pages that you might find helpful:
* [[Wikipedia:Introduction|Introduction]]
* [[Wikipedia:Five pillars|The five pillars of Wikipedia]]
* [[Wikipedia:How to edit a page|How to edit a page]]
* [[Help:Contents|Help pages]]
* [[Wikipedia:Article development|How to write a great article]]
I hope you enjoy editing here and being a [[Wikipedia:Wikipedians|Wikipedian]]! Oh yeah, I almost forgot, when you post on [[Wikipedia:Talk page|talk pages]] you should [[Wikipedia:Sign your posts on talk pages|sign your name]] on talk pages using four tildes (<nowiki>~~~~</nowiki>); that should automatically produce your username and the date after your post.
If you need help, check out [[Wikipedia:Questions]], ask me on {{#if: Marek69|[[User talk:Marek69|my talk page]]|my talk page}}, or place {{tl|helpme}} on your talk page and ask your question there. Again, welcome! {{#if:| {{{3}}}|}}

[[User:Marek69|{{#if:||Marek}}]].[[Special:Contributions/Marek69|{{#if:||69}}]][[User_talk:Marek69|{{#if:|'' talk'';color:Green;">|'' talk''}}]] 03:25, 23 December 2009 (UTC)

== Hamlet ==

Well, I felt I had to step in when I saw you were being given erroneous information about Anglican doctrine:) Glad to have helped. "Henrican" is indeed a word, but much less common than Elizabethan, and most people would be confused on first seeing it.... - [[User:Nunh-huh|Nunh-huh]] 05:01, 12 January 2010 (UTC)

==Pronunciation of name==
Just a matter of curiosity, how is your name pronounced? Either [[IPA]] ot standard English syllables would be useful. Thanks. [[User:Bielle|Bielle ]] ([[User talk:Bielle|talk]]) 00:28, 11 March 2010 (UTC)
:You put the following on my talk page: "Hi. Thanks for the message. See [http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/达]; [http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/伟]. :)". I can't work out the pronunciation of the characters. Obviously, I don't read any of these scripts, so I would appreciate a personal "gloss" if you like. You can reply here; I have your page watchlisted for the moment. Thanks, [[User:Bielle|Bielle ]] ([[User talk:Bielle|talk]]) 01:41, 11 March 2010 (UTC)
::"Da Wei"; now I just have to remember what the characters look like so that I know it is you. Thank you. [[User:Bielle|Bielle ]] ([[User talk:Bielle|talk]]) 03:32, 11 March 2010 (UTC)
:::Thank you for putting the pronunciation on your user page. That is likely to help a lot of people. Next, you might consider adding it to your signature, and make things really easy for those of us who have never learned the character sets. :-) [[User:Bielle|Bielle ]] ([[User talk:Bielle|talk]]) 03:39, 11 March 2010 (UTC)

== Circular referencing ==

Re: [http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Ministry_of_Foreign_Affairs_and_Trade_(South_Korea)&curid=11533941&diff=349322272&oldid=328005903 this edit] --- thanks for the edit, but please keep in mind that [[WP:CIRCULAR|Wikipedia can't be a reference for itself]]. Facts in articles shouldn't be cited to other language Wikipedias; instead, they should be cited to external [[WP:RS|reliable sources]]. Cheers, [[User:CaliforniaAliBaba|cab]] ([[User talk:CaliforniaAliBaba|talk]]) 01:02, 12 March 2010 (UTC)

== Thanks! ==

Thanks buddy for answering my question![[Special:Contributions/174.3.107.176|174.3.107.176]] ([[User talk:174.3.107.176|talk]]) 13:53, 14 March 2010 (UTC)

:If you feel I am a specialist:-). My mom makes Chinese food all the time. Yes I did make a lot of changes to the cuisine articles. I'd like to make a cuisine task force at wikiproject food and drink. Those articles, especially the Cantonese cuisine article had a lot of POV. Didn't like it one bit. If there's any POV or original research let me know, and I'll take it out. I hope I work with you in the future.[[Special:Contributions/174.3.107.176|174.3.107.176]] ([[User talk:174.3.107.176|talk]]) 03:21, 15 March 2010 (UTC)

::No, please pester! Sure, you can explain the pros of username.[[Special:Contributions/174.3.107.176|174.3.107.176]] ([[User talk:174.3.107.176|talk]]) 09:45, 16 March 2010 (UTC)

:::That's true, but I stand up for IP rights:-)[[Special:Contributions/174.3.107.176|174.3.107.176]] ([[User talk:174.3.107.176|talk]]) 09:55, 16 March 2010 (UTC)

:::: :-) Yep, those are those rights:-) Me too! I would love to work with you in the future as well!. Also, I do have an account: [[user:100110100|100110100]]. Sometimes I use it:-)[[Special:Contributions/174.3.107.176|174.3.107.176]] ([[User talk:174.3.107.176|talk]]) 10:05, 16 March 2010 (UTC)

::::: :-) Cool! Where are you from!:-)[[Special:Contributions/174.3.107.176|174.3.107.176]] ([[User talk:174.3.107.176|talk]]) 10:32, 16 March 2010 (UTC)

::::::Whereabouts? I should maybe put some of those userboxes I once had back on my page:-)[[Special:Contributions/174.3.107.176|174.3.107.176]] ([[User talk:174.3.107.176|talk]]) 10:43, 16 March 2010 (UTC)

:::::::What foods do you like? Are you ethnically Cantonese?[[Special:Contributions/174.3.107.176|174.3.107.176]] ([[User talk:174.3.107.176|talk]]) 10:48, 16 March 2010 (UTC)

::::::::I guess it's a cultural affection, but your Mandarin?[[Special:Contributions/174.3.107.176|174.3.107.176]] ([[User talk:174.3.107.176|talk]]) 11:15, 16 March 2010 (UTC)

:::::::::Oh really? Where did you get that statistic? How about the states? In 2031, 28% of the population will be a visible minority.[[Special:Contributions/174.3.107.176|174.3.107.176]] ([[User talk:174.3.107.176|talk]]) 11:54, 16 March 2010 (UTC)

::::::::::What's the stats for states:-)[[Special:Contributions/174.3.107.176|174.3.107.176]] ([[User talk:174.3.107.176|talk]]) 14:05, 16 March 2010 (UTC)

:::::::::::Hmm, thanks. What do they categorize midden eastern people and Indians?[[Special:Contributions/174.3.107.176|174.3.107.176]] ([[User talk:174.3.107.176|talk]]) 00:41, 17 March 2010 (UTC)

== Kurdistan ==

Kurdistan is not a state but the truth of 40 million Kurds exists. Also it is not fair to sacrifice everything about newroz for the benefit of Persians. Even Persians themselves confirm that Kurds are much ancient than them in the Mesopotamia region. The reality is that Newroz is like Zoroast of a Kurdish origin. I am not bias about Kurds but I am against sacrificing truth for any purpose. —Preceding [[Wikipedia:Signatures|unsigned]] comment added by [[User:Cyrus abdi|Cyrus abdi]] ([[User talk:Cyrus abdi|talk]] • [[Special:Contributions/Cyrus abdi|contribs]]) 08:05, 19 March 2010 (UTC) 

== Sacrificing ==

I did not mean you sacrifice anything. I meant by that Persians are monopolizing it and some other people who don't know the truth simply confirm it. Unfortunately due to lack of powerful Kurdish state many things in their culture have been stolen. In Iraq and Turkey and Syria, it is only the Kurds who know what is newroz and celebrate it as part of their cultural identity. But even in the UN resolution there is no mention of Kurds. Turkish government has banned newroz and even the letter "W" which is absent in their culture, but now UN resolution has idiotically mentioned the name of Turkey as a celebrator of Newroz.

Newroz fire was first set in Babylon (today southern Iraq) more than 6000 years ago. --[[User:Cyrus abdi|Cyrus abdi]] ([[User talk:Cyrus abdi|talk]]) 08:19, 19 March 2010 (UTC)

Newroz (Kurdistan)

2010-03-19T08:10:41Z

Cyrus abdi:

[[File:Newroz Kurdistan.jpg|300px|right|thumb||Kurdistan celebrates Newroz (Newroj). Kurdish people com together and set a big fire as a symbol of Newroz. They welcome spring and say farewell to winder by wearing new dresses and dancing together around the fire. Unlike Persians, Kurds make their Newroz fire on the eve of the first day of spring.]]
'''Newroz''' or '''Nûroj'''<ref>Thomas Bois, ''Connaissance des Kurdes'', 164 pp., 1965. (see p.69)</ref> ({{lang-ku|نه‌ورۆز/Newroz/Nûroj}}, also: '''Gulus''')<ref>Abdurrahman Sharafkandi ([[Hejar]]), ''Henbane Borîne (Kurdish-Kurdish-Persian Dictionary)'', Soroush Press, 1991, Tehran, p. 715</ref> ({{lang-ku|گوڵوس}}) refers to the celebration of the traditional [[Kurdish People|Kurdish]] new year holiday of [[Newroz]] in [[Kurdish culture|Kurdish]] society. Newroz is celebrated throughout the countries of the [[Middle East]] and [[Central Asia]] such as in [[Iran]], [[Azerbaijan]], [[Afghanistan]] and [[Turkey]] by their Kurds. Newroz is also celebrated by some communities in [[Pakistan]]. In Kurdish legend, the holiday celebrates the deliverance of the [[Kurds]] from a tyrant, and it is seen as another way of demonstrating support for the Kurdish cause.<ref name="murphy">{{cite web | title = For Kurds, a day of bonfires, legends, and independence | first = Dan | last = Murphy | publisher = The Christian Science Monitor | url = http://www.csmonitor.com/2004/0323/p07s02-woiq.html| date = 2004-03-24| accessdate = 2007-03-08}}</ref><ref name="religionjournal">{{cite journal | journal = Middle Eastern Studies | volume = 42 | issue = 2 | pages = pp. 285–302 | date = 2006-03 | first = Lerna K. | last = Yanik | title = ‘Nevruz’ or ‘Newroz’? Deconstructing the ‘Invention’ of a Contested Tradition in Contemporary Turkey | doi = 10.1080/00263200500417710}}</ref><ref name="thekurds">{{cite book | title = The Kurds: A Concise Handbook | first = Mehrdad R. | last = Izady | year = 1992 | publisher = Taylor francis | location = United Kingdom | isbn = 0844817279 | pages = 243–244}}</ref><ref name="Australia">{{cite book | title = The Australian People: An Encyclopedia of the Nation, its People and their Origins | first =James | last = Jupp | year = 2001 | isbn = 0521807891 | publisher = Cambridge University Press | location = Cambridge}}</ref><ref name="Yildiz">{{cite book | title = The Kurds: Culture and Language Rights | first = Kerim | last = Yildiz | coauthors = Fryer, Georgina | publisher = Kurdish Human Rights Project | year = 2004 | isbn = 1900175746}}</ref><ref name="diaspora">{{cite book | year = 1999 | isbn = 0312220677 | title = Kurdish Diasporas: A Comparative Study of Kurdish Refugee Communities (Migration, Minorities and Citizenship) | first = Osten | last = Wahlbeck | publisher = Macmillan | location = Basingstoke}}</ref> The celebration is commonly [[Kurdish language|transliterated]] ''Newroz'' by the Kurds and coincides with the [[spring equinox]] which falls mainly on 21 March <ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.bbc.co.uk/london/yourlondon/unitedcolours/features/kurdish_newyear.shtml | title =Newroz - Kurdish New Year | publisher = BBC}}</ref> and the festival is held usually between the 18th and 24 March. The festival currently has an important place in the terms of Kurdish identity for the majority of Kurds, mostly in [[Turkey]] and [[Syria]].<ref name="murphy" /><ref name="religionjournal" /><ref name="thekurds" /><ref name="Yildiz" /> Though celebrations vary, people generally gather together to welcome the coming of spring; people wear coloured clothes and flags of green, yellow and red, the colours of the Kurdish people are waved.<ref name="nyt">{{cite news |first= Douglas |last= Frantz |title= Diyarbakir Journal: Where Misery Abounds, the Kurds Make Merry|url= http://www.library.cornell.edu/colldev/mideast/diarbkrj.htm |work= The New York Times |date= 2001-03-23 |accessdate=2007-03-08}}</ref><ref name="providence">{{cite news |first= Gina |last= Macris |title= Kurds Ring in New Year|url= http://www.kurdistan.org/Current-Updates/ring.html |work= Providence Journal |date= 2002-03-25 |accessdate=2007-03-08}}</ref>

==Mythology==
===Story of Zahak===
In [[The Meadows of Gold]] by Muslim historian [[Masudi]] <ref name=autogenerated1>Hakan Ozoglu, Kurdish notables and the Ottoman State, 2004, SUNY Press, page: 30. ISBN 0791459934</ref>, and [[Shahnameh]], a poetic opus written by the [[Sharafnameh]] of medieval Kurdish historian [[Sherefxan Bidlisi]], [[Zahhak]] is an evil king who conquers [[Kurdistan]] and who has serpents growing out of his shoulders.<ref name="myths">{{cite book | title = World of Myths: Roman Myths | first = Marina | last = Warner | coauthors = Fernández-Armesto, Felipe | year = 2004 | publisher = University of Texas Press | isbn = 0292706073}}</ref> The Iranian Zahak's rule lasts for a thousand years during which two young kurdish men are sacrificed daily to provide their brains to the serpents to alleviate the pain that Zahak felt.<ref name="myths" /> The man who was charged with slaughtering two young people each day would instead kill one person a day and would mix their brains with that of a sheep, thus saving one young man a day. As discontent grows against Zahhak's rule, the nobleman plan a revolt, being led by [[Kaveh]], a blacksmith (cf. Ossetian ''Kurdalægon''), who has lost six sons to Zahhak.<ref name="myths" /> Therefor, the saved young children (who according to the legend were ancestors of the Kurds <ref name=autogenerated1 /><ref>[http://www.shahnameh.com/Epic/05Zahak/index.html 05001 Zahak]</ref>) are then trained by Kawa into an army marches to Zahhak's castle where Kawa kills the king with a hammer; eventually Kawa instates [[Fereydun]] as king.<ref name="myths" /> The root of this story goes back to ancient Iranian legends. According to [[Evliya Çelebi]], the district ([[sancak]]) of ''Merkawe'' in ''Shahrazur'' ([[Sharazur]]) is named after the blacksmith Kawe(Kaveh), who overthrew Zahhak<ref name=autogenerated2>Martin van Bruinessen, ''Kurdistan in the 16th and 17th centuries, as reflected in Elviya Çelebi's Seyahatname'', The Journal of Kurdish Studies, Vol. 3, pp.1-11, 2000.</ref>. The 12th century geographer [[Yaqoot Hamawi]], mentions ''Zor'' son of [[Zahhak]] (Aji Dahak) as founder of the famous city of [[Sharazor]]<ref>Kitab Mu'jam Al Buldan by [[Yaqoot Hamawi]], Book 3, p: 425-427</ref>.
[[Image:Newroz Istanbul(4).jpg|thumb|250px|It is a tradition to jump across a fire at Newroz]]

===Death of Dehak and spring===
According to Kurdish myth, Kawa lived for 2,500 years under the tyranny of Zahhak, an [[Assyria]]n who is named Zuhak or Dehak by the Kurds.<ref name="murphy" /><ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.institutkurde.org/en/publications/bulletins/bulletins.php?bul=192 | title =Newroz 2001: In Diyarbekir the celebrations brought together, in a calm atmosphere, 5000,000 people but there were many incidents in Istanbul | accessdate = 2007-03-13 | date = 2001-03 | author = Kurdish Institute of Paris}}</ref> Dehak's evil reign caused spring to no longer come to [[Kurdistan]].<ref name="murphy" /> March 20 is traditionally marked as the day that Kawa defeated Dehak. He is then said to have set fires on the hillsides to celebrate the victory and summon his supporters; subsequently spring returned to Kurdistan the next day.<ref name="murphy" />

In some of the present Kurdish versions of the story of Zahhak and Kawe, there is no mention of ''[[Fereydun]]''<ref name=autogenerated2 />. Although in the [[Ahl-e Haqq]] (Yarsan) Kurdish tradition, Kawa rebelled against Zahak and helped Fereydun bound Zahak in Damavand<ref>Hajj Nematollah, Shah-Nama-Ye Haqiqat, Intishaaraat Jeyhun, (1982).</ref>.

This legend is now used by the Kurds to remind themselves that they are a different, strong people, and the lighting of the fires has since become a symbol of freedom.<ref name="murphy" />

In the 1930s, the Kurdish poet ''Taufik Abdullah'', wanting to instil a new Kurdish cultural revival, used a previously known modified form of the story of Kaveh, (written as Kawa in [[Kurdish language|Kurdish]]).<ref name="murphy"/> He connected the myths where people felt oppressed with Newroz, thus reviving a dying holiday and made it a symbol of Kurdish national struggle.<ref name="murphy" /> However it should be noted that Kurds celebrated ''Newroz'' long before this, and the word ''Newroz'' has been mentioned in the Kurdish poetry of 16th century. Indeed the arrival of spring was celebrated in Asia Minor since neolithic times, a good example is the Indo-European Phrygians who mourned the death of Attis, and rejoiced over his resurrection during the fourth week of March.

===Divergent views===
According to the Kurdish writer, Musa Anter, Newruz was originally celebrated on August 31, not March 21. However, after the introduction of the Arab calendar, the celebration was shifted to March <ref>http://www.xs4all.nl/~tank/kurdish/htdocs/cult/anter.html</ref>.
Some scholars associate ''Dehak'' or ''Zehhak'' with [[Astyages]], the last Emperor of the [[Medes]]. During the reign of Astyages, the native religion of '[[Yazdanism]] had a strong influence on Zoroastrianism, through introduction of [[Magi]] priests into that faith. It was during the Achaemenian period that the honorific royal title of ''Azhi Dahak'' was given a demonic character by the Zoroastrians as an attempt to reverse the ''Magi'' influence.

==Newruz customs and celebration==

Newruz is considered the most important festival in Kurdish culture, and is a time for entertainments such as games, dancing, family gathering, preparation of special foods and the reading of poetry<ref name="IranicaFestivals">[http://www.iranica.com/newsite/index.isc?Article=http://www.iranica.com/newsite/articles/unicode/v9f5/v9f553c.html#v Festivals: Kurdish, in Encyclopedia Iranica, by KEITH HITCHINS]</ref>. The celebration of Newruz has its local peculiarities in different regions of Kurdistan<ref name="IranicaFestivals"/>. On the eve of Newruz, in southern and eastern Kurdistan, bonfires are lit. These fires symbolize the passing of the dark season, winter, and the arrival of spring, the season of light<ref name="IranicaFestivals"/>.

==Political overtone==
[[File:Zakia Alkan 1.jpg|thumb|250px|A statue of Zakia Alkan, the women who set herself on fire to protest the Turkish ban on Nowruz, [[Sulaymaniyah]].]]
The Kurdish association with Newroz has become increasingly pronounced since the 1950s when the Kurds in the Middle East and those in the diaspora in Europe started adopting it as a tradition.<ref name="religionjournal" /> In combination with the persecution they suffered in [[Turkey]], the revival of the Newroz celebration become more intense and politicized and became a symbol of their resurrection.<ref name="religionjournal" /> By the end of the 1980s Newroz was mainly associated with Kurdish identity and the attempts to express and resurrect it.<ref name="religionjournal" />

While the Kurdish celebration has taken the form of a political expression in Turkey, most Kurdish celebrations in Iran are identical to the national festivals.<ref name="thekurds"/> Izady states that the reason for this may be that the original tradition and folklore behind Newroz has been lost in the northern and western parts of [[Kurdistan]] (i.e. Turkey), where it was never as involving, as it was in the southern and eastern parts.<ref name="thekurds" /> Izady further states that Newroz might have gained prominence in the northern and western parts because of the prominence of the celebrations that the staunchest Kurdish adherents of Newruz, the Iraqi and Iranian Kurds, have enjoyed through their more frequent popular uprisings.<ref name="thekurds" /> Thus the western and northern Kurds seem to have resolved to the celebration of the new year as a unifying political expression.<ref name="thekurds" />

In 2000, Turkey legalized the celebration of the spring holiday, spelling it ''Nevruz'' and claiming it as a Turkish spring holiday.<ref name="religionjournal" /><ref>{{cite web | title = Kurds and No Way | url = http://www.schnews.org.uk/archive/news496.htm | date = 2005-05-06 | accessdate = 2007-03-10 | publisher = SchNEWS}}</ref> Also using ''Newroz'' rathern than ''Nevruz'' i.e. using Kurdish spelling has been officially forbidden,<ref>[http://www.bianet.org/english/kategori/english/105753/let-newroz-and-nevruz-bring-peace-and-spring Bianet :: Let Newroz and Nevruz bring Peace and Spring!]</ref> though it is still widely used by Kurds. In the Kurdish regions of the country, specifically in Eastern Anatolia, but also in [[Istanbul]] and [[Ankara]] where there is a large Kurdish population, people gather and jump over bonfires.<ref name="religionjournal" /> Previous to it being legalized, the [[PKK]], the Kurdistan Workers’ Party, had chosen Newroz to stage attacks to obtain publicity for its cause;<ref name="religionjournal" /> this had led to Turkish forces detaining thousands of people who were seen as supporters of the Kurdish rebel movements.<ref>{{cite web | date = 1999-03-22 | title = Turkish police arrest thousands | publisher = BBC | accessdate = 2007-03-10 | url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/300830.stm}}</ref> In Newroz 1992 more than 50 Kurdish participants were killed by Turks; also in Newroz 2008 two participants were killed.<ref>[http://www.rte.ie/news/2008/0323/turkey.html RTÉ News: Two demonstrators die in Turkey clashes]</ref>

In Syria, the Kurds dress up in their national dress and celebrate the new year.<ref>{{cite book | title = The Kurds | first = Philip G. | last = Kreyenbroek | coauthors = Sperl, Stefan Sperl | publisher = Routledge | year = 1991 | isbn = 0415072654}}</ref> According to Human Rights Watch, the Kurds have had to struggle to celebrate Newroz, and in the past the celebration has led to violent oppression, leading to several deaths and mass arrests.<ref name="Yildiz"/><ref>{{cite web | title = Syria: Mass arrests of Syrian Kurds and fear of torture and other ill-treatment | url = http://web.amnesty.org/library/Index/ENGMDE240202004?open&of=ENG-352 | date = 2004-03-16 | accessdate = 2007-03-10 | publisher = Amnesty International | author = Amnesty International}}</ref> The government had stated that the Newroz celebrations will be tolerated as long as they do not become political demonstrations of the treatment of the Kurds.<ref name="Yildiz" /> During Newroz 2008, three Kurdish celebrators were shot dead by Syrian security forces.<ref>[http://news.monstersandcritics.com/middleeast/news/article_1396362.php/Three_Kurds_killed_in_Syria_shooting_human_rights_group_says Three Kurds killed in Syria shooting, human rights group says - Middle East]</ref>
<ref>[http://www.reuters.com/article/latestCrisis/idUSL21565217 Police kill three Kurds in northeast Syria - group | Reuters]</ref>

Kurds in the [[diaspora]] also celebrate the new year; for example Kurds in [[Australia]] celebrate Newroz, not only as the beginning of the new year but also as the Kurdish National Day;<ref name="Australia" /> and the Kurds in [[Finland]] celebrate the new year as a way of demonstrating support for the Kurdish cause.<ref>{{cite book | title = Kurdish Diasporas: A Comparative Study of Kurdish Refugee Communities | first = Osten | last = Wahlbeck | publisher = Palgrave Macmillan | year = 1999 | isbn = 0312220677}}</ref> Also in [[London]], organizers estimated that 25,000 people celebrated Newroz during March 2006.<ref>{{cite web | title = London celebrates Newroz: The Kurdish New Year | url = http://www.london.gov.uk/londoner/06mar/p7b.jsp?nav=on | accessdate = 2007-03-10 | date = 2006-03 | publisher = The Londoner}}</ref>

==Newroz in Kurdish literature==

Newroz has been mentioned in works of many Kurdish [[poet]]s and writers as well as [[musician]]s.<ref name="artists">{{cite web | year = 2000 | first = Martin | last = van Bruinessen | title = Transnational aspects of the Kurdish question | publisher = Robert Schuman Centre for Advanced Studies, European University Institute | location= Florence | url = http://www.let.uu.nl/~Martin.vanBruinessen/personal/publications/transnational_Kurds.htm}}</ref>
One of the earliest records of ''Newroz'' in [[Kurdish literature]] is from [[Melayê Cizîrî]] (1570–1640):<ref name="poem">{{cite web | first = Sandrine | last = Alexie | title = Newroz û Sersal (Newroz and New Year) | url = http://northerniraq.info/blog/?p=176 | accessdate = 2007-03-22 | date = 2007-03-21 | publisher = Roj Bash}}</ref>
:''Whithout the light and the fire of Love,''
:''Without the Designer and the power of Creator'',
:''We are not able to reach Union.''
:''(Light is for us and dark is the night)''

:''This fire massing and washing the Heart,''
:''My heart claim after it.''
:''And here come '''Newroz''' and the New Year,''
:''When a such light is rising.''

Also the famous Kurdish writer and poet [[Piramerd]] (1867–1950) writes in his 1948 poem Newroz:<ref name="poem">{{cite web | first = Kamal | last = Mirawdeli | title = The old man and the fire | url = http://www.kurdistanreferendum.org/writers/kamalmirawdeli/cultural-oldmanandfire.htm | accessdate = 2007-03-08 | date = 2005-03-21 | publisher = Kurdistan Referendum Movement}}</ref>
:''The New Year’s day is today. '''Newroz''' is back.''
:''An ancient Kurdish festival, with joy and verdure.''
:''For many years, the flower of our hopes was downtrodden''
:''The fresh rose of spring was the blood of the youth''
:''It was that red colour on the high horizon of [[Kurdish people|Kurd]]''
:''Which was carrying the happy tidings of dawn to remote and near nations''
:''It was Newroz which imbued the hearts with such a fire''
:''That made the youth receive death with devoted love''
:''Hooray! The sun is shining from the high mountains of [[Kurdistan|homeland]]''
:''It is the blood of our martyrs which the horizon reflects''
:''It has never happened in the history of any nation''
:''To have the breasts of girls as shields against bullets''
:''Nay. It is not worth crying and mourning for the martyrs of homeland''
:''They die not. They live on in the heart of the nation.''

==See also==
*[[Kurdish culture]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://www.iranica.com/newsite/index.isc?Article=http://www.iranica.com/newsite/articles/unicode/v9f5/v9f553a.html Festivals: Kurdish, in Encyclopedia Iranica, KEITH HITCHINS]
*[http://www.library.cornell.edu/colldev/mideast/diarbkrj.htm Where Misery Abounds, the Kurds Make Merry]
*[http://www.csmonitor.com/2004/0323/p07s02-woiq.html Newroz for Kurds, a day of bonfires, legends, and independence]
*[http://www.kerkuk-kurdistan.com/kulturek.asp?ser=4&cep=3&nnimre=2021 Kawa and the Story of Newroz, By Mark Campbell]
*[http://www.kurdistanica.com/english/culture/ncharacters/calendar/calendar.html Newroz and Kurds (a good academic sources on Kurds)]
*[http://www.bbc.co.uk/persian/interactivity/yourphotos/story/2008/03/080321_fe-mehabad-pix.shtml Newroz 2008 in Mahabad (Iranian Kurdistan), BBC photo]
{{Kurdish culture}}
{{Nowruz}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Newroz As Celebrated By Kurds}}
[[Category:Kurdish culture]]
[[Category:March observances]]
[[Category:New Year celebrations]]

[[ar:نه‌وروز]]
[[da:Kurdisk fejring af Newroz]]
[[fa:نوروز در میان کردها]]
[[ku:Newroz]]
[[sv:Newroz]]

User talk:达伟

2010-03-19T08:05:42Z

Cyrus abdi: /* Kurdistan */ new section

Nowruz

2010-03-19T08:00:48Z

Cyrus abdi: Undid revision 350645293 by Alefbe (talk)

{{dablink|For [[Coptic calendar|Coptic New Year]], see [[Nayrouz]]. For other uses, see [[Nowruz (disambiguation)]].}}
{{Infobox Holiday
|holiday_name = Nowrūz
|type = International
|longtype =
|image = Frühling blühender Kirschenbaum.jpg
|caption =
|official_name =
|nickname = Also spelled Norouz, Norooz, Narooz, Nawruz, Newroz, Newruz, Nauruz, Nawroz, Noruz, Novruz, Nauroz, Navroz, Naw-Rúz, Nowroj, Navroj, Nevruz, Neyruz, {{unicode|Наврӯз}}, Navruz, Navrez, Nooruz, Nauryz, Nevruz, Nowrouz,
|observedby = Principally in: {{flagicon|IRN}} [[Iran]] {{flagicon|Afghanistan}} [[Afghanistan]] {{flagicon|Kurdistan}} [[Iraqi Kurdistan]] {{flagicon|Tajikistan}} [[Tajikistan]] ethnic & religious groups worldwide:[[Kurdish diaspora]] [[Zoroastrian]]s, [[Bahá'í Faith|Bahá'í]]s and the [[Iranian citizens abroad|Iranian diaspora]]. Also observed in [[Albania]], [[Armenia]], [[Azerbaijan]], [[Bosnia and Herzegovina|Bosnia]], [[Caucasus]], [[Crimea]], [[Georgia (country)|Georgia]], [[India]], [[Iraq]], [[Kashmir]], [[Kazakhstan]], [[Kosovo]], [[Kyrgyzstan]], [[Republic of Macedonia|Macedonia]], [[Pakistan]], [[Serbia]], [[Syria]], [[Uzbekistan]].
|ends =
|date = March 20, 21 or 22 Some communities celebrate on the actual Spring Equinox. Others celebrated on a fixed day every year. The [[Kashmiri Pandits]] celebrate Nowruz on a date between mid-March and mid-April, which is determined by the [[Hindu]] [[lunar calendar]] every year.

|week_ordinal =
|weekday =
|month =

|date2007 =
|date2008 =
|date2009 = Friday, March 20, 2009 at 11:44 UTC [[Equinox|*]]
|date2010 = Saturday, March 20, 2010 at 17:32 UTC [[Equinox|*]]
|celebrations = The [[Haft sin table|Haftsin]] setting, [[Chaharshanbe Suri|Chahârshanbe Sûrî]], [[Sizdah Bedar]], etc.
|observances =
|relatedto =
|significance =New year holiday
}}

'''Nowrūz''' ([[Persian language]]: نوروز {{IPA-all|noʊruːz|}}), meaning 'New Day') is the traditional ancient [[Iranian peoples|Iranian]]<ref name="Meri">Josef W. Meri, Jere L. Bacharach, "Medieval Islamic Civilization: L-Z, index ", Taylor & Francis, 2006. pp 605: "Buyid rulers such as Azud al-Dawla resusciated a number of pre-islamic Iranian practices, most notably the titular of shahanshah (king of kings) and the celebration of the Persian New Year</ref> festival and also the start day of Iranian "New Year".

Nowruz is celebrated and observed by [[Iranian peoples]] and the [[Greater Iran|related cultural continent]] and has spread in many other parts of the world, including parts of [[Central Asia]], [[South Asia]], [[Xinjiang|Northwestern China]], the [[Crimea]] and some ethnic groups in [[Albania]], [[Bosnia]], [[Serbia]] and the [[Republic of Macedonia]].

Nowruz marks the first day of spring and the beginning of the year in [[Iranian calendar]]. It is celebrated on the day of the astronomical [[vernal equinox]], which usually occurs on March 21 or the previous/following day depending on where it is observed. As well as being a [[Zoroastrian]] holiday and having significance amongst the Zoroastrian ancestors of modern Iranians, the same time is celebrated in the Indian sub-continent as the new year. The moment the Sun crosses the [[celestial equator]] and equalizes night and day is calculated exactly every year and [[Iranian people|Iranian]] families gather together to observe the rituals.

Nowruz was originally a Zoroasterian festival, and holiest of all, and as such has unclear date of origin but was "probably" invented by Zoroaster himself.<ref>Boyce, M. Festivals. I. Zoroastrian. Encyclopaedia Iranica.</ref> Since the [[Achaemenid Empire|Achaemenid]] era the official year has begun with the New Day when the [[Sun]] leaves the [[zodiac]] of Pisces and enters the zodiacal sign of Aries, signifying the Spring Equinox. The Jewish festival of [[Purim]] is probably adopted from the Persian New Year.<ref Name="Britannica"/> It is also a holy day for Ismailis, [[Alawites]],<ref name="i-cias.com">[http://i-cias.com/e.o/alawites.htm "But they also celebrate some of the same festivals as the Christians, like Christmas and Epiphany, as well as Nawruz, which originally is the Zoroastrian New Year."]</ref> [[Alevis]], and adherents of the [[Bahá'í Faith]].<ref name="bahai_calendar">{{cite web | url =http://www.bahai.us/bahai-calendar | title = The Baha'i Calendar | accessdate = 2007-03-19}}</ref>

The term Nowruz in writing, first appeared in [[History of Iran|Persian]] records in the second century AD, but it was also an important day during the time of the [[Achaemenid dynasty|Achaemenids]] (''[[circa|c.]]'' 648-330 BC), where kings from different nations under the [[Persian empire]] used to bring gifts to the emperor also called King of Kings ([[Shahanshah]]) of Persia on Nowruz.<ref>[http://www.irna.com/occasion/norouz/eng/hist.htm Norouz in the Course of History]</ref>.

The UN's General Assembly in 2010 recognized the International Day of Nowruz, describing it a spring festival of [[Persian people|Persian]] origin which has been celebrated for over 3,000 years.<ref>http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2010/ga10916.doc.htm</ref> During the meeting of ''The Inter-governmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Heritage'' of the [[United Nations]], held between 28 September – 2 October 2009 in [[Abu Dhabi]], Nowrūz was officially registered on the [[UNESCO]] List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.<ref>''Novruz, Nowrouz, Nooruz, Navruz, Nauroz, Nevruz: Inscribed in 2009 on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity'', [http://www.unesco.org/culture/ich/index.php?RL=00282 UNESCO].</ref><ref>''Noruz and Iranian radifs registered on UNESCO list'', Tehran Times, 1 October 2009, [http://www.tehrantimes.com/index_View.asp?code=204443].</ref><ref>''Persian music, Nowruz make it into UN heritage list'', Press TV, 1 October 2009, [http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=107504&sectionid=351020105].</ref><ref>''Nowruz became international'', in Persian, BBC Persian, Wednesday, 30 September 2009, [http://www.bbc.co.uk/persian/arts/2009/09/090930_mg_nowrooz_global_register.shtml].</ref> Since 2010, the [[United Nations General Assembly]] recognizes March 21 as the "International Day of Nowruz".<ref>http://www.businessweek.com/news/2010-02-24/un-officially-recognizes-march-21-as-international-nowruz-day.html</ref> On 15 March 2010, [[House of_Representatives of the United States|The United States House of Representatives]] passed ''The Nowruz Resolution'' (H.Res. 267), by a 384-2 vote,<ref>[http://www.niacouncil.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1683&Itemid=2 ''House Passes Historic Norooz (sic) Resolution''], National Iranian American Council, Monday, 15 March 2010.</ref> "Recognizing the cultural and historical significance of Nowruz, ... .".<ref>[http://www.gop.gov/bill/111/1/hres267 Legislative Digest, GOP.gov], H.Res. 267.</ref>

==Etymology==

'Nowruz' comes from two words, '''now''' (or a similar term, such as 'nau' or 'nav', with the sounds 'n' and 'v' or 'w'), meaning ''new'' in [[Persian language|Persian]], [[Kurdish language|Kurdish]], [[Avestan language|Avestan]], [[Sanskrit]] and several other related [[Indo-European language|Indo-European]] languages. In fact, the English 'new', the German 'neu', the French 'nouveau', the Romanian 'nou', are intimately related to the [[Indo-Iranian language|Indo-Iranian]] 'now', and '''roz''' or '''ruz''' or '''rozh''', meaning ''day'' in [[Middle Persian language|Middle Persian]] and [[Persian language|Persian]] languages.

==Nowruz and the spring equinox==
{{Mainarticle|Equinox}}
[[Image:Earth-lighting-equinox EN.png|240px|thumb|right|Illumination of the Earth by the Sun on the day of equinox, (ignoring twilight).]]The first day on the [[Iranian calendar]] falls on the [[Equinox|March equinox]], the first day of spring. At the time of the equinox, the sun is observed to be directly over the [[equator]], and the north and south poles of the Earth lie along the [[terminator (solar)|solar terminator]]; sunlight is evenly divided between the north and south [[Sphere|hemispheres]].

In ca. 11 century CE major reforms of Iranian calenders took place and whose principal purpose was to fix the beginning of the calendar year, i.e. Nowrūz, at the vernal equinox. Accordingly, the definition of Nowruz given by the Iranian scientist [[Nasīr_al-Dīn_al-Tūsī|Ṭūsī]] was the following: "the first day of the official new year [Nowruz] was always the day on which the sun entered [[Aries_(astrology)|Aries]] before noon".<ref> R. Abdollahy, [http://www.iranica.com/newsite/articles/unicode/v4f6/v4f6a073.html ''CALENDARS ii. Islamic period''], in [[Encyclopaedia Iranica]], Vol. 4, London-Newyork, 1990.</ref>

==History and tradition==
===Tradition and mythology===
[[File:Nowruz Zoroastrian.jpg|thumb|left|250px|[[Bas-relief]] in [[Persepolis]] - a symbol [[Zoroastrism|Zoroastrian]] Nowruz - in day of a spring [[equinox]] power of eternally fighting bull (personifying the [[Earth]]), and a lion (personifying the [[Sun]]), are equal]]
The celebration has its roots in [[Ancient Iran]]. Due to its antiquity, there exist various foundation myths for Nowruz in [[Iranian mythology]]. In the Zoroastrian tradition, the seven most important Zoroastrian festivals are the six [[Zoroastrian festivals#Gahambars|Gahambars]] and Nowruz, which occurs at the [[spring equinox]]. According to the late Professor [[Mary Boyce]],<ref>[http://www.iranica.com/newsite/articles/v9f5/v9f553a.html#i Encyclopedia Iranica, "Festivals: Zoroastrian" Boyce, Mary]</ref>{{cquote|"It seems a reasonable surmise that Nowruz, the holiest of them all, with deep doctrinal significance, was founded by [[Zoroaster]] himself''}} Between sunset of the day of the 6th [[Gahanbar]] and sunrise of Nowruz was celebrated Hamaspathmaedaya (later known, in its extended form, as Frawardinegan). This and the [[Gahanbar]] are the only festivals named in the surviving text of the [[Avesta]].

The [[Shahnameh]], dates Nowruz as far back to the reign of [[Jamshid]], who in [[Zoroastrian]] texts saved mankind from a killer winter that was destined to kill every living creature<ref>Moazami, M. "The Legend of the Flood in Zoroastrian Tradition." Persica 18: 55-74, (2002)[http://poj.peeters-leuven.be/content.php?url=issue&journal_code=PERS&issue=0&vol=18 Document Details]</ref>. The mythical Persian King [[Jamshid]] (Yima or Yama of the [[Proto-Indo-Iranian religion|Indo-Iranian]] lore) perhaps symbolizes the transition of the Indo-Iranians from animal hunting to [[animal husbandry]] and a more settled life in human history. In the [[Shahnameh]] and [[Iranian mythology]], he is credited with the foundation of Nowruz. In the [[Shahnama]], [[Jamshid]] constructed a throne studded with gems. He had demons raise him above the earth into the heavens; there he sat on his throne like the sun shining in the sky. The world's creatures gathered in wonder about him and scattered jewels around him, and called this day the New Day or No/Now-Ruz. This was the first day of the month of Farvardin (the first month of the Persian calendar).<ref>[http://www.amazon.com/Shahnameh-Persian-Kings-Abolqasem-Ferdowsi/dp/0670034851 Shahnameh:a new translation by Dick Davis, Viking Adult, 2006. pg 7]</ref>

The [[Persian people|Persian]] scholar [[Abu Rayhan Biruni]] of the 10th century A.D., in his [[Persian Language|Persian]] work "Kitab al-Tafhim li Awa'il Sina'at al-Tanjim" provides a description of the calendar of various nations. Besides the Persian calendar, various festivals of Arabs, Jews, Sabians, Greeks and other nations are mentioned in this book. In the section on the Persian calendar(تقویم پارسیان), he mentions Nowruz, [[Sadeh]], [[Tiregan]], [[Mehregan]], the six [[Gahanbar]], Parvardegaan, Bahmanja, Isfandarmazh and several other festivals. According to him: ''It is the belief of the Persians that Nowruz marks the first day when the universe started its motion.''<ref>
برگرفته از: «گنجينه‌ي سخن»، تأليف دكتر ذبيح الله صفا، انتشارات اميركبير، 1370، جلد يكم، ص 292
Original excerpt:
نخستين روز است از فروردين ماه و از اين جهت، روز نو نام كرده‌اند؛ زيرا كه پيشاني سال نو است و آن چه از پس اوست از اين پنج روز [= پنج روز اول فروردين] همه جشن‌هاست. و ششم فروردين ماه را «نوروز بزرگ» دارند؛ زيرا كه خسروان بدان پنج روز حق‌هاي حشم و گروهان و بزرگان بگزاردندي و حاجت‌ها روا كردني، آن گاه بدين روز ششم خلوت كردندي خاصگان را. و اعتقاد پارسيان اندر نوروز نخستين آن است كه اول روزي است از زمانه و بدو، فلك آغازيد گشتن.</ref>. The Persian historian [[Gardizi|Abu Saʿīd Gardēzī]]<ref>GARDĪZĪ,ABŪ SAʿĪD ʿABD-al-ḤAYY b. Żaḥḥāk b. Maḥmūd in Encyclopedia Iranica by C. EDMUND BOSWORTH [http://www.iranica.com/newsite/index.isc?Article=http://www.iranica.com/newsite/articles/unicode/v10f3/v10f392.html]</ref> in his work titled ''Zayn al-Akhbā'' under the section of the Zoroastrians festivals mentions Nowruz (among other festivals) and specifically points out that [[Zoroaster]] highly emphasized the celebration of Nowruz and [[Mehregan]]<ref>Tārīkh-i Gardīzī / taʾlīf, Abū Saʻīd ʻAbd al-Ḥayy ibn Zahāk ibn Maḥmūd Gardīzī ; bih taṣḥīḥ va taḥshiyah va taʻlīq, ʻAbd al-Ḥayy Ḥabībī. Tihrān : Dunyā-yi Kitāb, 1363 [1984 or 1985]. excerpt from page 520:
مهرگان بزرگ باشد، و بعضی از مغان چنین گویند: که این فیروزی فریدون بر بیوراسپ، رام روز بودست از مهرماه، و زردشت که مغان او را به پیغمبری دارند، ایشان را فرموده است بزرگ داشتن این روز، و روز نوروز را. </ref>.

The Kurdish version of Newroz is the Legend of [[Kaveh|Kawe]] the Blacksmith which similar to the story in the [[Shahnameh]]. Which says that once upon a time there was an evil king named [[Zahak|Dehak]]. The king and his kingdom were cursed because of his wickedness. The sun refused to shine and it was impossible to grow any food. The king Dehak had the added curse of having two snakes attached to his shoulders. When the snakes were hungry he was in great pain, and the only thing that would satisfy the hunger of the snakes were the brains of children. So every day, two of the children from the local villages were killed and their brains fed to the snakes. [[Kaveh|Kawe]] was the local blacksmith and hated the king, as 16 of his 17 children had been sacrificed for the King’s snakes. When he received word that his last child, a daughter, was to be killed he came up with a plan to save her. Instead of sacrificing his daughter, [[Kaveh|Kawe]] had sacrificed a sheep and had given the sheep’s brain to the King. The difference was not noticed. When others heard of Kawe’s trickery they all did the same; at night they would send their children up to the mountains with [[Kaveh|Kawe]] where they would be safe. The children flourished in the mountains and Kawe created an army from the children to end the evil king’s reign. When their numbers were great enough, they came down from the mountains and stormed the castle. [[Kaveh|Kawe]] himself cast the fatal blow to the evil king, [[Zahak|Dehak]]. To tell the news to the people of Mesopotamia he built a large bonfire, which lit up the sky and cleansed the air of the evilness of [[Zahak|Dehak]]’s reign. That very morning, the sun began to shine again and the lands began to grow once more. This is the beginning of the “New Day” or Newroz (نه‌ورۆز)as it is spelled in Kurdish.

===History===
[[Image:Persepolis gifts.jpg|thumb|250px|[[Persepolis]] (Persian: تخت جمشید meaning the throne of [[Jamshid]]) all nations stair case. Notice the people from across the [[Achaemenid]] Persian Empire bringing gifts. Some scholars have associated the occasion to be either [[Mehregan]] or Nowruz<ref> Laura Foreman, "Alexander the Conqueror: The Epic Story of the Warrior King",Da Capo Press, 2004. pg 80: "The procession of the gift bearers was part of the annual New Year's rite in which [[Achaemenid]] monarchs renewed and reaffirmed their kingshp". [http://books.google.com/books?id=rVEa4nzLkT4C&pg=PA80&dq=renewed+and+reaffirmed+their+kingship&sig=3dJXRsxvibaqW6B-_-ngAo7rfls Alexander the Conqueror: The Epic Story of the Warrior King] J.M. Cook, 'The rise of the Achaemenids and establishment of their empire' in: Ilya Gershevitch (ed.): The Cambridge History of Iran, vol. II: The Median and Achaemenian Periods, 1985 Cambridge, page 237:''Darius built a great fortified terrace four miles to the south, at which he and some of his successors constructed palaces. This latter is what is known as Persepolis. It is sometimes asserted that the Kings went there for the New Year festival at the vernal Equinox and that the relief of Apadana are realistic representation of a procession that actually took place there, with delegations of all the subject people coming with their gifts.''</ref>.]]

Although it is not clear whether proto-Indo-Iranians celebrated a feast as the first day of the calendar, there are indications that both Iranians and Indians assumed the first day of autumn as the beginning of new year season. There are reasons that Iranians may have observed the beginning both autumn and spring.<ref name="Boyce"/>

Boyce and Grenet explain the traditions for seasonal festivals and comment:"It is possible that the splendor of the Babylonian festivities at this season led the Persians to develop their own spring festival into an established new year feast, with the name Navasarda 'New Year' (a name which, though first attested through Middle Persian derivatives, is attributed to the Achaemenian period). Since the communal observations of the ancient Iranians appear in general to have been a seasonal ones, it is probable, however, that they traditionally held festivals in both autumn and spring, to mark the major turning points of the natural year".<ref name="Boyce">A History of Zoroastrianism: Under the Achaemenians
By Mary Boyce, Frantz Grenet
Published by BRILL, 1982
ISBN 9004065067, 9789004065062, page 3-4</ref>

We have reasons to believe that the celebration is much older than that date and was surely celebrated by the people and royalty during the [[Achaemenid]] times (555-330 BC). It was, therefore, a highly auspicious occasion for the ancient [[Iranian peoples]]. It has been suggested that the famous [[Persepolis]] complex, or at least the palace of [[Apadana]] and the Hundred Columns Hall, were built for the specific purpose of celebrating Nowruz. Although, there may be no mention of Nowruz in recorded Achaemenid inscriptions (see picture)<ref name="Khodadad"/> There is a detailed account by [[Xenophon]] of Nowruz celebration taking place in Persepolis and the continuity of this festival in the Achaemenid tradition.<ref>Christopher Tuplin; Vincent Azoulay, ''Xenophon and His World: Papers from a Conference Held in Liverpool in July 1999'', Published by Franz Steiner Verlag, 2004, ISBN 3515083928, p.148.</ref> According to [[Britannica]], the Jewish festival of [[Purim]], is probably adopted from the Persian New Year. <ref Name="Britannica"> {{cite web
| last = The Judaic tradition » Jewish myth and legend » Sources and development » Myth and legend in the Persian period
| first =
| title = Encyclopaedia Britannica
| url = http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/307197/Judaism/35340/Sources-and-development#ref=ref299743
| accessdate = 2009-03-21}}
</ref>

Nowruz was the holiday of [[Parthian Empire|Arsacid]]/[[Parthian Empire|Parthia]]n dynastic Empires who ruled Iran (248 BC-224 AD). There are specific references to the celebration of Nowruz during the reign of [[Vologases I]] (51-78 AD), but these include no details.<ref name="Khodadad"> {{cite web
| last = Rezakhani
| first = Khodadad
| title = Nowruz in History
| url = http://www.iranologie.com/history/nowruz-hist.html
| accessdate = 2008-03-21}}</ref> Before [[Sassanids]] established their power in West Asia around 300 AD, [[Parthians]] celebrated Nowruz in Autumn and 1st of [[Farvardin]] began at the Autumn Equinox. During Parthian dynasty the Spring Festival was [[Mehragan]], a [[Zoroastrian]] and Iranian festival celebrated in honor of [[Mithra]].<ref>John R. Hinnells, "Mithraic studies: proceedings", Edition: illustrated, Published by Manchester University Press ND, 1975, ISBN 0719005361, 9780719005367, Page 307</ref>

Extensive records on the celebration of Nowruz appear following the accession of [[Ardashir I of Persia]], the founder of the [[Sassanid dynasty]] (224-651 AD). Under the Sassanid emperors, Nowruz was celebrated as the most important day of the year. Most royal traditions of Nowruz such as royal audiences with the public, cash gifts, and the pardoning of prisoners, were established during the Sassanian era and persisted unchanged until modern times.

Nowruz, along with [[Sadeh]] (celebrated in mid-winter), survived in society following the introduction of Islam in 650 AD. Other celebrations such [[Gahanbar]] and [[Mehragan]] were eventually side-lined or were only followed by the [[Zoroastrians]], who carried them. There are records of the Four Great Caliphs presiding over Nowruz celebrations, and it was adopted as the main royal holiday during the [[Abbasid]] period.

In his work titled the Nowruznama, [[Omar Khayyam]], a well known [[Persian literature|Persian poet]] and [[Mathematician]] provides a vivid description of the celebration in the courts of the Kings of [[Persia]]<ref>Umar ibn Ibrahim Khayyam ; bih kushish-i ʻAli Ḥuṣuri., "Nowruznamah", Tehran : Nashr-i Chashmah, 1379 [2000]. Original Persian excerpt:آئین ملوک عجم از گاه کی‌خسرو تا به روزگار یزدجرد شهریار که آخرین ملوک عجم بود، چنان بوده است که روز نوروز نخست کس از مردمان بیگانه، موبد موبدان پیش ملک آمدی با جام زرین پر می و انگشتری و درمی و دیناری خسروانی و یک دسته خوید سبز رسته و شمشیری و تیرکمان و دوات و قلم و اسپی و بازی و غلامی خوب‌روی و ستایش نمودی و نیایش کردی او را به زبان پارسی به عبارت ایشان. چون موبد موبدان از آفرین بپرداختی، پس بزرگان دولت آمدندی و خدمت‌ها پیش آوردندی. آن‌چه که موبد موبدان به شاه می‌گوید، : شها، به جشن فروردین به ماه فروردین، به آزادی گزین یزدان و دین کیان، سروش آورد تو را دانائی و بینائی به کاردانی و دی‌زی و با خوی هژیر و شادباش بر تخت زرین و انوشه خور به جام جمشید و رسم نیاکان در همت بلند و نیکوکاری و ورزش داد و راستی نگاه‌دار، سرت سبزباد و جوانی چو خوید، اسپت کامکار و پیروز و تیغت روشن و کاری به دشمن و بازت گیرا و خجسته به درم و دینار، پیشت هنری و دانا گرامی و درم خوار و سرایت آباد و زندگانی بسیار</ref>:
{{cquote|From the era of Keykhosrow till the days of Yazdegard, last of the pre-Islamic kings of [[Persia]], the royal custom was thus: on the first day of the New Year, Now Ruz, the King's first visitor was the High [[Mobad]] of the [[Zoroastrians]], who brought with him as gifts a golden goblet full of wine, a ring, some gold coins, a fistful of green sprigs of wheat, a sword, and a bow. In the language of Persia he would then glorify God and praise the monarch.. This was the address of the High [[Mobad]] to the king : "O [[Shah|Majesty]], on this feast of the [[Equinox]], first day of the first month of the year, seeing that thou hast freely chosen God and the Faith of the Ancient ones; may [[Sraosha|Surush]], the Angel-messenger, grant thee wisdom and insight and sagacity in thy affairs. Live long in praise, be happy and fortunate upon thy golden throne, drink immortality from the Cup of [[Jamshid]]; and keep in solemn trust the customs of our ancestors, their noble aspirations, fair gestures and the exercise of justice and righteousness. May thy soul flourish; may thy youth be as the new-grown grain; may thy horse be puissant, victorious; thy sword bright and deadly against foes; thy hawk swift against its prey; thy every act straight as the arrow's shaft. Go forth from thy rich throne, conquer new lands. Honor the craftsman and the sage in equal degree; disdain the acquisition of wealth. May thy house prosper and thy life be long!"}}

Following the demise of the Caliphate and the subsequent re-emergence of Persian dynasties such as the [[Samanids]] and [[Buyids]], Nowruz was elevated to an even more important event. The Buyids revived the ancient traditions of Sassanian times and restored many smaller celebrations that had been eliminated by the [[Caliphate]]. Even the [[Turkic peoples|Turkic]] and [[Mongol]] invaders did not attempt to abolish Nowruz in favor of any other celebration. Thus, Nowruz remained as the main celebration in the [[Persian people|Persian]] lands by both the officials and the people.

[[File:Newroz Kurdistan.jpg|300px|right|thumb||Kurds celebrating. Fire is the symbol of Nowruz]]

==Local variations==
Today, the festival of Nowruz is celebrated in many countries that were territories of, or influenced by, the [[Persian Empire]]: [[Iran]], Various [[Iranian Peoples]] including [[Newroz as celebrated by Kurds|Kurds]], [[Afghanistan]], parts of the Middle East, as well as in the former Soviet republics of [[Tajikistan]], [[Uzbekistan]], [[Azerbaijan]], [[Turkmenistan]], [[Kazakhstan]], and [[Kyrgyzstan]]. It is also celebrated by the Zoroastrians as well by certain Iranic inhabitants in [[Pakistan]]'s [[Chitral]] region and [[Northern Areas]]. It is also celebrated by the Iranian immigrants from [[Shiraz]] in [[Zanzibar]].<ref>{{cite news | last =Rostami | first =Hoda | title =Yek Jahan Noruz (meaning: Worldwide Nowruz) |newspaper =Saman (Publication of Iranian National Tax Administration) |issue=23 |date=2007-03-17}}</ref> it is called ''Nevruz'' in [[Turkic language|Turkic]], [[Uyghur people|Uyghur]]s who live in Northwestern China call it "Noruz", and it is called ''Sultan Nevruz'' in [[Albanian language|Albanian]]. In some remote communities located in parts of western Iran, the holiday is referred to as ''Nuroj'', which literally means ''New Day'' in the [[Kurdish language]].

===Nowruz around the world===
Nowruz is celebrated in [[Greater Iran]], [[Caucasus]], [[Central Asia]] and by Iranians worldwide. It is a public holiday in [[Iran]], [[Tajikistan]] <ref>[http://www.bbc.co.uk/persian/tajikistan/story/2006/03/060320_ag-norouz-pics.shtml BBCPersian.com]</ref>, [[Afghanistan]], [[Azerbaijan]], [[Turkmenistan]] <ref>[http://www.rferl.org/featuresarticle/2006/03/86AFE190-45DF-4C9D-AF81-3A3158C6D595.html Turkmen President Urges Youth To Read 'Rukhnama']</ref>, [[Uzbekistan]] <ref>[http://www.eurasianet.org/resource/uzbekistan/hypermail/200303/0023.shtml UZBEK PRESIDENT SAYS HUSSEIN MUST BE DISARMED]</ref>, [[Kashmir]] <ref>[http://www.kashland.com kashland.com]</ref>,
and [[Kyrgyzstan]] <ref>[http://www.payvand.com/news/06/mar/1225.html Norouz in Kyrgyzstan ]</ref>. Also the [[Canada|Canadian]] parliament by unanimous consent, has passed a bill to add Nowruz to the national calendar of Canada, on March 30, 2009.<ref name="PRESSTV">{{Cite web| url =http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=90377&sectionid=3510212 | title = Canada parliament recognizes 'Nowruz Day'| accessdate = 4 April 2009| date = 3 April 2009| publisher = PRESS TV}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web| url =http://www2.parl.gc.ca/HousePublications/Publication.aspx?Docid=3761904&file=4 | title = BILL C-342| accessdate = 4 April 2009| publisher = House of Commons of Canada}}</ref>

In [[Albania]] ''Sultan Nevruz'' is celebrated as a mainly mystical day by the [[Bektashi]] sect, and there are special ceremonies in the [[Tekke]] led by the clergy and large meals are served there. They celebrate this day as the birthday of [[Ali]]. Also all Albanians celebrate a secular version of Nowruz, called Spring Day. Nowruz is also celebrated by [[Kurdish people|Kurds]] in [[Iraq]]<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/in_pictures/4829542.stm In pictures: Norouz - New Year festival]</ref> and [[Turkey]]<ref>[http://www.dailystar.com.lb/article.asp?edition_id=10&categ_id=2&article_id=23126 Clashes erupt at Turkey's Dita e Verës. spring festival]</ref> as well as by [[Parsis]] in the [[Indian subcontinent]].

Other notable celebrations take place by [[Iranian people|Iranian]]s around the world, such as [[Los Angeles]], [[Toronto]], [[Cologne]] and in [[United Kingdom]], mainly in [[London]] <ref>[http://www.bbc.co.uk/persian/arts/story/2006/03/060317_l-7th-norouz-london.shtml BBCPersian.com]</ref>.

But because Los Angeles is prone to devastating fires, there are very strict fire codes in the city. No fires are allowed even on one's own property. Usually, Iranians living in Southern California go to the beaches to celebrate the event where it is permissible to build fires.<ref>[http://www.azer.com/aiweb/categories/magazine/22_folder/22_articles/22_noruz.html Novruz... Celebration That Would Not Die]</ref>

Attempts to suppress Nowruz following the [[Iranian Revolution]] met with very little success.<ref>New York Times, March 20, 2006, Ayatollahs Aside, Iranians Jump for Joy at Spring
By MICHAEL SLACKMAN; NAZILA FATHI CONTRIBUTED REPORTING FROM TEHRAN FOR THIS ARTICLE [http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C00EFDB1F31F933A15750C0A9609C8B63&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=all]</ref>

In Afghanistan during the reign of the Taliban, Nowruz was banned until 2001 where it came back as popular as it was before the Taliban.<ref> http://usembassy-israel.org.il/publish/peace/archives/2002/march/032109.html</ref>

It is also a holy day for [[Alawites]]<ref name="i-cias.com"/>, [[Alevis]], and adherents of the [[Bahá'í Faith]].<ref name="bahai_calendar"/>

===Nowruz celebration in Iran===
[[Image:HaftSeen2.JPG|thumb|right|249px|A Haft sin table in [[Tehran]].]]
Nowruz is the most important holiday in Iran. Preparations for Nowruz begin in the month Esfand (or Espand), the last month of winter in the [[Persian calendar|Persian solar calendar]].

====Spring cleaning and visiting one another ====

{{See|Spring cleaning}}
Spring cleaning, or ''Khouneh Tekouni'' (literally means 'shaking the house') or 'complete cleaning of the house' is commonly performed before Nowruz. Persians (Iranians and Tajiks) and other groups (Kurds, Armenians, Azarbaijanis and Balochs) start preparing for the Nowruz with a major spring-cleaning of their houses, the purchase of new clothes to wear for the new year and the purchase of flowers (in particular the [[hyacinth (plant)|hyacinth]] and the [[tulip]] are popular and conspicuous).

In association with the "rebirth of nature", extensive spring-cleaning is a national tradition observed by almost every household in Iran. This is also extended to personal attire, and it is customary to buy at least one set of new clothes. On the New Year's Day, families dress in their new clothes and start the twelve-day celebrations by visiting the elders of their family, then the rest of their family and finally their friends. On the thirteenth day families leave their homes and picnic outdoors.

During the Nowruz holidays, people are expected to visit one another (mostly limited to families, friends and neighbors) in the form of short house visits, which are usually reciprocated. Typically, on the first day of Nowruz, family members gather around the table, with the ''Haft Seen'' on the table or set next to it, and await the exact moment of the arrival of the spring. At that time gifts are exchanged. Later in the day, the first house visits are paid to the most senior family members. Typically, the youth will visit the elders first, and the elders return their visit later. When in previous year, a family member is deceased, the tradition is to visit that family first (among the elders). The visits naturally have to be relatively short, otherwise one will not be able to visit everybody on their list. A typical visit is around 30 minutes, where you often run into other visiting relatives and friends who happen to be paying a visit to the same house at that time. Because of the house visits, you make sure you have a sufficient supply of pastry, cookies, fresh and dried fruits and special nuts on hand, as you typically serve your visitors with these items with tea or sherbet. Many Iranians will throw large Nowruz parties in a central location as a way of dealing with the long distances between groups of friends and family.

Some Nowruz celebrants believe that whatever a person does on Nowruz will affect the rest of the year. So, if a person is warm and kind to their relatives, friends and neighbors on Nowruz, then the new year will be a good one. On the other hand, if there are fights and disagreements, the year will be a bad one.

It is customary to visit the cemeteries in last Thursday night of the year or in last Friday morning and read the [[Sura]] [[Al-Fatiha]] for the passed members of the family,friends or any other deceased ones in the cemetery.

One tradition that may not be very widespread (that is, it may belong to only a few families){{Citation needed|date=March 2009}} is to place something sweet, such as honey or candy, in a safe place outside overnight. On the first morning of the new year, the first person up brings the sweet stuff into the house as another means of attaining a good new year.

====Chahārshanbe Sūrī====

{{Main|Chaharshanbe Suri}}

[[Image:Chehel-sotoon chahar shanbe suri.jpg|thumb|right|250px|[[Chehel Sotoun]]'s Wall painting, that dates back to the [[Safavid]] era, depicts a [[Chaharshanbe Suri]] celebration.]]
The night before the last Wednesday of the year is celebrated by the Iranian people as ''Chahârshanbe Sûrî'' ([[Persian language|Persian]]: چهارشنبه سوری, {{lang-az|Od çərşənbəsi}}, {{lang-ku|Çarşema Sor}}<ref>[http://www.netkurd.org/nuce_bixwine.asp?id=11642] Among the Yazidis, this festival is celebrated on the first Wednesday of Nisan (April) which marks the first day of their new year (rather than March 21st). It is also called ''Cejna Sersal''(New Year's Feast)[http://www.berbang.org/berbang/carsema_sor.htm]</ref><ref>[http://www.yek-dem.com/IMAGES/R9-79.pdf]</ref>, چوارشه‌مه‌ سوورێ meaning ''red Wednesday''), the Iranian festival of fire. This festival is the celebration of the light (the good) winning over the darkness (the bad); the symbolism behind the rituals are all rooted back to [[Zoroastrianism]].

The tradition includes people going into the streets and alleys to make bonfires, and jump over them while singing the traditional song ''Zardî-ye man az (ane) to, sorkhî-ye to az (ane) man'' ("az-ane to" means belongs to you); This literally translates to "My yellowness is yours, your redness is mine," with the figurative message "My paleness (pain, sickness) for you (the fire), your strength (health) for me." The fire is believed to burn out all the fear (yellowness) in their subconscious or their spirit, in preparation for new year.

Serving different kinds of pastry and nuts known as '''Ajīl-e Moshkel-Goshā''' (lit. ''problem-solving nuts'') is the ''Chahārshanbe Sūrī'' way of giving thanks for the previous year's health and happiness, while exchanging any remaining paleness and evil for the warmth and vibrancy of the fire.

According to tradition, the living are visited by the spirit of their ancestors on the last days of the year, and many children wrap themselves in shrouds, symbolically re-enacting the visits. They also run through the streets banging on pots and pans with spoons and knocking on doors to ask for treats. The ritual is called qashogh-zany (spoon beating) and symbolizes the beating out of the last unlucky Wednesday of the year ( See also [[Trick-or-treating]]).

There are several other traditions on this night, including: the rituals of ''Kūze Shekastan'', the breaking of earthen jars which symbolically hold one's bad fortune; the ritual of ''[[Fal-Gûsh]]'' (lit.[[Divination]] by ear), or inferring one's future from the conversations of those passing by<ref name="Encyclopædia Iranica DIVINATION">{{cite encyclopedia |last=OMIDSALAR |first=MAHMOUD | title= DIVINATION | encyclopedia=Encyclopedia Iranica | accessdate=2009-04-05|url=http://www.iranica.com/newsite/index.isc?Article=http://www.iranica.com/newsite/articles/unicode/v7f4/v7f482.html}}</ref>; and the ritual of ''Gereh-goshā’ī'', making a knot in the corner of a handkerchief or garment and asking the first passerby to unravel it in order to remove ones misfortune.

====''Haft Sīn''====
{{Main|Haft-Sin}}
'''Haft Sīn''' (هفت سین) or the seven 'S's is a major tradition of Nowruz. The haft sin table includes seven specific items starting with the letter 'S' or ''Sīn'' (س) in the [[Persian alphabet]]. The items symbolically correspond to seven creations and holy immortals called [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amesha_Spenta Amesha Sepanta] protecting them. The seven elements of Life, namely Fire, Earth, Water, Air, Plants, Animals, and Human, are represented. They also have Astrological correlations to five planets Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, and Sun and Moon. With the advent of Islam the word Amesha Sepanta shortened to and eventually was remembered by just the letter S and the number 7. The ''Haft Sin'' has evolved over time, but has kept its symbolism. Traditionally, families attempt to set as beautiful a ''Haft Sīn'' table as they can, as it is not only of traditional and spiritual value, but also noticed by visitors during Nowruzi visitations and is a reflection of their good taste.
[[Image:HaftSin-Iran.jpg|thumb|right|250px|Haft-Sin]]

The ''Haft Sīn'' items are:
* ''sabzeh'' - [[wheat]], [[barley]] or [[lentil]] sprouts growing in a dish - symbolizing rebirth
* ''[[samanu]]'' - a sweet pudding made from [[wheat germ]] - symbolizing affluence
* ''senjed'' - the dried fruit of the [[Elaeagnus angustifolia|oleaster]] tree - symbolizing love
* ''sīr'' - [[garlic]] - symbolizing medicine
* ''sīb'' - [[apple]]s - symbolizing beauty and health
* ''somaq'' - [[sumac]] berries - symbolizing (the color of) sunrise
* ''serkeh'' - [[vinegar]] - symbolizing age and patience

Other items on the table may include:
* ''Sonbol'' - [[Hyacinth (plant)]]
* ''Sekkeh'' - [[Coins]] - representative of wealth
* traditional Iranian pastries such as [[Baklava|baghlava]], [[White Mulberry|toot]], naan-nokhodchi
* ''Aajeel'' - dried nuts, berries and raisins
* lit [[candle]]s (enlightenment and happiness)
* a [[mirror]] (symbolizing cleanness and honesty)
* [[Egg decorating|decorated eggs]], sometimes one for each member of the family (fertility)
* a bowl of water with [[goldfish]] (life within life, and the sign of [[Pisces (astrology)|Pisces]] which the sun is leaving). As an essential object of the Nowruz table, this [[goldfish]] is also "very ancient and meaningful" and with Zoroastrian connection.<ref>A. Shahbazi, [http://www.iranica.com/newsite/articles/unicode/v11f5/v11f5016.html "Haft Sin"]], Encyclopaedia Iranica, Vol 11, London, Newyork, 2003.</ref>
* [[rosewater]], believed to have magical cleansing powers
* the [[flag of Iran|national colours]], for a patriotic touch
* a holy book (e.g., the [[Avesta]], [[Qur'an]], [[Bible]], [[Torah]], or [[Kitáb-i-Aqdas]]) and/or a poetry book (almost always either the [[Shahnama]] or the Divan of [[Hafez]])

====Haji Firouz====
{{Main|Haji firouz}}
[[File:HajjiFiruz.JPG|thumb|200px|Haji Firuz in [[Tehran]]]]
The traditional herald of the Nowruz season is a man called Hājī Fīrūz (or Khwāja Pīrūz). He symbolizes the rebirth of the [[Sumerian religion|Sumerian]] god of sacrifice, Domuzi, who was killed at the end of each year and reborn at the beginning of the New Year.

He usually uses face paint to make his skin black (black is an ancient Persian symbol of good luck—maybe from their black bird) and wears a red costume. Then he sings and dances through the streets with tambourines and trumpets spreading good cheer and heralds the coming of the New Year. [[Mehrdad Bahar]], Iranologist, suggests in his book that this borrowing of the Domuzi/Tammuz tradition from the ancient non-Iranian civilizations in Mesopotamia happened with the arrival of the Iranian tribes to the western parts of the Iranian Plateau at the beginning of the 1st millennium BC. This borrowing, according to Bahar, may be true for the whole Nowruz tradition itself as Indo-Iranian tribes before that did not have this tradition while the civilizations of Mesopotamia did. This later spread to all areas where Iranian culture was present, but was lost by the non-Iranian cultures of Mesopotamia.

====New Year dishes====
* ''[[Sabzi polo|Sabzi Polo]] Mahi'': The New Year's Day traditional meal is called Sabzi Polo Mahi, which is [[rice]] with green herbs served with fish. The traditional seasoning for Sabzi Polo are [[parsley]], [[coriander]], [[chives]], [[dill]] and [[fenugreek]].
* ''Reshteh Polo'': rice cooked with noodles which is said to symbolically help one succeed in life.
* ''[[Dolma|Dolme]] Barg'' : A traditional dish of Azeri people, cooked just before the new year. It includes some vegetables, meat and [[cotyledon]] which have been cooked and embedded in vine leaf and cooked again. It is considered useful in reaching to wishes.
* ''Kookoo sabzi'' : Herbs and vegetable souffle, traditionally served for dinner at New Year. A light and fluffy omelet style made from parsley, dill, coriander, [[spinach]], [[spring onion]] ends, and chives, mixed with eggs and [[walnut]].

====Sizdah Bedar====
{{Main|Sizdah Bedar}}
The thirteenth day of the new year festival is [[Sizdah Bedar]] (literally meaning "passing the thirteenth day", figuratively meaning "Passing the bad luck of the thirteenth day"). This is a day of festivity in the open, often accompanied by music and dancing, usually at family picnics.

''Sizdah bedar'' celebrations stem from the ancient Persians' belief that the twelve constellations in the [[Zodiac]] controlled the months of the year, and each ruled the earth for a thousand years at the end of which the sky and earth collapsed in chaos. Hence Nowruz lasts twelve days and the thirteenth day represents the time of chaos when families put order aside and avoid the bad luck associated with the number thirteen by going outdoors and having picnics and parties.

At the end of the celebrations on this day, the ''sabzeh'' grown for the ''Haft Seen'' (which has symbolically collected all sickness and bad luck) is thrown into running water to exorcise the demons (''divs'') from the household. It is also customary for young single women to tie the leaves of the ''sabzeh'' before discarding it, so expressing a wish to be married before the next year's ''Sizdah Bedar''. Another tradition associated with this day is ''Dorugh-e Sizdah'', literally meaning "the lie of the thirteenth", which is the process of lying to someone and making them believe it (similar to [[April Fools Day]]).

===Nowruz in Afghanistan===
[[Image:Sumalak navruz tajik.jpg|thumb|250px|Cooking [[samanu]] (or ''samanak'') is a Nowruz tradition in Iran, Afghanistan and Tajikistan]]
In [[Afghanistan]], Nowroz festival is traditionally celebrated for 2 weeks. Preparations for Nowroz start several days beforehand, at least after [[Chaharshanbe Suri]], the last Wednesday before the New Year. Among various traditions and customs, the most important ones are:

* '''Haft Mēwa''': In Afghanistan, they prepare ''Haft Mēwa'' (''Seven Fruits'') instead of ''Haft Sin'' which is common in Iran. Haft Mewa is like a [[Fruit salad]] made from 7 different [[Dried fruit]]s, served in their own [[syrup]]. The 7 dried fruits are: [[Raisin]], ''Senjed'' (the dried fruit of the [[Elaeagnus angustifolia|oleaster]] tree), [[Pistachio]], [[Common Hazel|Hazelnut]], [[Prune (fruit)|Prune]] (dry fruit of [[Apricot]]), [[Walnut]] and whether [[Almond]] or another species of [[Plum]] fruit.
* '''[[Samanak]]''': It is a special type of sweet dish made from [[Cereal germ|Wheat germ]]. Women take a special party for it during the night, and cook it from late in the evening till the daylight, singing a special song: ''Samanak dar Josh o mā Kafcha zanem - Degarān dar Khwāb o mā Dafcha zanem''
* '''Mēla-e Gul-e Surkh''' ({{lang-fa|ميله‌ى گل سرخ}}): The Guli Surkh festival which literally means ''Red Flower Festival'' (referring to the red [[Tulip]] flowers) is an old festival celebrated only in [[Mazari Sharif]] during the first 40 days of the year when the Tulip flowers grow. People travel from different parts of the country to Mazar in order to attend the festival. It is celebrated along with the ''Jahenda Bālā'' ceremony which is a specific religious ceremony performed in the holy blue mosque of Mazar that is believed (mostly by [[Sunnite]] Afghans) to be the site of the tomb of [[Ali ibn Abi Talib]], the fourth caliph of Islam. The ceremony is performed by raising a special banner (whose color configuration resembles [[Derafsh Kaviani]]) in the blue mosque in the first day of year (i.e. Nowroz). The Guli Surkh party continues with other special activities among people in the [[Tulip]] fields and around the blue mosque for 40 days.
* '''[[Buzkashi]]''': Along with other customs and celebrations, normally a [[Buzkashi]] tournament is held. The Buzkashi matches take place in northern cities of Afghanistan and in Kabul.
* '''Special cuisines''': People cook special types of dishes for Nowroz, especially on the eve of Nowroz. Normally they cook ''Sabzi Chalaw'', a dish made from [[rice]] and [[spinach]], separately. Moreover, the bakeries prepare a special type of [[cookie]], called ''Kulcha-e Nowrozī'', which is only baked for Nowroz. Another dish which is prepared mostly for the Nowroz days is ''Māhī wa Jelabī'' (''Fried Fish and Jelabi'') and it is the most often meal in picnics. In Afghanistan, it is a common custom among the [[Engagement|affianced]] families that the fiancé's family give presents to or prepare special dishes for the fiancée's family on special occasions such as in the two [[Eid]]s, [[Mid-Sha'ban|Barā'at]] and in Nowroz. Hence, the special dish for Nowroz is ''Māhī wa Jelabī''.
* '''Sightseeing to [[Cercis]] fields''': The citizens of [[Kabul]] go to [[Istalif]], [[Charikar]] or other green places around where the [[Cercis]] flowers grow. They go for picnic with their families during the first 2 weeks of New Year.
* '''Jashni Dehqān''': Jashni Dehqan means ''The Festival of Farmers''. It is celebrated in the first day of year, in which the farmers walk in the cities as a sign of encouragement for the agricultural productions. In recent years, this activity is being performed only in Kabul and other major cities, in which the mayor and other high governmental personalities participate for watching and observing.

====Nowruz celebrations by Pashtuns====
[[Pashtun people|Pashtuns]] celebrate '''Newai Kaal''' ({{lang-ps|نوى كال}}, meaning "new year") on the March equinox, which is considered the first day of spring. The festival of '''Newai Khwazun''' ({{lang-ps|نوى خوځون}}, literally meaning "new movement"), traditionally celebrated by [[Kuchi people|Pashtun nomads]] when they migrate to their summer pastures, also falls on this day.

===Newroj in Kurdistan===
{{Main|Newroz as celebrated by Kurds}}
[[Image:Newroz Istanbul(4).jpg|thumb|right|250px|"Churshama Kulla" is the tradition where people jump over the fire. It is celebrated as a national emblem in [[Kurdistan]]. In this Picture Kurds in Istanbul celebrate Newroz through coming together and showing their cultural unity.]]
[[File:Zakia Alkan 1.jpg|thumb|250px|A statue of Zakia Alkan, the women who set herself on fire to protest the Turkish ban on Nowruz, [[Sulaymaniyah]].]]
Although the Kurds celebrate Nowruz, it was not however until 2005 that Kurdish population of Turkey could celebrate their new year openly.<ref>Zaki Chehab, ''Inside the resistance: the Iraqi insurgency and the future of the Middle East'', Published by Nation Books, 2005, ISBN 1560257466, p. 198</ref> "Thousands of people have been detained in Turkey, as the authorities take action against suspected supporters of the Kurdish rebel movement, the PKK.<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/300830.stm Turkish police arrest thousands]</ref>. The holiday is now official in Turkey after international pressure on the Turkish government to lift culture bans. Turkish government renamed the holiday ''Newroz'' in 1995, and reclaimed it as a ''Turkish'' holiday<ref>Marianne Heiberg, Brendan O'Leary, John Tirman. ''Terror, Insurgency, and the State: Ending Protracted Conflicts'', p. 337.</ref>.

The word 'Newroz' is [[Kurdish (language)|Kurdish]] for 'Nowruz'. The Kurds celebrate this feast between 18th till 21 March. It is one of the few ‘people's celebrations’ that has survived and predates all the major religious festivals. The holiday is considered by Kurds to be the single most important holiday of every year.

With this [[festival]] Kurds gather into the fairgrounds mostly outside the cities to welcome spring. Women wear colored dresses and spangled head scarves and young men wave flags of green, yellow and red, the colors of the Kurdish people. They hold this festival by lighting fire and dancing around it.<ref>[http://www.marcocavallini.it/kurdish.html Kurdistan turco]</ref>.

The main [[Kurdish language|Kurdish]] greeting that accompanies the festival is ''Newroz pîroz be!'' literally translating to ''Holy Newroz'', or, simply, ''Happy Newroz!''. Another greeting used is, ''Bijî Newroz!'', simply meaning ''Long live Newroz!''

Newroz is still largely considered as a potent symbol of Kurdish identity in Turkey. Newroz celebrations are usually organised by Kurdish cultural associations and pro-Kurdish political parties. Thus, the [[Democratic Society Party]] was a leading force in the organisation of the 2006 Newroz events throughout Turkey. In recent years the Newroz celebration gathers around 1 million participants in [[Diyarbakır]], the biggest city of the Kurdish dominated Southeastern Turkey. As the Kurdish Newroz celebrations in Turkey often are theater for political messages, the events are frequently criticized for being political rallies rather than cultural celebrations.

In other largely populated Kurdish regions in the Middle East including Iraq and Syria, similar celebrations are carried out with fire, dancing and music. In Iran, it is the most important festival of the whole year.

In [[Kurdistan]], jumping over the fire (known as Chuwarshama Kulla) happens on New Year's Eve (rather the last Tuesday of the year).

==Newroz in Kurdish literature==

Newroz has been mentioned in works of many Kurdish [[poet]]s and writers as well as [[musician]]s.<ref name="artists">{{cite web | year = 2000 | first = Martin | last = van Bruinessen | title = Transnational aspects of the Kurdish question | publisher = Robert Schuman Centre for Advanced Studies, European University Institute | location= Florence | url = http://www.let.uu.nl/~Martin.vanBruinessen/personal/publications/transnational_Kurds.htm}}</ref>
One of the earliest records of ''Newroz'' in [[Kurdish literature]] is from [[Melayê Cizîrî]] (1570–1640):<ref name="poem">{{cite web | first = Sandrine | last = Alexie | title = Newroz û Sersal (Newroz and New Year) | url = http://northerniraq.info/blog/?p=176 | accessdate = 2007-03-22 | date = 2007-03-21 | publisher = Roj Bash}}</ref>
:''Whithout the light and the fire of Love,''
:''Without the Designer and the power of Creator'',
:''We are not able to reach Union.''
:''(Light is for us and dark is the night)''

:''This fire massing and washing the Heart,''
:''My heart claim after it.''
:''And here come '''Newroz''' and the New Year,''
:''When a such light is rising.''

Also the famous Kurdish writer and poet [[Piramerd]] (1867–1950) writes in his 1948 poem Newroz:<ref name="poem">{{cite web | first = Kamal | last = Mirawdeli | title = The old man and the fire | url = http://www.kurdistanreferendum.org/writers/kamalmirawdeli/cultural-oldmanandfire.htm | accessdate = 2007-03-08 | date = 2005-03-21 | publisher = Kurdistan Referendum Movement}}</ref>
:''The New Year’s day is today. '''Newroz''' is back.''
:''An ancient Kurdish festival, with joy and verdure.''
:''For many years, the flower of our hopes was downtrodden''
:''The fresh rose of spring was the blood of the youth''
:''It was that red colour on the high horizon of [[Kurdish people|Kurd]]''
:''Which was carrying the happy tidings of dawn to remote and near nations''
:''It was Newroz which imbued the hearts with such a fire''
:''That made the youth receive death with devoted love''
:''Hooray! The sun is shining from the high mountains of [[Kurdistan|homeland]]''
:''It is the blood of our martyrs which the horizon reflects''
:''It has never happened in the history of any nation''
:''To have the breasts of girls as shields against bullets''
:''Nay. It is not worth crying and mourning for the martyrs of homeland''
:''They die not. They live on in the heart of the nation.''

===Novruz in Azerbaijan===
[[File:1996 Novruz bayram.jpg|thumb|150px|A 1996 Azerbaijani postage stamp issued for Novruz.]]
[[Azerbaijan]] is a country where national traditions are well preserved. One of the most oldest traditions of [[Azerbaijani people]] is the celebration of Novruz and is a cherished holiday of a [[New Year]] and [[Spring (season)|spring]].

Preparations for Novruz start long before the holiday. People do house cleaning, plant trees, make new dresses, paint eggs, make national pastries such as [[shakarbura]], [[pakhlava]] and a great variety of [[Azerbaijani cuisine|national cuisine]]. Wheat is fried with kishmish ([[raisins]]) and [[nuts]] (govurga). It is essential for every house to have [[Samanu|Samani (Samanu)]] - sprouts of wheat. As a tribute to fire-worshiping every Tuesday during four weeks before the holiday kids jump over small bonfires and candles are lit. On the holiday eve the graves of relatives are visited and tended.<ref>[http://www.everyculture.com/A-Bo/Azerbaijan.html Azerbaijani traditions]</ref>

Novruz is a family holiday. In the evening before the holiday the whole family gathers around the holiday table laid with various dishes to make the New Year rich. The holiday goes on for several days and ends with festive public dancing and other entertainment of folk bands, contests of national sports. In rural areas crop holidays are marked.<ref>[http://www.studentsoftheworld.info/sites/arts/3559.php Studentsoftheworld - Azeri Traditions]</ref>

===Nowruz in the Zoroastrian faith===
Zoroastrians worldwide celebrate Nowruz as the first day of the [[New Year]]. [[Parsi people|Parsi]] Zoroastrians of South Asian origin celebrate it as "Nowroj", "Navroz", or "Navroj" on the fixed day of March 21, while Zoroastrians of Iranian background generally celebrate, like other Iranians, on the actual Spring Equinox date. Because different Zoroastrian communities in India/Pakistan and Iran have evolved slightly different calendar systems, there is some variance. Adherents of the ''Fasli'' variant of the [[Zoroastrian calendar]] celebrate Nowruz in March, but today, most other Zoroastrians also celebrate on this day.

Other variants of the [[Zoroastrian calendar]] celebrate the Nowruz twice: once as ''[[Jamshid|Jamshedi]] Nowruz'' on March 21 as the start of spring, and a second Nowruz, in July/August (see [[Zoroastrian calendar#Variations|Variations of the Zoroastrian calendar]]), as either New Year's Eve or New Year's Day. That the second Nowruz is celebrated after the last day of the year, known as [[Pateti]], which comes after a [[Muktad]] period of days remembering the dead. Many Parsis are confused by this, and mistakenly celebrate Pateti as if it were Nowruz, when in fact Nowruz is the day after. Some attribute this confusion by some as celebrating the last day of the year (contrary to what might be expected from a term that means "new day"), may be due to the fact that in ancient Persia the day began at sunset, while in later Persian belief the day began at sunrise.

Zoroastrians of Iranian origin generally put up a Haft Sin table as do other Iranians. Zoroastrians of Parsi (South Asian) origin do not traditionally use a Haft Sin. They set up a standard "sesh" tray- generally a silver tray, with a container of rose water, a container with betel nut, raw rice, raw sugar, flowers, a picture of Zarathustra the prophet, and either a floating wick in a glass filled with water topped with oil for fuel, or an "afargania", a silver urn with a small fire nourished by sandalwood and other fragrant resins.

===Nowruz in the Twelver Shi’a faith===

Along with Ismaili’s, Alawites and Alevis, the [[Twelver]] Shi’a also hold the day of Nowruz in high regard. The day upon which Nowruz falls has been recommended as a day of fasting for Twelver Shi’a Muslims by Shi’a scholars, including [[Abul-Qassim al-Khoei]], Imam [[Khomeini]]<ref>[[Tahrir al Wasila]], by Ayatollah Khomeini, Vol.1, pg.302-303</ref> and [[Ali al-Sistani]].<ref>[[Islamic Laws]], by Ali al-Sistani, under the section; “Mustahab Fasts”</ref>

===Naw-Rúz in the Bahá'í Faith===
{{Main|Bahá'í Naw-Rúz}}
Naw-Rúz in the [[Bahá'í Faith]] is one of nine [[Bahá'í calendar#Holy Days|holy days]] for adherents of the Bahá'í Faith worldwide and the first day of the [[Bahá'í calendar]] occurring on the vernal equinox, around March 21.<ref name="walbridge">{{cite web | title = Naw-Ruz: The Bahá'í New Year | first = John | last = Walbridge | date = 2004-07-11 | url = http://bahai-library.com/index.php5?file=walbridge_encyclopedia_nawruz | accessdate = 2007-03-14}}</ref> The Bahá'í calendar is composed of 19 months, each of 19 days,<ref name="bne">{{cite book |author= Esslemont, J.E. |year= 1980 |title= Bahá'u'lláh and the New Era |edition= 5th |publisher=Bahá'í Publishing Trust |location=Wilmette, Illinois, USA |isbn= 0877431604 |url= http://reference.bahai.org/en/t/je/BNE/ | pages = 178–179}}</ref> and each of the months is named after an attribute of God; similarly each of the nineteen days in the month also are named after an attribute of God.<ref name="bne" /> The first day and the first month were given the attribute of [[Bahá'í symbols#Bahá’|Bahá]], an [[Arabic language|Arabic]] word meaning splendour or glory, and thus the first day of the year was the day of Bahá in the month of Bahá.<ref name="walbridge" /><ref name="lehman">{{cite web | first = Dale E. | last = Lehman | date = 2000-03-18 | accessdate = 2007-03-14 | title = A New Year Begins | publisher = Planet Bahá'í| url = http://www.planetbahai.org/cgi-bin/articles.pl?article=46}}</ref> [[Bahá'u'lláh]], the founder of the Bahá'í Faith, explained that Naw-Rúz was associated with the ''Most Great Name'' of God,<ref name="walbridge" /><ref name="lehman" /> and was instituted as a festival for those who observed the [[Nineteen day fast]].<ref name="prayers">{{cite book | title = Bahá'í Prayers | publisher = Bahá'í Publishing Trust | location = Wilmitte, IL | year = 1991 | pages = 261 | author = Bahá'u'lláh}}</ref><ref name="aqdas">{{cite book |author = Bahá'u'lláh |origyear = 1873 |year = 1992 |title = The Kitáb-i-Aqdas: The Most Holy Book |publisher = Bahá'í Publishing Trust |location = Wilmette, Illinois, USA |isbn = 0853989990 |url = http://reference.bahai.org/en/t/b/KA/ka-4.html.iso8859-1#pg25 | pages = 25}}</ref>

The day is also used to symbolize the renewal of time in each religious dispensation.<ref name="iranica">{{cite encyclopedia |encyclopedia= Encyclopædia Iranica |year= 1989 |article=Bahai Calendar and Festivals | first = Dennis | last = MacEoin}}</ref> [[`Abdu'l-Bahá]], Bahá'u'lláh's son and successor, explained that significance of Naw-Rúz in terms of [[spring (season)|spring]] and the new life it brings.<ref name="walbridge" /> He explained that the equinox is a symbol of the [[Manifestation of God|messengers of God]] and the message that they proclaim is like a spiritual springtime, and that Naw-Rúz is used to commemorate it.<ref>{{cite journal | title = Star of the West | volume = 4 | pages = 4 | author = `Abdu'l-Bahá | date = 1913-03-21 | unused_data = |number 1}} republished in {{cite book |first = Shoghi |last = Effendi |coauthors = The Universal House of Justice |editor = Hornby, Helen (Ed.) |year = 1983 |title = Lights of Guidance: A Bahá'í Reference File |publisher = Bahá'í Publishing Trust, New Delhi, India |isbn = 8185091463 |url = http://bahai-library.com/?file=hornby_lights_guidance}}</ref>

As with all Bahá'í holy days, there are few fixed rules for observing Naw-Rúz, and Bahá'ís all over the world celebrate it as a festive day, according to local custom.<ref name="walbridge" /> Persian Bahá'ís still observe many of the Iranian customs associated with Nowruz such as the [[#Haft Sîn|Haft Sîn]], but American Bahá'í communities, for example, may have a [[potluck dinner]], along with prayers and readings from [[Bahá'í literature|Bahá'í scripture]].

===Navroz celebration by Parsis===
In the ''Fasli''/''Bastani'' variant of the Zoroastrian calendar, Navroz is always the day of the [[vernal equinox]] (nominally falling on March 21). In the ''Shahenshahi'' and ''Kadmi'' calendars, which do not account for leap years, the New Year's Day has drifted ahead by over 200 days. These latter two variants of the calendar, which are only followed by the Zoroastrians of India, celebrate the spring equinox as ''Jamshed-i Nouroz'', with New Year's Day then being celebrated in July-August as [[Pateti]] "(day) of penitence" (from ''patet'' "confession," hence also repentance and penitence).

===Navroz celebration by Kashmiri Pandits===
The Kashmiri Pandits celebrate Navroz (or Navreh in Kashmiri) on a date around the [[vernal equinox]]. The date, which usually falls between mid-March and mid-April, is determined by the Hindu [[lunar]] calendar every year.

''Thal Bharun'' (meaning 'filling the platter') is a major [[Kashmiri Pandit]] Navroz tradition. It is similar to the Iranian tradition of [[Haft Sin]]. The items placed on the tray or platter generally include [[rice]] or [[wheat]] (similar to the Iranian ''sabzeh''), a sweet [[pudding]] made from milk and cereal (similar to the Iranian ''samanu''), fruits, walnuts,[[rosewater]], a [[coin]] (''Sikkeh''), a pen, an ink-holder, a [[mirror]] (for introspection, purity of thought and honesty), and a lit [[diya]] or clay lamp (representing ''satyaprakasa'', the Light of the Truth). Besides, new clothes are worn and presents are exchanged. Some adults, particularly women, fast on this day.

==Spelling variations in English==
A variety of spelling variations for the word "nowruz" exist in English-language usage. Random House (unabridged) provides the spelling "nowruz".<ref>Random House dictionary (unabridged), 2006 (according to [http://dictionary.reference.com Dictionary.reference.com]).</ref>
[[Merriam-Webster]] (2006) recognizes only the spelling "nauruz" (and a contestant in the final session of the 2006 [[Scripps National Spelling Bee]], Allion Salvador, in the [[United States]] was disqualified on that basis<ref>[http://www.spellingbee.com/06bee/rounds/Round08.htm 2006 Scripps National Spelling Bee May 31 - June 1, 2006]</ref><ref>[http://www.iranian.com/BruceBahmani/2006/June/Spelling/index.html Spelling BEESAVAD]</ref>).
In the USA, many respected figures in the field of language such as Dr. Yarshater at Columbia University have suggested to use ''Nowruz'' {{Citation needed|date=March 2009}}.

==See also==
*[[New Year's Day]]
*[[Earth Day]]
*[[Iranian calendar]]
*[[Iranian festivals]]
*[[Assyrian new year]]
*[[Nowruz Eve among Mazandarani people]]
*[[Public holidays in Iran]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commonscat|Nowruz}}
{{portalpar|Holidays|Calendar icon.svg}}
* [http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2010/ga10916.doc.htm UN Recognizes Nowruz as an International day]
* [http://en.tarikhema.ir/category/ancient/ancient-iran Ancient Iran History] @ [http://en.tarikhema.ir/category/ancient/ancient-iran/nowruz Noruz]
* [http://www.timeanddate.com/counters/customcounter.html?month=3&day=20&year=2009&hour=15&min=13&sec=39&p0=246 Countdown to Nowruz (2009/1388) - timeanddate.com] ([[Iran Standard Time|IRST time]]) - [http://timeanddate.com/s/13ra UTC time]
* [http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9056297?query=No-ruz&ct= Noruz] @ [[Encyclopedia Britannica]]
* [http://www.7seen.com/ شمارش معکوس تا تحويل سال 1389 شمسي (Persian)]
{{Nowruz}}
{{Zoroastrian Calendar}}

[[Category:Iranian culture]]
[[Category:Festivals in Iran]]
[[Category:Afghan holidays]]
[[Category:March observances]]
[[Category:New Year celebrations]]
[[Category:Spring holidays]]
[[Category:Persian culture]]
[[Category:Zoroastrian festivals]]
[[Category:Festivals in Pakistan]]

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[[ar:نوروز]]
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[[glk:عيد نؤروز]]
[[hi:नौरोज़]]
[[hr:Nowruz]]
[[id:Norouz]]
[[os:Новруз]]
[[it:Nawruz]]
[[he:נורוז]]
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[[kk:Наурыз мейрамы]]
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[[hu:Perzsa újév]]
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[[nl:Noroez]]
[[ja:ノウルーズ]]
[[no:Norouz]]
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[[pl:Noruz]]
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[[crh:Navrez]]
[[ru:Новруз]]
[[simple:Navruz]]
[[sl:Nauruz]]
[[ckb:نەورۆز]]
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[[tg:Наврӯз]]
[[tr:Nevruz Bayramı]]
[[uk:Наврез]]
[[diq:Newroz]]

Nowruz

2010-03-19T07:58:23Z

Cyrus abdi: /* Newroz celebration by Kurds */

{{dablink|For [[Coptic calendar|Coptic New Year]], see [[Nayrouz]]. For other uses, see [[Nowruz (disambiguation)]].}}
{{Infobox Holiday
|holiday_name = Nowrūz
|type = International
|longtype =
|image = Frühling blühender Kirschenbaum.jpg
|caption =
|official_name =
|nickname = Also spelled Norouz, Norooz, Narooz, Nawruz, Newroz, Newruz, Nauruz, Nawroz, Noruz, Novruz, Nauroz, Navroz, Naw-Rúz, Nowroj, Navroj, Nevruz, Neyruz, {{unicode|Наврӯз}}, Navruz, Navrez, Nooruz, Nauryz, Nevruz, Nowrouz,
|observedby = Principally in: {{flagicon|IRN}} [[Iran]] {{flagicon|Afghanistan}} [[Afghanistan]] {{flagicon|Kurdistan}} [[Iraqi Kurdistan]] {{flagicon|Tajikistan}} [[Tajikistan]] ethnic & religious groups worldwide:[[Kurdish diaspora]] [[Zoroastrian]]s, [[Bahá'í Faith|Bahá'í]]s and the [[Iranian citizens abroad|Iranian diaspora]]. Also observed in [[Albania]], [[Armenia]], [[Azerbaijan]], [[Bosnia and Herzegovina|Bosnia]], [[Caucasus]], [[Crimea]], [[Georgia (country)|Georgia]], [[India]], [[Iraq]], [[Kashmir]], [[Kazakhstan]], [[Kosovo]], [[Kyrgyzstan]], [[Republic of Macedonia|Macedonia]], [[Pakistan]], [[Serbia]], [[Syria]], [[Uzbekistan]].
|ends =
|date = March 20, 21 or 22 Some communities celebrate on the actual Spring Equinox. Others celebrated on a fixed day every year. The [[Kashmiri Pandits]] celebrate Nowruz on a date between mid-March and mid-April, which is determined by the [[Hindu]] [[lunar calendar]] every year.

|week_ordinal =
|weekday =
|month =

|date2007 =
|date2008 =
|date2009 = Friday, March 20, 2009 at 11:44 UTC [[Equinox|*]]
|date2010 = Saturday, March 20, 2010 at 17:32 UTC [[Equinox|*]]
|celebrations = The [[Haft sin table|Haftsin]] setting, [[Chaharshanbe Suri|Chahârshanbe Sûrî]], [[Sizdah Bedar]], etc.
|observances =
|relatedto =
|significance =New year holiday
}}

'''Nowrūz''' ([[Persian language]]: نوروز {{IPA-all|noʊruːz|}}), meaning 'New Day') is the traditional ancient [[Iranian peoples|Iranian]]<ref name="Meri">Josef W. Meri, Jere L. Bacharach, "Medieval Islamic Civilization: L-Z, index ", Taylor & Francis, 2006. pp 605: "Buyid rulers such as Azud al-Dawla resusciated a number of pre-islamic Iranian practices, most notably the titular of shahanshah (king of kings) and the celebration of the Persian New Year</ref> festival and also the start day of Iranian "New Year".

Nowruz is celebrated and observed by [[Iranian peoples]] and the [[Greater Iran|related cultural continent]] and has spread in many other parts of the world, including parts of [[Central Asia]], [[South Asia]], [[Xinjiang|Northwestern China]], the [[Crimea]] and some ethnic groups in [[Albania]], [[Bosnia]], [[Serbia]] and the [[Republic of Macedonia]].

Nowruz marks the first day of spring and the beginning of the year in [[Iranian calendar]]. It is celebrated on the day of the astronomical [[vernal equinox]], which usually occurs on March 21 or the previous/following day depending on where it is observed. As well as being a [[Zoroastrian]] holiday and having significance amongst the Zoroastrian ancestors of modern Iranians, the same time is celebrated in the Indian sub-continent as the new year. The moment the Sun crosses the [[celestial equator]] and equalizes night and day is calculated exactly every year and [[Iranian people|Iranian]] families gather together to observe the rituals.

Nowruz was originally a Zoroasterian festival, and holiest of all, and as such has unclear date of origin but was "probably" invented by Zoroaster himself.<ref>Boyce, M. Festivals. I. Zoroastrian. Encyclopaedia Iranica.</ref> Since the [[Achaemenid Empire|Achaemenid]] era the official year has begun with the New Day when the [[Sun]] leaves the [[zodiac]] of Pisces and enters the zodiacal sign of Aries, signifying the Spring Equinox. The Jewish festival of [[Purim]] is probably adopted from the Persian New Year.<ref Name="Britannica"/> It is also a holy day for Ismailis, [[Alawites]],<ref name="i-cias.com">[http://i-cias.com/e.o/alawites.htm "But they also celebrate some of the same festivals as the Christians, like Christmas and Epiphany, as well as Nawruz, which originally is the Zoroastrian New Year."]</ref> [[Alevis]], and adherents of the [[Bahá'í Faith]].<ref name="bahai_calendar">{{cite web | url =http://www.bahai.us/bahai-calendar | title = The Baha'i Calendar | accessdate = 2007-03-19}}</ref>

The term Nowruz in writing, first appeared in [[History of Iran|Persian]] records in the second century AD, but it was also an important day during the time of the [[Achaemenid dynasty|Achaemenids]] (''[[circa|c.]]'' 648-330 BC), where kings from different nations under the [[Persian empire]] used to bring gifts to the emperor also called King of Kings ([[Shahanshah]]) of Persia on Nowruz.<ref>[http://www.irna.com/occasion/norouz/eng/hist.htm Norouz in the Course of History]</ref>.

The UN's General Assembly in 2010 recognized the International Day of Nowruz, describing it a spring festival of [[Persian people|Persian]] origin which has been celebrated for over 3,000 years.<ref>http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2010/ga10916.doc.htm</ref> During the meeting of ''The Inter-governmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Heritage'' of the [[United Nations]], held between 28 September – 2 October 2009 in [[Abu Dhabi]], Nowrūz was officially registered on the [[UNESCO]] List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.<ref>''Novruz, Nowrouz, Nooruz, Navruz, Nauroz, Nevruz: Inscribed in 2009 on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity'', [http://www.unesco.org/culture/ich/index.php?RL=00282 UNESCO].</ref><ref>''Noruz and Iranian radifs registered on UNESCO list'', Tehran Times, 1 October 2009, [http://www.tehrantimes.com/index_View.asp?code=204443].</ref><ref>''Persian music, Nowruz make it into UN heritage list'', Press TV, 1 October 2009, [http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=107504&sectionid=351020105].</ref><ref>''Nowruz became international'', in Persian, BBC Persian, Wednesday, 30 September 2009, [http://www.bbc.co.uk/persian/arts/2009/09/090930_mg_nowrooz_global_register.shtml].</ref> Since 2010, the [[United Nations General Assembly]] recognizes March 21 as the "International Day of Nowruz".<ref>http://www.businessweek.com/news/2010-02-24/un-officially-recognizes-march-21-as-international-nowruz-day.html</ref> On 15 March 2010, [[House of_Representatives of the United States|The United States House of Representatives]] passed ''The Nowruz Resolution'' (H.Res. 267), by a 384-2 vote,<ref>[http://www.niacouncil.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1683&Itemid=2 ''House Passes Historic Norooz (sic) Resolution''], National Iranian American Council, Monday, 15 March 2010.</ref> "Recognizing the cultural and historical significance of Nowruz, ... .".<ref>[http://www.gop.gov/bill/111/1/hres267 Legislative Digest, GOP.gov], H.Res. 267.</ref>

==Etymology==

'Nowruz' comes from two words, '''now''' (or a similar term, such as 'nau' or 'nav', with the sounds 'n' and 'v' or 'w'), meaning ''new'' in [[Persian language|Persian]], [[Kurdish language|Kurdish]], [[Avestan language|Avestan]], [[Sanskrit]] and several other related [[Indo-European language|Indo-European]] languages. In fact, the English 'new', the German 'neu', the French 'nouveau', the Romanian 'nou', are intimately related to the [[Indo-Iranian language|Indo-Iranian]] 'now', and '''roz''' or '''ruz''' or '''rozh''', meaning ''day'' in [[Middle Persian language|Middle Persian]] and [[Persian language|Persian]] languages.

==Nowruz and the spring equinox==
{{Mainarticle|Equinox}}
[[Image:Earth-lighting-equinox EN.png|240px|thumb|right|Illumination of the Earth by the Sun on the day of equinox, (ignoring twilight).]]The first day on the [[Iranian calendar]] falls on the [[Equinox|March equinox]], the first day of spring. At the time of the equinox, the sun is observed to be directly over the [[equator]], and the north and south poles of the Earth lie along the [[terminator (solar)|solar terminator]]; sunlight is evenly divided between the north and south [[Sphere|hemispheres]].

In ca. 11 century CE major reforms of Iranian calenders took place and whose principal purpose was to fix the beginning of the calendar year, i.e. Nowrūz, at the vernal equinox. Accordingly, the definition of Nowruz given by the Iranian scientist [[Nasīr_al-Dīn_al-Tūsī|Ṭūsī]] was the following: "the first day of the official new year [Nowruz] was always the day on which the sun entered [[Aries_(astrology)|Aries]] before noon".<ref> R. Abdollahy, [http://www.iranica.com/newsite/articles/unicode/v4f6/v4f6a073.html ''CALENDARS ii. Islamic period''], in [[Encyclopaedia Iranica]], Vol. 4, London-Newyork, 1990.</ref>

==History and tradition==
===Tradition and mythology===
[[File:Nowruz Zoroastrian.jpg|thumb|left|250px|[[Bas-relief]] in [[Persepolis]] - a symbol [[Zoroastrism|Zoroastrian]] Nowruz - in day of a spring [[equinox]] power of eternally fighting bull (personifying the [[Earth]]), and a lion (personifying the [[Sun]]), are equal]]
The celebration has its roots in [[Ancient Iran]]. Due to its antiquity, there exist various foundation myths for Nowruz in [[Iranian mythology]]. In the Zoroastrian tradition, the seven most important Zoroastrian festivals are the six [[Zoroastrian festivals#Gahambars|Gahambars]] and Nowruz, which occurs at the [[spring equinox]]. According to the late Professor [[Mary Boyce]],<ref>[http://www.iranica.com/newsite/articles/v9f5/v9f553a.html#i Encyclopedia Iranica, "Festivals: Zoroastrian" Boyce, Mary]</ref>{{cquote|"It seems a reasonable surmise that Nowruz, the holiest of them all, with deep doctrinal significance, was founded by [[Zoroaster]] himself''}} Between sunset of the day of the 6th [[Gahanbar]] and sunrise of Nowruz was celebrated Hamaspathmaedaya (later known, in its extended form, as Frawardinegan). This and the [[Gahanbar]] are the only festivals named in the surviving text of the [[Avesta]].

The [[Shahnameh]], dates Nowruz as far back to the reign of [[Jamshid]], who in [[Zoroastrian]] texts saved mankind from a killer winter that was destined to kill every living creature<ref>Moazami, M. "The Legend of the Flood in Zoroastrian Tradition." Persica 18: 55-74, (2002)[http://poj.peeters-leuven.be/content.php?url=issue&journal_code=PERS&issue=0&vol=18 Document Details]</ref>. The mythical Persian King [[Jamshid]] (Yima or Yama of the [[Proto-Indo-Iranian religion|Indo-Iranian]] lore) perhaps symbolizes the transition of the Indo-Iranians from animal hunting to [[animal husbandry]] and a more settled life in human history. In the [[Shahnameh]] and [[Iranian mythology]], he is credited with the foundation of Nowruz. In the [[Shahnama]], [[Jamshid]] constructed a throne studded with gems. He had demons raise him above the earth into the heavens; there he sat on his throne like the sun shining in the sky. The world's creatures gathered in wonder about him and scattered jewels around him, and called this day the New Day or No/Now-Ruz. This was the first day of the month of Farvardin (the first month of the Persian calendar).<ref>[http://www.amazon.com/Shahnameh-Persian-Kings-Abolqasem-Ferdowsi/dp/0670034851 Shahnameh:a new translation by Dick Davis, Viking Adult, 2006. pg 7]</ref>

The [[Persian people|Persian]] scholar [[Abu Rayhan Biruni]] of the 10th century A.D., in his [[Persian Language|Persian]] work "Kitab al-Tafhim li Awa'il Sina'at al-Tanjim" provides a description of the calendar of various nations. Besides the Persian calendar, various festivals of Arabs, Jews, Sabians, Greeks and other nations are mentioned in this book. In the section on the Persian calendar(تقویم پارسیان), he mentions Nowruz, [[Sadeh]], [[Tiregan]], [[Mehregan]], the six [[Gahanbar]], Parvardegaan, Bahmanja, Isfandarmazh and several other festivals. According to him: ''It is the belief of the Persians that Nowruz marks the first day when the universe started its motion.''<ref>
برگرفته از: «گنجينه‌ي سخن»، تأليف دكتر ذبيح الله صفا، انتشارات اميركبير، 1370، جلد يكم، ص 292
Original excerpt:
نخستين روز است از فروردين ماه و از اين جهت، روز نو نام كرده‌اند؛ زيرا كه پيشاني سال نو است و آن چه از پس اوست از اين پنج روز [= پنج روز اول فروردين] همه جشن‌هاست. و ششم فروردين ماه را «نوروز بزرگ» دارند؛ زيرا كه خسروان بدان پنج روز حق‌هاي حشم و گروهان و بزرگان بگزاردندي و حاجت‌ها روا كردني، آن گاه بدين روز ششم خلوت كردندي خاصگان را. و اعتقاد پارسيان اندر نوروز نخستين آن است كه اول روزي است از زمانه و بدو، فلك آغازيد گشتن.</ref>. The Persian historian [[Gardizi|Abu Saʿīd Gardēzī]]<ref>GARDĪZĪ,ABŪ SAʿĪD ʿABD-al-ḤAYY b. Żaḥḥāk b. Maḥmūd in Encyclopedia Iranica by C. EDMUND BOSWORTH [http://www.iranica.com/newsite/index.isc?Article=http://www.iranica.com/newsite/articles/unicode/v10f3/v10f392.html]</ref> in his work titled ''Zayn al-Akhbā'' under the section of the Zoroastrians festivals mentions Nowruz (among other festivals) and specifically points out that [[Zoroaster]] highly emphasized the celebration of Nowruz and [[Mehregan]]<ref>Tārīkh-i Gardīzī / taʾlīf, Abū Saʻīd ʻAbd al-Ḥayy ibn Zahāk ibn Maḥmūd Gardīzī ; bih taṣḥīḥ va taḥshiyah va taʻlīq, ʻAbd al-Ḥayy Ḥabībī. Tihrān : Dunyā-yi Kitāb, 1363 [1984 or 1985]. excerpt from page 520:
مهرگان بزرگ باشد، و بعضی از مغان چنین گویند: که این فیروزی فریدون بر بیوراسپ، رام روز بودست از مهرماه، و زردشت که مغان او را به پیغمبری دارند، ایشان را فرموده است بزرگ داشتن این روز، و روز نوروز را. </ref>.

The Kurdish version of Newroz is the Legend of [[Kaveh|Kawe]] the Blacksmith which similar to the story in the [[Shahnameh]]. Which says that once upon a time there was an evil king named [[Zahak|Dehak]]. The king and his kingdom were cursed because of his wickedness. The sun refused to shine and it was impossible to grow any food. The king Dehak had the added curse of having two snakes attached to his shoulders. When the snakes were hungry he was in great pain, and the only thing that would satisfy the hunger of the snakes were the brains of children. So every day, two of the children from the local villages were killed and their brains fed to the snakes. [[Kaveh|Kawe]] was the local blacksmith and hated the king, as 16 of his 17 children had been sacrificed for the King’s snakes. When he received word that his last child, a daughter, was to be killed he came up with a plan to save her. Instead of sacrificing his daughter, [[Kaveh|Kawe]] had sacrificed a sheep and had given the sheep’s brain to the King. The difference was not noticed. When others heard of Kawe’s trickery they all did the same; at night they would send their children up to the mountains with [[Kaveh|Kawe]] where they would be safe. The children flourished in the mountains and Kawe created an army from the children to end the evil king’s reign. When their numbers were great enough, they came down from the mountains and stormed the castle. [[Kaveh|Kawe]] himself cast the fatal blow to the evil king, [[Zahak|Dehak]]. To tell the news to the people of Mesopotamia he built a large bonfire, which lit up the sky and cleansed the air of the evilness of [[Zahak|Dehak]]’s reign. That very morning, the sun began to shine again and the lands began to grow once more. This is the beginning of the “New Day” or Newroz (نه‌ورۆز)as it is spelled in Kurdish.

===History===
[[Image:Persepolis gifts.jpg|thumb|250px|[[Persepolis]] (Persian: تخت جمشید meaning the throne of [[Jamshid]]) all nations stair case. Notice the people from across the [[Achaemenid]] Persian Empire bringing gifts. Some scholars have associated the occasion to be either [[Mehregan]] or Nowruz<ref> Laura Foreman, "Alexander the Conqueror: The Epic Story of the Warrior King",Da Capo Press, 2004. pg 80: "The procession of the gift bearers was part of the annual New Year's rite in which [[Achaemenid]] monarchs renewed and reaffirmed their kingshp". [http://books.google.com/books?id=rVEa4nzLkT4C&pg=PA80&dq=renewed+and+reaffirmed+their+kingship&sig=3dJXRsxvibaqW6B-_-ngAo7rfls Alexander the Conqueror: The Epic Story of the Warrior King] J.M. Cook, 'The rise of the Achaemenids and establishment of their empire' in: Ilya Gershevitch (ed.): The Cambridge History of Iran, vol. II: The Median and Achaemenian Periods, 1985 Cambridge, page 237:''Darius built a great fortified terrace four miles to the south, at which he and some of his successors constructed palaces. This latter is what is known as Persepolis. It is sometimes asserted that the Kings went there for the New Year festival at the vernal Equinox and that the relief of Apadana are realistic representation of a procession that actually took place there, with delegations of all the subject people coming with their gifts.''</ref>.]]

Although it is not clear whether proto-Indo-Iranians celebrated a feast as the first day of the calendar, there are indications that both Iranians and Indians assumed the first day of autumn as the beginning of new year season. There are reasons that Iranians may have observed the beginning both autumn and spring.<ref name="Boyce"/>

Boyce and Grenet explain the traditions for seasonal festivals and comment:"It is possible that the splendor of the Babylonian festivities at this season led the Persians to develop their own spring festival into an established new year feast, with the name Navasarda 'New Year' (a name which, though first attested through Middle Persian derivatives, is attributed to the Achaemenian period). Since the communal observations of the ancient Iranians appear in general to have been a seasonal ones, it is probable, however, that they traditionally held festivals in both autumn and spring, to mark the major turning points of the natural year".<ref name="Boyce">A History of Zoroastrianism: Under the Achaemenians
By Mary Boyce, Frantz Grenet
Published by BRILL, 1982
ISBN 9004065067, 9789004065062, page 3-4</ref>

We have reasons to believe that the celebration is much older than that date and was surely celebrated by the people and royalty during the [[Achaemenid]] times (555-330 BC). It was, therefore, a highly auspicious occasion for the ancient [[Iranian peoples]]. It has been suggested that the famous [[Persepolis]] complex, or at least the palace of [[Apadana]] and the Hundred Columns Hall, were built for the specific purpose of celebrating Nowruz. Although, there may be no mention of Nowruz in recorded Achaemenid inscriptions (see picture)<ref name="Khodadad"/> There is a detailed account by [[Xenophon]] of Nowruz celebration taking place in Persepolis and the continuity of this festival in the Achaemenid tradition.<ref>Christopher Tuplin; Vincent Azoulay, ''Xenophon and His World: Papers from a Conference Held in Liverpool in July 1999'', Published by Franz Steiner Verlag, 2004, ISBN 3515083928, p.148.</ref> According to [[Britannica]], the Jewish festival of [[Purim]], is probably adopted from the Persian New Year. <ref Name="Britannica"> {{cite web
| last = The Judaic tradition » Jewish myth and legend » Sources and development » Myth and legend in the Persian period
| first =
| title = Encyclopaedia Britannica
| url = http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/307197/Judaism/35340/Sources-and-development#ref=ref299743
| accessdate = 2009-03-21}}
</ref>

Nowruz was the holiday of [[Parthian Empire|Arsacid]]/[[Parthian Empire|Parthia]]n dynastic Empires who ruled Iran (248 BC-224 AD). There are specific references to the celebration of Nowruz during the reign of [[Vologases I]] (51-78 AD), but these include no details.<ref name="Khodadad"> {{cite web
| last = Rezakhani
| first = Khodadad
| title = Nowruz in History
| url = http://www.iranologie.com/history/nowruz-hist.html
| accessdate = 2008-03-21}}</ref> Before [[Sassanids]] established their power in West Asia around 300 AD, [[Parthians]] celebrated Nowruz in Autumn and 1st of [[Farvardin]] began at the Autumn Equinox. During Parthian dynasty the Spring Festival was [[Mehragan]], a [[Zoroastrian]] and Iranian festival celebrated in honor of [[Mithra]].<ref>John R. Hinnells, "Mithraic studies: proceedings", Edition: illustrated, Published by Manchester University Press ND, 1975, ISBN 0719005361, 9780719005367, Page 307</ref>

Extensive records on the celebration of Nowruz appear following the accession of [[Ardashir I of Persia]], the founder of the [[Sassanid dynasty]] (224-651 AD). Under the Sassanid emperors, Nowruz was celebrated as the most important day of the year. Most royal traditions of Nowruz such as royal audiences with the public, cash gifts, and the pardoning of prisoners, were established during the Sassanian era and persisted unchanged until modern times.

Nowruz, along with [[Sadeh]] (celebrated in mid-winter), survived in society following the introduction of Islam in 650 AD. Other celebrations such [[Gahanbar]] and [[Mehragan]] were eventually side-lined or were only followed by the [[Zoroastrians]], who carried them. There are records of the Four Great Caliphs presiding over Nowruz celebrations, and it was adopted as the main royal holiday during the [[Abbasid]] period.

In his work titled the Nowruznama, [[Omar Khayyam]], a well known [[Persian literature|Persian poet]] and [[Mathematician]] provides a vivid description of the celebration in the courts of the Kings of [[Persia]]<ref>Umar ibn Ibrahim Khayyam ; bih kushish-i ʻAli Ḥuṣuri., "Nowruznamah", Tehran : Nashr-i Chashmah, 1379 [2000]. Original Persian excerpt:آئین ملوک عجم از گاه کی‌خسرو تا به روزگار یزدجرد شهریار که آخرین ملوک عجم بود، چنان بوده است که روز نوروز نخست کس از مردمان بیگانه، موبد موبدان پیش ملک آمدی با جام زرین پر می و انگشتری و درمی و دیناری خسروانی و یک دسته خوید سبز رسته و شمشیری و تیرکمان و دوات و قلم و اسپی و بازی و غلامی خوب‌روی و ستایش نمودی و نیایش کردی او را به زبان پارسی به عبارت ایشان. چون موبد موبدان از آفرین بپرداختی، پس بزرگان دولت آمدندی و خدمت‌ها پیش آوردندی. آن‌چه که موبد موبدان به شاه می‌گوید، : شها، به جشن فروردین به ماه فروردین، به آزادی گزین یزدان و دین کیان، سروش آورد تو را دانائی و بینائی به کاردانی و دی‌زی و با خوی هژیر و شادباش بر تخت زرین و انوشه خور به جام جمشید و رسم نیاکان در همت بلند و نیکوکاری و ورزش داد و راستی نگاه‌دار، سرت سبزباد و جوانی چو خوید، اسپت کامکار و پیروز و تیغت روشن و کاری به دشمن و بازت گیرا و خجسته به درم و دینار، پیشت هنری و دانا گرامی و درم خوار و سرایت آباد و زندگانی بسیار</ref>:
{{cquote|From the era of Keykhosrow till the days of Yazdegard, last of the pre-Islamic kings of [[Persia]], the royal custom was thus: on the first day of the New Year, Now Ruz, the King's first visitor was the High [[Mobad]] of the [[Zoroastrians]], who brought with him as gifts a golden goblet full of wine, a ring, some gold coins, a fistful of green sprigs of wheat, a sword, and a bow. In the language of Persia he would then glorify God and praise the monarch.. This was the address of the High [[Mobad]] to the king : "O [[Shah|Majesty]], on this feast of the [[Equinox]], first day of the first month of the year, seeing that thou hast freely chosen God and the Faith of the Ancient ones; may [[Sraosha|Surush]], the Angel-messenger, grant thee wisdom and insight and sagacity in thy affairs. Live long in praise, be happy and fortunate upon thy golden throne, drink immortality from the Cup of [[Jamshid]]; and keep in solemn trust the customs of our ancestors, their noble aspirations, fair gestures and the exercise of justice and righteousness. May thy soul flourish; may thy youth be as the new-grown grain; may thy horse be puissant, victorious; thy sword bright and deadly against foes; thy hawk swift against its prey; thy every act straight as the arrow's shaft. Go forth from thy rich throne, conquer new lands. Honor the craftsman and the sage in equal degree; disdain the acquisition of wealth. May thy house prosper and thy life be long!"}}

Following the demise of the Caliphate and the subsequent re-emergence of Persian dynasties such as the [[Samanids]] and [[Buyids]], Nowruz was elevated to an even more important event. The Buyids revived the ancient traditions of Sassanian times and restored many smaller celebrations that had been eliminated by the [[Caliphate]]. Even the [[Turkic peoples|Turkic]] and [[Mongol]] invaders did not attempt to abolish Nowruz in favor of any other celebration. Thus, Nowruz remained as the main celebration in the [[Persian people|Persian]] lands by both the officials and the people.

==Local variations==
Today, the festival of Nowruz is celebrated in many countries that were territories of, or influenced by, the [[Persian Empire]]: [[Iran]], Various [[Iranian Peoples]] including [[Newroz as celebrated by Kurds|Kurds]], [[Afghanistan]], parts of the Middle East, as well as in the former Soviet republics of [[Tajikistan]], [[Uzbekistan]], [[Azerbaijan]], [[Turkmenistan]], [[Kazakhstan]], and [[Kyrgyzstan]]. It is also celebrated by the Zoroastrians as well by certain Iranic inhabitants in [[Pakistan]]'s [[Chitral]] region and [[Northern Areas]]. It is also celebrated by the Iranian immigrants from [[Shiraz]] in [[Zanzibar]].<ref>{{cite news | last =Rostami | first =Hoda | title =Yek Jahan Noruz (meaning: Worldwide Nowruz) |newspaper =Saman (Publication of Iranian National Tax Administration) |issue=23 |date=2007-03-17}}</ref> it is called ''Nevruz'' in [[Turkic language|Turkic]], [[Uyghur people|Uyghur]]s who live in Northwestern China call it "Noruz", and it is called ''Sultan Nevruz'' in [[Albanian language|Albanian]]. In some remote communities located in parts of western Iran, the holiday is referred to as ''Nuroj'', which literally means ''New Day'' in the [[Kurdish language]].

===Nowruz around the world===
Nowruz is celebrated in [[Greater Iran]], [[Caucasus]], [[Central Asia]] and by Iranians worldwide. It is a public holiday in [[Iran]], [[Tajikistan]] <ref>[http://www.bbc.co.uk/persian/tajikistan/story/2006/03/060320_ag-norouz-pics.shtml BBCPersian.com]</ref>, [[Afghanistan]], [[Azerbaijan]], [[Turkmenistan]] <ref>[http://www.rferl.org/featuresarticle/2006/03/86AFE190-45DF-4C9D-AF81-3A3158C6D595.html Turkmen President Urges Youth To Read 'Rukhnama']</ref>, [[Uzbekistan]] <ref>[http://www.eurasianet.org/resource/uzbekistan/hypermail/200303/0023.shtml UZBEK PRESIDENT SAYS HUSSEIN MUST BE DISARMED]</ref>, [[Kashmir]] <ref>[http://www.kashland.com kashland.com]</ref>,
and [[Kyrgyzstan]] <ref>[http://www.payvand.com/news/06/mar/1225.html Norouz in Kyrgyzstan ]</ref>. Also the [[Canada|Canadian]] parliament by unanimous consent, has passed a bill to add Nowruz to the national calendar of Canada, on March 30, 2009.<ref name="PRESSTV">{{Cite web| url =http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=90377&sectionid=3510212 | title = Canada parliament recognizes 'Nowruz Day'| accessdate = 4 April 2009| date = 3 April 2009| publisher = PRESS TV}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web| url =http://www2.parl.gc.ca/HousePublications/Publication.aspx?Docid=3761904&file=4 | title = BILL C-342| accessdate = 4 April 2009| publisher = House of Commons of Canada}}</ref>

In [[Albania]] ''Sultan Nevruz'' is celebrated as a mainly mystical day by the [[Bektashi]] sect, and there are special ceremonies in the [[Tekke]] led by the clergy and large meals are served there. They celebrate this day as the birthday of [[Ali]]. Also all Albanians celebrate a secular version of Nowruz, called Spring Day. Nowruz is also celebrated by [[Kurdish people|Kurds]] in [[Iraq]]<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/in_pictures/4829542.stm In pictures: Norouz - New Year festival]</ref> and [[Turkey]]<ref>[http://www.dailystar.com.lb/article.asp?edition_id=10&categ_id=2&article_id=23126 Clashes erupt at Turkey's Dita e Verës. spring festival]</ref> as well as by [[Parsis]] in the [[Indian subcontinent]].

Other notable celebrations take place by [[Iranian people|Iranian]]s around the world, such as [[Los Angeles]], [[Toronto]], [[Cologne]] and in [[United Kingdom]], mainly in [[London]] <ref>[http://www.bbc.co.uk/persian/arts/story/2006/03/060317_l-7th-norouz-london.shtml BBCPersian.com]</ref>.

But because Los Angeles is prone to devastating fires, there are very strict fire codes in the city. No fires are allowed even on one's own property. Usually, Iranians living in Southern California go to the beaches to celebrate the event where it is permissible to build fires.<ref>[http://www.azer.com/aiweb/categories/magazine/22_folder/22_articles/22_noruz.html Novruz... Celebration That Would Not Die]</ref>

Attempts to suppress Nowruz following the [[Iranian Revolution]] met with very little success.<ref>New York Times, March 20, 2006, Ayatollahs Aside, Iranians Jump for Joy at Spring
By MICHAEL SLACKMAN; NAZILA FATHI CONTRIBUTED REPORTING FROM TEHRAN FOR THIS ARTICLE [http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C00EFDB1F31F933A15750C0A9609C8B63&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=all]</ref>

In Afghanistan during the reign of the Taliban, Nowruz was banned until 2001 where it came back as popular as it was before the Taliban.<ref> http://usembassy-israel.org.il/publish/peace/archives/2002/march/032109.html</ref>

It is also a holy day for [[Alawites]]<ref name="i-cias.com"/>, [[Alevis]], and adherents of the [[Bahá'í Faith]].<ref name="bahai_calendar"/>

===Nowruz celebration in Iran===
[[Image:HaftSeen2.JPG|thumb|right|249px|A Haft sin table in [[Tehran]].]]
Nowruz is the most important holiday in Iran. Preparations for Nowruz begin in the month Esfand (or Espand), the last month of winter in the [[Persian calendar|Persian solar calendar]].

====Spring cleaning and visiting one another ====

{{See|Spring cleaning}}
Spring cleaning, or ''Khouneh Tekouni'' (literally means 'shaking the house') or 'complete cleaning of the house' is commonly performed before Nowruz. Persians (Iranians and Tajiks) and other groups (Kurds, Armenians, Azarbaijanis and Balochs) start preparing for the Nowruz with a major spring-cleaning of their houses, the purchase of new clothes to wear for the new year and the purchase of flowers (in particular the [[hyacinth (plant)|hyacinth]] and the [[tulip]] are popular and conspicuous).

In association with the "rebirth of nature", extensive spring-cleaning is a national tradition observed by almost every household in Iran. This is also extended to personal attire, and it is customary to buy at least one set of new clothes. On the New Year's Day, families dress in their new clothes and start the twelve-day celebrations by visiting the elders of their family, then the rest of their family and finally their friends. On the thirteenth day families leave their homes and picnic outdoors.

During the Nowruz holidays, people are expected to visit one another (mostly limited to families, friends and neighbors) in the form of short house visits, which are usually reciprocated. Typically, on the first day of Nowruz, family members gather around the table, with the ''Haft Seen'' on the table or set next to it, and await the exact moment of the arrival of the spring. At that time gifts are exchanged. Later in the day, the first house visits are paid to the most senior family members. Typically, the youth will visit the elders first, and the elders return their visit later. When in previous year, a family member is deceased, the tradition is to visit that family first (among the elders). The visits naturally have to be relatively short, otherwise one will not be able to visit everybody on their list. A typical visit is around 30 minutes, where you often run into other visiting relatives and friends who happen to be paying a visit to the same house at that time. Because of the house visits, you make sure you have a sufficient supply of pastry, cookies, fresh and dried fruits and special nuts on hand, as you typically serve your visitors with these items with tea or sherbet. Many Iranians will throw large Nowruz parties in a central location as a way of dealing with the long distances between groups of friends and family.

Some Nowruz celebrants believe that whatever a person does on Nowruz will affect the rest of the year. So, if a person is warm and kind to their relatives, friends and neighbors on Nowruz, then the new year will be a good one. On the other hand, if there are fights and disagreements, the year will be a bad one.

It is customary to visit the cemeteries in last Thursday night of the year or in last Friday morning and read the [[Sura]] [[Al-Fatiha]] for the passed members of the family,friends or any other deceased ones in the cemetery.

One tradition that may not be very widespread (that is, it may belong to only a few families){{Citation needed|date=March 2009}} is to place something sweet, such as honey or candy, in a safe place outside overnight. On the first morning of the new year, the first person up brings the sweet stuff into the house as another means of attaining a good new year.

====Chahārshanbe Sūrī====

{{Main|Chaharshanbe Suri}}

[[Image:Chehel-sotoon chahar shanbe suri.jpg|thumb|right|250px|[[Chehel Sotoun]]'s Wall painting, that dates back to the [[Safavid]] era, depicts a [[Chaharshanbe Suri]] celebration.]]
The night before the last Wednesday of the year is celebrated by the Iranian people as ''Chahârshanbe Sûrî'' ([[Persian language|Persian]]: چهارشنبه سوری, {{lang-az|Od çərşənbəsi}}, {{lang-ku|Çarşema Sor}}<ref>[http://www.netkurd.org/nuce_bixwine.asp?id=11642] Among the Yazidis, this festival is celebrated on the first Wednesday of Nisan (April) which marks the first day of their new year (rather than March 21st). It is also called ''Cejna Sersal''(New Year's Feast)[http://www.berbang.org/berbang/carsema_sor.htm]</ref><ref>[http://www.yek-dem.com/IMAGES/R9-79.pdf]</ref>, چوارشه‌مه‌ سوورێ meaning ''red Wednesday''), the Iranian festival of fire. This festival is the celebration of the light (the good) winning over the darkness (the bad); the symbolism behind the rituals are all rooted back to [[Zoroastrianism]].

The tradition includes people going into the streets and alleys to make bonfires, and jump over them while singing the traditional song ''Zardî-ye man az (ane) to, sorkhî-ye to az (ane) man'' ("az-ane to" means belongs to you); This literally translates to "My yellowness is yours, your redness is mine," with the figurative message "My paleness (pain, sickness) for you (the fire), your strength (health) for me." The fire is believed to burn out all the fear (yellowness) in their subconscious or their spirit, in preparation for new year.

Serving different kinds of pastry and nuts known as '''Ajīl-e Moshkel-Goshā''' (lit. ''problem-solving nuts'') is the ''Chahārshanbe Sūrī'' way of giving thanks for the previous year's health and happiness, while exchanging any remaining paleness and evil for the warmth and vibrancy of the fire.

According to tradition, the living are visited by the spirit of their ancestors on the last days of the year, and many children wrap themselves in shrouds, symbolically re-enacting the visits. They also run through the streets banging on pots and pans with spoons and knocking on doors to ask for treats. The ritual is called qashogh-zany (spoon beating) and symbolizes the beating out of the last unlucky Wednesday of the year ( See also [[Trick-or-treating]]).

There are several other traditions on this night, including: the rituals of ''Kūze Shekastan'', the breaking of earthen jars which symbolically hold one's bad fortune; the ritual of ''[[Fal-Gûsh]]'' (lit.[[Divination]] by ear), or inferring one's future from the conversations of those passing by<ref name="Encyclopædia Iranica DIVINATION">{{cite encyclopedia |last=OMIDSALAR |first=MAHMOUD | title= DIVINATION | encyclopedia=Encyclopedia Iranica | accessdate=2009-04-05|url=http://www.iranica.com/newsite/index.isc?Article=http://www.iranica.com/newsite/articles/unicode/v7f4/v7f482.html}}</ref>; and the ritual of ''Gereh-goshā’ī'', making a knot in the corner of a handkerchief or garment and asking the first passerby to unravel it in order to remove ones misfortune.

====''Haft Sīn''====
{{Main|Haft-Sin}}
'''Haft Sīn''' (هفت سین) or the seven 'S's is a major tradition of Nowruz. The haft sin table includes seven specific items starting with the letter 'S' or ''Sīn'' (س) in the [[Persian alphabet]]. The items symbolically correspond to seven creations and holy immortals called [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amesha_Spenta Amesha Sepanta] protecting them. The seven elements of Life, namely Fire, Earth, Water, Air, Plants, Animals, and Human, are represented. They also have Astrological correlations to five planets Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, and Sun and Moon. With the advent of Islam the word Amesha Sepanta shortened to and eventually was remembered by just the letter S and the number 7. The ''Haft Sin'' has evolved over time, but has kept its symbolism. Traditionally, families attempt to set as beautiful a ''Haft Sīn'' table as they can, as it is not only of traditional and spiritual value, but also noticed by visitors during Nowruzi visitations and is a reflection of their good taste.
[[Image:HaftSin-Iran.jpg|thumb|right|250px|Haft-Sin]]

The ''Haft Sīn'' items are:
* ''sabzeh'' - [[wheat]], [[barley]] or [[lentil]] sprouts growing in a dish - symbolizing rebirth
* ''[[samanu]]'' - a sweet pudding made from [[wheat germ]] - symbolizing affluence
* ''senjed'' - the dried fruit of the [[Elaeagnus angustifolia|oleaster]] tree - symbolizing love
* ''sīr'' - [[garlic]] - symbolizing medicine
* ''sīb'' - [[apple]]s - symbolizing beauty and health
* ''somaq'' - [[sumac]] berries - symbolizing (the color of) sunrise
* ''serkeh'' - [[vinegar]] - symbolizing age and patience

Other items on the table may include:
* ''Sonbol'' - [[Hyacinth (plant)]]
* ''Sekkeh'' - [[Coins]] - representative of wealth
* traditional Iranian pastries such as [[Baklava|baghlava]], [[White Mulberry|toot]], naan-nokhodchi
* ''Aajeel'' - dried nuts, berries and raisins
* lit [[candle]]s (enlightenment and happiness)
* a [[mirror]] (symbolizing cleanness and honesty)
* [[Egg decorating|decorated eggs]], sometimes one for each member of the family (fertility)
* a bowl of water with [[goldfish]] (life within life, and the sign of [[Pisces (astrology)|Pisces]] which the sun is leaving). As an essential object of the Nowruz table, this [[goldfish]] is also "very ancient and meaningful" and with Zoroastrian connection.<ref>A. Shahbazi, [http://www.iranica.com/newsite/articles/unicode/v11f5/v11f5016.html "Haft Sin"]], Encyclopaedia Iranica, Vol 11, London, Newyork, 2003.</ref>
* [[rosewater]], believed to have magical cleansing powers
* the [[flag of Iran|national colours]], for a patriotic touch
* a holy book (e.g., the [[Avesta]], [[Qur'an]], [[Bible]], [[Torah]], or [[Kitáb-i-Aqdas]]) and/or a poetry book (almost always either the [[Shahnama]] or the Divan of [[Hafez]])

====Haji Firouz====
{{Main|Haji firouz}}
[[File:HajjiFiruz.JPG|thumb|200px|Haji Firuz in [[Tehran]]]]
The traditional herald of the Nowruz season is a man called Hājī Fīrūz (or Khwāja Pīrūz). He symbolizes the rebirth of the [[Sumerian religion|Sumerian]] god of sacrifice, Domuzi, who was killed at the end of each year and reborn at the beginning of the New Year.

He usually uses face paint to make his skin black (black is an ancient Persian symbol of good luck—maybe from their black bird) and wears a red costume. Then he sings and dances through the streets with tambourines and trumpets spreading good cheer and heralds the coming of the New Year. [[Mehrdad Bahar]], Iranologist, suggests in his book that this borrowing of the Domuzi/Tammuz tradition from the ancient non-Iranian civilizations in Mesopotamia happened with the arrival of the Iranian tribes to the western parts of the Iranian Plateau at the beginning of the 1st millennium BC. This borrowing, according to Bahar, may be true for the whole Nowruz tradition itself as Indo-Iranian tribes before that did not have this tradition while the civilizations of Mesopotamia did. This later spread to all areas where Iranian culture was present, but was lost by the non-Iranian cultures of Mesopotamia.

====New Year dishes====
* ''[[Sabzi polo|Sabzi Polo]] Mahi'': The New Year's Day traditional meal is called Sabzi Polo Mahi, which is [[rice]] with green herbs served with fish. The traditional seasoning for Sabzi Polo are [[parsley]], [[coriander]], [[chives]], [[dill]] and [[fenugreek]].
* ''Reshteh Polo'': rice cooked with noodles which is said to symbolically help one succeed in life.
* ''[[Dolma|Dolme]] Barg'' : A traditional dish of Azeri people, cooked just before the new year. It includes some vegetables, meat and [[cotyledon]] which have been cooked and embedded in vine leaf and cooked again. It is considered useful in reaching to wishes.
* ''Kookoo sabzi'' : Herbs and vegetable souffle, traditionally served for dinner at New Year. A light and fluffy omelet style made from parsley, dill, coriander, [[spinach]], [[spring onion]] ends, and chives, mixed with eggs and [[walnut]].

====Sizdah Bedar====
{{Main|Sizdah Bedar}}
The thirteenth day of the new year festival is [[Sizdah Bedar]] (literally meaning "passing the thirteenth day", figuratively meaning "Passing the bad luck of the thirteenth day"). This is a day of festivity in the open, often accompanied by music and dancing, usually at family picnics.

''Sizdah bedar'' celebrations stem from the ancient Persians' belief that the twelve constellations in the [[Zodiac]] controlled the months of the year, and each ruled the earth for a thousand years at the end of which the sky and earth collapsed in chaos. Hence Nowruz lasts twelve days and the thirteenth day represents the time of chaos when families put order aside and avoid the bad luck associated with the number thirteen by going outdoors and having picnics and parties.

At the end of the celebrations on this day, the ''sabzeh'' grown for the ''Haft Seen'' (which has symbolically collected all sickness and bad luck) is thrown into running water to exorcise the demons (''divs'') from the household. It is also customary for young single women to tie the leaves of the ''sabzeh'' before discarding it, so expressing a wish to be married before the next year's ''Sizdah Bedar''. Another tradition associated with this day is ''Dorugh-e Sizdah'', literally meaning "the lie of the thirteenth", which is the process of lying to someone and making them believe it (similar to [[April Fools Day]]).

===Nowruz in Afghanistan===
[[Image:Sumalak navruz tajik.jpg|thumb|250px|Cooking [[samanu]] (or ''samanak'') is a Nowruz tradition in Iran, Afghanistan and Tajikistan]]
In [[Afghanistan]], Nowroz festival is traditionally celebrated for 2 weeks. Preparations for Nowroz start several days beforehand, at least after [[Chaharshanbe Suri]], the last Wednesday before the New Year. Among various traditions and customs, the most important ones are:

* '''Haft Mēwa''': In Afghanistan, they prepare ''Haft Mēwa'' (''Seven Fruits'') instead of ''Haft Sin'' which is common in Iran. Haft Mewa is like a [[Fruit salad]] made from 7 different [[Dried fruit]]s, served in their own [[syrup]]. The 7 dried fruits are: [[Raisin]], ''Senjed'' (the dried fruit of the [[Elaeagnus angustifolia|oleaster]] tree), [[Pistachio]], [[Common Hazel|Hazelnut]], [[Prune (fruit)|Prune]] (dry fruit of [[Apricot]]), [[Walnut]] and whether [[Almond]] or another species of [[Plum]] fruit.
* '''[[Samanak]]''': It is a special type of sweet dish made from [[Cereal germ|Wheat germ]]. Women take a special party for it during the night, and cook it from late in the evening till the daylight, singing a special song: ''Samanak dar Josh o mā Kafcha zanem - Degarān dar Khwāb o mā Dafcha zanem''
* '''Mēla-e Gul-e Surkh''' ({{lang-fa|ميله‌ى گل سرخ}}): The Guli Surkh festival which literally means ''Red Flower Festival'' (referring to the red [[Tulip]] flowers) is an old festival celebrated only in [[Mazari Sharif]] during the first 40 days of the year when the Tulip flowers grow. People travel from different parts of the country to Mazar in order to attend the festival. It is celebrated along with the ''Jahenda Bālā'' ceremony which is a specific religious ceremony performed in the holy blue mosque of Mazar that is believed (mostly by [[Sunnite]] Afghans) to be the site of the tomb of [[Ali ibn Abi Talib]], the fourth caliph of Islam. The ceremony is performed by raising a special banner (whose color configuration resembles [[Derafsh Kaviani]]) in the blue mosque in the first day of year (i.e. Nowroz). The Guli Surkh party continues with other special activities among people in the [[Tulip]] fields and around the blue mosque for 40 days.
* '''[[Buzkashi]]''': Along with other customs and celebrations, normally a [[Buzkashi]] tournament is held. The Buzkashi matches take place in northern cities of Afghanistan and in Kabul.
* '''Special cuisines''': People cook special types of dishes for Nowroz, especially on the eve of Nowroz. Normally they cook ''Sabzi Chalaw'', a dish made from [[rice]] and [[spinach]], separately. Moreover, the bakeries prepare a special type of [[cookie]], called ''Kulcha-e Nowrozī'', which is only baked for Nowroz. Another dish which is prepared mostly for the Nowroz days is ''Māhī wa Jelabī'' (''Fried Fish and Jelabi'') and it is the most often meal in picnics. In Afghanistan, it is a common custom among the [[Engagement|affianced]] families that the fiancé's family give presents to or prepare special dishes for the fiancée's family on special occasions such as in the two [[Eid]]s, [[Mid-Sha'ban|Barā'at]] and in Nowroz. Hence, the special dish for Nowroz is ''Māhī wa Jelabī''.
* '''Sightseeing to [[Cercis]] fields''': The citizens of [[Kabul]] go to [[Istalif]], [[Charikar]] or other green places around where the [[Cercis]] flowers grow. They go for picnic with their families during the first 2 weeks of New Year.
* '''Jashni Dehqān''': Jashni Dehqan means ''The Festival of Farmers''. It is celebrated in the first day of year, in which the farmers walk in the cities as a sign of encouragement for the agricultural productions. In recent years, this activity is being performed only in Kabul and other major cities, in which the mayor and other high governmental personalities participate for watching and observing.

====Nowruz celebrations by Pashtuns====
[[Pashtun people|Pashtuns]] celebrate '''Newai Kaal''' ({{lang-ps|نوى كال}}, meaning "new year") on the March equinox, which is considered the first day of spring. The festival of '''Newai Khwazun''' ({{lang-ps|نوى خوځون}}, literally meaning "new movement"), traditionally celebrated by [[Kuchi people|Pashtun nomads]] when they migrate to their summer pastures, also falls on this day.

===Newroj in Kurdistan===
{{Main|Newroz as celebrated by Kurds}}
[[Image:Newroz Istanbul(4).jpg|thumb|right|250px|"Churshama Kulla" is the tradition where people jump over the fire. It is celebrated as a national emblem in [[Kurdistan]]. In this Picture Kurds in Istanbul celebrate Newroz through coming together and showing their cultural unity.]]
[[File:Zakia Alkan 1.jpg|thumb|250px|A statue of Zakia Alkan, the women who set herself on fire to protest the Turkish ban on Nowruz, [[Sulaymaniyah]].]]
Although the Kurds celebrate Nowruz, it was not however until 2005 that Kurdish population of Turkey could celebrate their new year openly.<ref>Zaki Chehab, ''Inside the resistance: the Iraqi insurgency and the future of the Middle East'', Published by Nation Books, 2005, ISBN 1560257466, p. 198</ref> "Thousands of people have been detained in Turkey, as the authorities take action against suspected supporters of the Kurdish rebel movement, the PKK.<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/300830.stm Turkish police arrest thousands]</ref>. The holiday is now official in Turkey after international pressure on the Turkish government to lift culture bans. Turkish government renamed the holiday ''Newroz'' in 1995, and reclaimed it as a ''Turkish'' holiday<ref>Marianne Heiberg, Brendan O'Leary, John Tirman. ''Terror, Insurgency, and the State: Ending Protracted Conflicts'', p. 337.</ref>.

The word 'Newroz' is [[Kurdish (language)|Kurdish]] for 'Nowruz'. The Kurds celebrate this feast between 18th till 21 March. It is one of the few ‘people's celebrations’ that has survived and predates all the major religious festivals. The holiday is considered by Kurds to be the single most important holiday of every year.

With this [[festival]] Kurds gather into the fairgrounds mostly outside the cities to welcome spring. Women wear colored dresses and spangled head scarves and young men wave flags of green, yellow and red, the colors of the Kurdish people. They hold this festival by lighting fire and dancing around it.<ref>[http://www.marcocavallini.it/kurdish.html Kurdistan turco]</ref>.

The main [[Kurdish language|Kurdish]] greeting that accompanies the festival is ''Newroz pîroz be!'' literally translating to ''Holy Newroz'', or, simply, ''Happy Newroz!''. Another greeting used is, ''Bijî Newroz!'', simply meaning ''Long live Newroz!''

Newroz is still largely considered as a potent symbol of Kurdish identity in Turkey. Newroz celebrations are usually organised by Kurdish cultural associations and pro-Kurdish political parties. Thus, the [[Democratic Society Party]] was a leading force in the organisation of the 2006 Newroz events throughout Turkey. In recent years the Newroz celebration gathers around 1 million participants in [[Diyarbakır]], the biggest city of the Kurdish dominated Southeastern Turkey. As the Kurdish Newroz celebrations in Turkey often are theater for political messages, the events are frequently criticized for being political rallies rather than cultural celebrations.

In other largely populated Kurdish regions in the Middle East including Iraq and Syria, similar celebrations are carried out with fire, dancing and music. In Iran, it is the most important festival of the whole year.

In [[Kurdistan]], jumping over the fire (known as Chuwarshama Kulla) happens on New Year's Eve (rather the last Tuesday of the year).

==Newroz in Kurdish literature==

Newroz has been mentioned in works of many Kurdish [[poet]]s and writers as well as [[musician]]s.<ref name="artists">{{cite web | year = 2000 | first = Martin | last = van Bruinessen | title = Transnational aspects of the Kurdish question | publisher = Robert Schuman Centre for Advanced Studies, European University Institute | location= Florence | url = http://www.let.uu.nl/~Martin.vanBruinessen/personal/publications/transnational_Kurds.htm}}</ref>
One of the earliest records of ''Newroz'' in [[Kurdish literature]] is from [[Melayê Cizîrî]] (1570–1640):<ref name="poem">{{cite web | first = Sandrine | last = Alexie | title = Newroz û Sersal (Newroz and New Year) | url = http://northerniraq.info/blog/?p=176 | accessdate = 2007-03-22 | date = 2007-03-21 | publisher = Roj Bash}}</ref>
:''Whithout the light and the fire of Love,''
:''Without the Designer and the power of Creator'',
:''We are not able to reach Union.''
:''(Light is for us and dark is the night)''

:''This fire massing and washing the Heart,''
:''My heart claim after it.''
:''And here come '''Newroz''' and the New Year,''
:''When a such light is rising.''

Also the famous Kurdish writer and poet [[Piramerd]] (1867–1950) writes in his 1948 poem Newroz:<ref name="poem">{{cite web | first = Kamal | last = Mirawdeli | title = The old man and the fire | url = http://www.kurdistanreferendum.org/writers/kamalmirawdeli/cultural-oldmanandfire.htm | accessdate = 2007-03-08 | date = 2005-03-21 | publisher = Kurdistan Referendum Movement}}</ref>
:''The New Year’s day is today. '''Newroz''' is back.''
:''An ancient Kurdish festival, with joy and verdure.''
:''For many years, the flower of our hopes was downtrodden''
:''The fresh rose of spring was the blood of the youth''
:''It was that red colour on the high horizon of [[Kurdish people|Kurd]]''
:''Which was carrying the happy tidings of dawn to remote and near nations''
:''It was Newroz which imbued the hearts with such a fire''
:''That made the youth receive death with devoted love''
:''Hooray! The sun is shining from the high mountains of [[Kurdistan|homeland]]''
:''It is the blood of our martyrs which the horizon reflects''
:''It has never happened in the history of any nation''
:''To have the breasts of girls as shields against bullets''
:''Nay. It is not worth crying and mourning for the martyrs of homeland''
:''They die not. They live on in the heart of the nation.''

===Novruz in Azerbaijan===
[[File:1996 Novruz bayram.jpg|thumb|150px|A 1996 Azerbaijani postage stamp issued for Novruz.]]
[[Azerbaijan]] is a country where national traditions are well preserved. One of the most oldest traditions of [[Azerbaijani people]] is the celebration of Novruz and is a cherished holiday of a [[New Year]] and [[Spring (season)|spring]].

Preparations for Novruz start long before the holiday. People do house cleaning, plant trees, make new dresses, paint eggs, make national pastries such as [[shakarbura]], [[pakhlava]] and a great variety of [[Azerbaijani cuisine|national cuisine]]. Wheat is fried with kishmish ([[raisins]]) and [[nuts]] (govurga). It is essential for every house to have [[Samanu|Samani (Samanu)]] - sprouts of wheat. As a tribute to fire-worshiping every Tuesday during four weeks before the holiday kids jump over small bonfires and candles are lit. On the holiday eve the graves of relatives are visited and tended.<ref>[http://www.everyculture.com/A-Bo/Azerbaijan.html Azerbaijani traditions]</ref>

Novruz is a family holiday. In the evening before the holiday the whole family gathers around the holiday table laid with various dishes to make the New Year rich. The holiday goes on for several days and ends with festive public dancing and other entertainment of folk bands, contests of national sports. In rural areas crop holidays are marked.<ref>[http://www.studentsoftheworld.info/sites/arts/3559.php Studentsoftheworld - Azeri Traditions]</ref>

===Nowruz in the Zoroastrian faith===
Zoroastrians worldwide celebrate Nowruz as the first day of the [[New Year]]. [[Parsi people|Parsi]] Zoroastrians of South Asian origin celebrate it as "Nowroj", "Navroz", or "Navroj" on the fixed day of March 21, while Zoroastrians of Iranian background generally celebrate, like other Iranians, on the actual Spring Equinox date. Because different Zoroastrian communities in India/Pakistan and Iran have evolved slightly different calendar systems, there is some variance. Adherents of the ''Fasli'' variant of the [[Zoroastrian calendar]] celebrate Nowruz in March, but today, most other Zoroastrians also celebrate on this day.

Other variants of the [[Zoroastrian calendar]] celebrate the Nowruz twice: once as ''[[Jamshid|Jamshedi]] Nowruz'' on March 21 as the start of spring, and a second Nowruz, in July/August (see [[Zoroastrian calendar#Variations|Variations of the Zoroastrian calendar]]), as either New Year's Eve or New Year's Day. That the second Nowruz is celebrated after the last day of the year, known as [[Pateti]], which comes after a [[Muktad]] period of days remembering the dead. Many Parsis are confused by this, and mistakenly celebrate Pateti as if it were Nowruz, when in fact Nowruz is the day after. Some attribute this confusion by some as celebrating the last day of the year (contrary to what might be expected from a term that means "new day"), may be due to the fact that in ancient Persia the day began at sunset, while in later Persian belief the day began at sunrise.

Zoroastrians of Iranian origin generally put up a Haft Sin table as do other Iranians. Zoroastrians of Parsi (South Asian) origin do not traditionally use a Haft Sin. They set up a standard "sesh" tray- generally a silver tray, with a container of rose water, a container with betel nut, raw rice, raw sugar, flowers, a picture of Zarathustra the prophet, and either a floating wick in a glass filled with water topped with oil for fuel, or an "afargania", a silver urn with a small fire nourished by sandalwood and other fragrant resins.

===Nowruz in the Twelver Shi’a faith===

Along with Ismaili’s, Alawites and Alevis, the [[Twelver]] Shi’a also hold the day of Nowruz in high regard. The day upon which Nowruz falls has been recommended as a day of fasting for Twelver Shi’a Muslims by Shi’a scholars, including [[Abul-Qassim al-Khoei]], Imam [[Khomeini]]<ref>[[Tahrir al Wasila]], by Ayatollah Khomeini, Vol.1, pg.302-303</ref> and [[Ali al-Sistani]].<ref>[[Islamic Laws]], by Ali al-Sistani, under the section; “Mustahab Fasts”</ref>

===Naw-Rúz in the Bahá'í Faith===
{{Main|Bahá'í Naw-Rúz}}
Naw-Rúz in the [[Bahá'í Faith]] is one of nine [[Bahá'í calendar#Holy Days|holy days]] for adherents of the Bahá'í Faith worldwide and the first day of the [[Bahá'í calendar]] occurring on the vernal equinox, around March 21.<ref name="walbridge">{{cite web | title = Naw-Ruz: The Bahá'í New Year | first = John | last = Walbridge | date = 2004-07-11 | url = http://bahai-library.com/index.php5?file=walbridge_encyclopedia_nawruz | accessdate = 2007-03-14}}</ref> The Bahá'í calendar is composed of 19 months, each of 19 days,<ref name="bne">{{cite book |author= Esslemont, J.E. |year= 1980 |title= Bahá'u'lláh and the New Era |edition= 5th |publisher=Bahá'í Publishing Trust |location=Wilmette, Illinois, USA |isbn= 0877431604 |url= http://reference.bahai.org/en/t/je/BNE/ | pages = 178–179}}</ref> and each of the months is named after an attribute of God; similarly each of the nineteen days in the month also are named after an attribute of God.<ref name="bne" /> The first day and the first month were given the attribute of [[Bahá'í symbols#Bahá’|Bahá]], an [[Arabic language|Arabic]] word meaning splendour or glory, and thus the first day of the year was the day of Bahá in the month of Bahá.<ref name="walbridge" /><ref name="lehman">{{cite web | first = Dale E. | last = Lehman | date = 2000-03-18 | accessdate = 2007-03-14 | title = A New Year Begins | publisher = Planet Bahá'í| url = http://www.planetbahai.org/cgi-bin/articles.pl?article=46}}</ref> [[Bahá'u'lláh]], the founder of the Bahá'í Faith, explained that Naw-Rúz was associated with the ''Most Great Name'' of God,<ref name="walbridge" /><ref name="lehman" /> and was instituted as a festival for those who observed the [[Nineteen day fast]].<ref name="prayers">{{cite book | title = Bahá'í Prayers | publisher = Bahá'í Publishing Trust | location = Wilmitte, IL | year = 1991 | pages = 261 | author = Bahá'u'lláh}}</ref><ref name="aqdas">{{cite book |author = Bahá'u'lláh |origyear = 1873 |year = 1992 |title = The Kitáb-i-Aqdas: The Most Holy Book |publisher = Bahá'í Publishing Trust |location = Wilmette, Illinois, USA |isbn = 0853989990 |url = http://reference.bahai.org/en/t/b/KA/ka-4.html.iso8859-1#pg25 | pages = 25}}</ref>

The day is also used to symbolize the renewal of time in each religious dispensation.<ref name="iranica">{{cite encyclopedia |encyclopedia= Encyclopædia Iranica |year= 1989 |article=Bahai Calendar and Festivals | first = Dennis | last = MacEoin}}</ref> [[`Abdu'l-Bahá]], Bahá'u'lláh's son and successor, explained that significance of Naw-Rúz in terms of [[spring (season)|spring]] and the new life it brings.<ref name="walbridge" /> He explained that the equinox is a symbol of the [[Manifestation of God|messengers of God]] and the message that they proclaim is like a spiritual springtime, and that Naw-Rúz is used to commemorate it.<ref>{{cite journal | title = Star of the West | volume = 4 | pages = 4 | author = `Abdu'l-Bahá | date = 1913-03-21 | unused_data = |number 1}} republished in {{cite book |first = Shoghi |last = Effendi |coauthors = The Universal House of Justice |editor = Hornby, Helen (Ed.) |year = 1983 |title = Lights of Guidance: A Bahá'í Reference File |publisher = Bahá'í Publishing Trust, New Delhi, India |isbn = 8185091463 |url = http://bahai-library.com/?file=hornby_lights_guidance}}</ref>

As with all Bahá'í holy days, there are few fixed rules for observing Naw-Rúz, and Bahá'ís all over the world celebrate it as a festive day, according to local custom.<ref name="walbridge" /> Persian Bahá'ís still observe many of the Iranian customs associated with Nowruz such as the [[#Haft Sîn|Haft Sîn]], but American Bahá'í communities, for example, may have a [[potluck dinner]], along with prayers and readings from [[Bahá'í literature|Bahá'í scripture]].

===Navroz celebration by Parsis===
In the ''Fasli''/''Bastani'' variant of the Zoroastrian calendar, Navroz is always the day of the [[vernal equinox]] (nominally falling on March 21). In the ''Shahenshahi'' and ''Kadmi'' calendars, which do not account for leap years, the New Year's Day has drifted ahead by over 200 days. These latter two variants of the calendar, which are only followed by the Zoroastrians of India, celebrate the spring equinox as ''Jamshed-i Nouroz'', with New Year's Day then being celebrated in July-August as [[Pateti]] "(day) of penitence" (from ''patet'' "confession," hence also repentance and penitence).

===Navroz celebration by Kashmiri Pandits===
The Kashmiri Pandits celebrate Navroz (or Navreh in Kashmiri) on a date around the [[vernal equinox]]. The date, which usually falls between mid-March and mid-April, is determined by the Hindu [[lunar]] calendar every year.

''Thal Bharun'' (meaning 'filling the platter') is a major [[Kashmiri Pandit]] Navroz tradition. It is similar to the Iranian tradition of [[Haft Sin]]. The items placed on the tray or platter generally include [[rice]] or [[wheat]] (similar to the Iranian ''sabzeh''), a sweet [[pudding]] made from milk and cereal (similar to the Iranian ''samanu''), fruits, walnuts,[[rosewater]], a [[coin]] (''Sikkeh''), a pen, an ink-holder, a [[mirror]] (for introspection, purity of thought and honesty), and a lit [[diya]] or clay lamp (representing ''satyaprakasa'', the Light of the Truth). Besides, new clothes are worn and presents are exchanged. Some adults, particularly women, fast on this day.

==Spelling variations in English==
A variety of spelling variations for the word "nowruz" exist in English-language usage. Random House (unabridged) provides the spelling "nowruz".<ref>Random House dictionary (unabridged), 2006 (according to [http://dictionary.reference.com Dictionary.reference.com]).</ref>
[[Merriam-Webster]] (2006) recognizes only the spelling "nauruz" (and a contestant in the final session of the 2006 [[Scripps National Spelling Bee]], Allion Salvador, in the [[United States]] was disqualified on that basis<ref>[http://www.spellingbee.com/06bee/rounds/Round08.htm 2006 Scripps National Spelling Bee May 31 - June 1, 2006]</ref><ref>[http://www.iranian.com/BruceBahmani/2006/June/Spelling/index.html Spelling BEESAVAD]</ref>).
In the USA, many respected figures in the field of language such as Dr. Yarshater at Columbia University have suggested to use ''Nowruz'' {{Citation needed|date=March 2009}}.

==See also==
*[[New Year's Day]]
*[[Earth Day]]
*[[Iranian calendar]]
*[[Iranian festivals]]
*[[Assyrian new year]]
*[[Nowruz Eve among Mazandarani people]]
*[[Public holidays in Iran]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commonscat|Nowruz}}
{{portalpar|Holidays|Calendar icon.svg}}
* [http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2010/ga10916.doc.htm UN Recognizes Nowruz as an International day]
* [http://en.tarikhema.ir/category/ancient/ancient-iran Ancient Iran History] @ [http://en.tarikhema.ir/category/ancient/ancient-iran/nowruz Noruz]
* [http://www.timeanddate.com/counters/customcounter.html?month=3&day=20&year=2009&hour=15&min=13&sec=39&p0=246 Countdown to Nowruz (2009/1388) - timeanddate.com] ([[Iran Standard Time|IRST time]]) - [http://timeanddate.com/s/13ra UTC time]
* [http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9056297?query=No-ruz&ct= Noruz] @ [[Encyclopedia Britannica]]
* [http://www.7seen.com/ شمارش معکوس تا تحويل سال 1389 شمسي (Persian)]
{{Nowruz}}
{{Zoroastrian Calendar}}

[[Category:Iranian culture]]
[[Category:Festivals in Iran]]
[[Category:Afghan holidays]]
[[Category:March observances]]
[[Category:New Year celebrations]]
[[Category:Spring holidays]]
[[Category:Persian culture]]
[[Category:Zoroastrian festivals]]
[[Category:Festivals in Pakistan]]

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Cyrus abdi: /* Newroz */

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== Des Foley ==

I didn't source this article from the webpage http://desmond-foley.epik.com. This was already a wiki page that I redirected from 'Desmond Foley'. That webpage (http://desmond-foley.epik.com) actually referenced the wiki page 'Desmond Foley' at the end.

== Headline text ==

Feb 2010

Your bot identified the page for [[The Irish Rovers in Australia]] as containing copyrighted material. I was merely listing the contents of the record. This page is similair to pages on other Irish Rovers albums, so if you say it for this page, you would have to say it for the other pages.

== Mentorship ==

[[File:Ieyasu precepts.jpg|thumb|right|100px|
[http://en.wikisource.org/w/index.php?title=Ieyasu_precepts&oldid=1130900 Precepts] on the secret of success
in life drafted by [[Tokugawa Ieyasu]].
[[Calligraphy|Calligraphic]] original in the
collection of [[Nikkō Tōshō-gū]].]]
[[User:Coren|Coren]] --

As you already know, during the [[Edo period]] of Japanese history, the [[hortatory]] [[precept]]s of the founder of the [[Tokugawa shogunate]] were widely known. After the [[Meiji Restoration]] in 1868, the [[aphorism]]s of [[Tokugawa Ieyasu]] faded from public prominence.

In our unique "[[Mentorship|mentoring]]" relationship, perhaps it may be construed as helpful to recall these words:
:"One who treats difficulties as the nomal state of affairs will never be discontented."

I hope this becomes a helpful reference as we continue to work together and face whatever lies ahead.

Sincerely,

[[User:Tenmei|Tenmei]] ([[User talk:Tenmei|talk]]) 05:23, 15 March 2010 (UTC)

:Life is like walking along a long road shouldering a heavy load; there is no need to hurry.

:One who treats difficulties as the normal state of affairs will never be discontented.

:Patience is the source of eternal peace; treat anger as an enemy.

:Harm will befall one who knows only success and has never experienced failure.

:Blame yourself rather than others.

:It is better not to reach than to go too far.

:::— Tokugawa Ieyasu, 1604

== [[Finitism]] and [[Ultrafinitism]] ==

<nowiki>:)</nowiki> . [[User:Count Iblis|Count Iblis]] ([[User talk:Count Iblis|talk]]) 15:06, 16 March 2010 (UTC)
:Well, not quite (though my position, I suspect, is close to classical finitism as described in that article— I really need to hunt that literature down). I suppose my point is similar, that R as defined is nonsensical and that its properties are meaningless because they beg the question of the existence of continua in the first place; but I don't approach it from a strict constructivist approach but from one derived from the consequences of avoiding to extend beyond definable numbers (and I've yet to hear a single supported argument that it's meaningful to do so).
:Interesting consequences: the axiom of choice becomes useless to ZFC and no longer needs to be tacked on, and the singularities that kink Maxwell's equations when you try to apply QFT just evaporate. — [[User:Coren|Coren]] [[User Talk:Coren|(talk)]] 22:54, 16 March 2010 (UTC)
::I agree. you can imagine the following thought experiment. In principle the whole world including all people could be simulated by a
huge computer. In this virtual world, virtual mathematicians would likely still invent the continuum. But by construction, the continuum does not exist in their world. [[User:Count Iblis|Count Iblis]] ([[User talk:Count Iblis|talk]]) 01:43, 18 March 2010 (UTC)

== Copyright ==

OOOOOOPPPPPPPPSSSSSSS....... i didnt kno that

== Mary Sue Milliken ==

I work for Mary Sue Milliken and accidentally pressed Save page because I wanted to view it and see what it looked like. I forgot to reference www.marysueandsusan.com which is our website and the source from which the Bot found identical copy. —Preceding [[Wikipedia:Signatures|unsigned]] comment added by [[User:Ldearing|Ldearing]] ([[User talk:Ldearing|talk]] • [[Special:Contributions/Ldearing|contribs]]) 00:06, 17 March 2010 (UTC) 

== The Virtual Public Art Project ==

I got a notice of similar text and a copy write infringement form another site which had similar text. This was also my site and I have now taken it down. Thank you! —Preceding [[Wikipedia:Signatures|unsigned]] comment added by [[User:Chrismanzione|Chrismanzione]] ([[User talk:Chrismanzione|talk]] • [[Special:Contributions/Chrismanzione|contribs]]) 18:42, 17 March 2010 (UTC) 

== copyright notice ==

I received a copyright notice of "This is an automated message from CorenSearchBot. I have performed a web search with the contents of Www.Llanellilife.co.uk, and it appears to be a substantial copy of http://www.llanellilife.co.uk. For legal reasons, we cannot accept copyrighted text or images borrowed from other web sites or printed material; such additions will be deleted".

I am the owner of this site and wish to resubmit my post can you confirm that I can do this. —Preceding [[Wikipedia:Signatures|unsigned]] comment added by [[User:Wintlea|Wintlea]] ([[User talk:Wintlea|talk]] • [[Special:Contributions/Wintlea|contribs]]) 18:52, 17 March 2010 (UTC) 

== copyright notice ==

Further to my above post concerning copyright notice, if adding the fact that I have a public information service website in llanelli, which is the same type of service as Llanelli Star and Scarlet FM (which have already been listed and of which have links to their sites.) is not allowed by copyright law, then I do not understand how Llanelli Star and Scarlet FM are allowed to be on here.

However if that is the way it is then I will not resubmit my post.

Thank you. —Preceding [[Wikipedia:Signatures|unsigned]] comment added by [[User:Wintlea|Wintlea]] ([[User talk:Wintlea|talk]] • [[Special:Contributions/Wintlea|contribs]]) 19:04, 17 March 2010 (UTC) 
==Updates to copyright instructions==
Hi. Based on some feedback I've received, I've updated the instructions at [[WP:SCV]] and [[WP:CP]]. I've left a more indepth explanation at [[Wikipedia talk:Suspected copyright violations#Header update]] along with a request for feedback. As we try to get more people involved in this work, we want to be sure instructions are clear. Given your work, your input there would be very much appreciated. :) [[User:Moonriddengirl|Moonriddengirl]] [[User talk:Moonriddengirl|(talk)]] 13:50, 18 March 2010 (UTC)
:This is a "rubber stamp" notice, but I just had to add that, it being your bot and all, I figured you might have interest. :D --[[User:Moonriddengirl|Moonriddengirl]] [[User talk:Moonriddengirl|(talk)]] 13:50, 18 March 2010 (UTC)

== Newroz ==

Dear Coren,

Your bot on Newroz deactivated my changes on the Kurdish newroz and Persian nowrouz pages. Kindly Turn the bot off.
Unfortunately the Persians are monopolizing newroz and are trying to tell the world that other nations (including Kurds) have borrowed it from them, which is absolutely basless. This viewpoint has affected both UN resolution and the wiki articles. Persian Norouz is 3000 years old while in Kurdistan it is as old as at least 7000 years. Currently a team of Kurdish scholars are preparing a pack of info to be offered to the UN as proof of the truth about who first set the fire of newroz and also in protest to ignoring Kurdish nation in the UN resolution. Currently newroz is celebrated in Turkey and Iraq just by the Kurdish minority, while Kurdish nation has been ignored in the resolution.

Newroz traditions and ceremonies are absolutely different in Kurdistan. Please let the Newroz article be independently edited and also related words such as "nuroj", newroz, nevrouz which are particulary Kurdish pronounciation of newroz be redirected to Newroz(Kurdistan) —Preceding [[Wikipedia:Signatures|unsigned]] comment added by [[User:Cyrus abdi|Cyrus abdi]] ([[User talk:Cyrus abdi|talk]] • [[Special:Contributions/Cyrus abdi|contribs]]) 07:34, 19 March 2010 (UTC)

User talk:Coren

2010-03-19T07:34:43Z

Cyrus abdi: /* Newroz */ new section

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== Des Foley ==

I didn't source this article from the webpage http://desmond-foley.epik.com. This was already a wiki page that I redirected from 'Desmond Foley'. That webpage (http://desmond-foley.epik.com) actually referenced the wiki page 'Desmond Foley' at the end.

== Headline text ==

Feb 2010

Your bot identified the page for [[The Irish Rovers in Australia]] as containing copyrighted material. I was merely listing the contents of the record. This page is similair to pages on other Irish Rovers albums, so if you say it for this page, you would have to say it for the other pages.

== Mentorship ==

[[File:Ieyasu precepts.jpg|thumb|right|100px|
[http://en.wikisource.org/w/index.php?title=Ieyasu_precepts&oldid=1130900 Precepts] on the secret of success
in life drafted by [[Tokugawa Ieyasu]].
[[Calligraphy|Calligraphic]] original in the
collection of [[Nikkō Tōshō-gū]].]]
[[User:Coren|Coren]] --

As you already know, during the [[Edo period]] of Japanese history, the [[hortatory]] [[precept]]s of the founder of the [[Tokugawa shogunate]] were widely known. After the [[Meiji Restoration]] in 1868, the [[aphorism]]s of [[Tokugawa Ieyasu]] faded from public prominence.

In our unique "[[Mentorship|mentoring]]" relationship, perhaps it may be construed as helpful to recall these words:
:"One who treats difficulties as the nomal state of affairs will never be discontented."

I hope this becomes a helpful reference as we continue to work together and face whatever lies ahead.

Sincerely,

[[User:Tenmei|Tenmei]] ([[User talk:Tenmei|talk]]) 05:23, 15 March 2010 (UTC)

:Life is like walking along a long road shouldering a heavy load; there is no need to hurry.

:One who treats difficulties as the normal state of affairs will never be discontented.

:Patience is the source of eternal peace; treat anger as an enemy.

:Harm will befall one who knows only success and has never experienced failure.

:Blame yourself rather than others.

:It is better not to reach than to go too far.

:::— Tokugawa Ieyasu, 1604

== [[Finitism]] and [[Ultrafinitism]] ==

<nowiki>:)</nowiki> . [[User:Count Iblis|Count Iblis]] ([[User talk:Count Iblis|talk]]) 15:06, 16 March 2010 (UTC)
:Well, not quite (though my position, I suspect, is close to classical finitism as described in that article— I really need to hunt that literature down). I suppose my point is similar, that R as defined is nonsensical and that its properties are meaningless because they beg the question of the existence of continua in the first place; but I don't approach it from a strict constructivist approach but from one derived from the consequences of avoiding to extend beyond definable numbers (and I've yet to hear a single supported argument that it's meaningful to do so).
:Interesting consequences: the axiom of choice becomes useless to ZFC and no longer needs to be tacked on, and the singularities that kink Maxwell's equations when you try to apply QFT just evaporate. — [[User:Coren|Coren]] [[User Talk:Coren|(talk)]] 22:54, 16 March 2010 (UTC)
::I agree. you can imagine the following thought experiment. In principle the whole world including all people could be simulated by a
huge computer. In this virtual world, virtual mathematicians would likely still invent the continuum. But by construction, the continuum does not exist in their world. [[User:Count Iblis|Count Iblis]] ([[User talk:Count Iblis|talk]]) 01:43, 18 March 2010 (UTC)

== Copyright ==

OOOOOOPPPPPPPPSSSSSSS....... i didnt kno that

== Mary Sue Milliken ==

I work for Mary Sue Milliken and accidentally pressed Save page because I wanted to view it and see what it looked like. I forgot to reference www.marysueandsusan.com which is our website and the source from which the Bot found identical copy. —Preceding [[Wikipedia:Signatures|unsigned]] comment added by [[User:Ldearing|Ldearing]] ([[User talk:Ldearing|talk]] • [[Special:Contributions/Ldearing|contribs]]) 00:06, 17 March 2010 (UTC) 

== The Virtual Public Art Project ==

I got a notice of similar text and a copy write infringement form another site which had similar text. This was also my site and I have now taken it down. Thank you! —Preceding [[Wikipedia:Signatures|unsigned]] comment added by [[User:Chrismanzione|Chrismanzione]] ([[User talk:Chrismanzione|talk]] • [[Special:Contributions/Chrismanzione|contribs]]) 18:42, 17 March 2010 (UTC) 

== copyright notice ==

I received a copyright notice of "This is an automated message from CorenSearchBot. I have performed a web search with the contents of Www.Llanellilife.co.uk, and it appears to be a substantial copy of http://www.llanellilife.co.uk. For legal reasons, we cannot accept copyrighted text or images borrowed from other web sites or printed material; such additions will be deleted".

I am the owner of this site and wish to resubmit my post can you confirm that I can do this. —Preceding [[Wikipedia:Signatures|unsigned]] comment added by [[User:Wintlea|Wintlea]] ([[User talk:Wintlea|talk]] • [[Special:Contributions/Wintlea|contribs]]) 18:52, 17 March 2010 (UTC) 

== copyright notice ==

Further to my above post concerning copyright notice, if adding the fact that I have a public information service website in llanelli, which is the same type of service as Llanelli Star and Scarlet FM (which have already been listed and of which have links to their sites.) is not allowed by copyright law, then I do not understand how Llanelli Star and Scarlet FM are allowed to be on here.

However if that is the way it is then I will not resubmit my post.

Thank you. —Preceding [[Wikipedia:Signatures|unsigned]] comment added by [[User:Wintlea|Wintlea]] ([[User talk:Wintlea|talk]] • [[Special:Contributions/Wintlea|contribs]]) 19:04, 17 March 2010 (UTC) 
==Updates to copyright instructions==
Hi. Based on some feedback I've received, I've updated the instructions at [[WP:SCV]] and [[WP:CP]]. I've left a more indepth explanation at [[Wikipedia talk:Suspected copyright violations#Header update]] along with a request for feedback. As we try to get more people involved in this work, we want to be sure instructions are clear. Given your work, your input there would be very much appreciated. :) [[User:Moonriddengirl|Moonriddengirl]] [[User talk:Moonriddengirl|(talk)]] 13:50, 18 March 2010 (UTC)
:This is a "rubber stamp" notice, but I just had to add that, it being your bot and all, I figured you might have interest. :D --[[User:Moonriddengirl|Moonriddengirl]] [[User talk:Moonriddengirl|(talk)]] 13:50, 18 March 2010 (UTC)

== Newroz ==

Dear Coren,

Your bot on Newroz deactivated my changes on the Kurdish newroz and Persian nowrouz pages. Kindly Turn the bot off.
Unfortunately the Persians are monopolizing newroz and are trying to tell the world that other nations (including Kurds) have borrowed it from us. This viewpoint has affected both UN resolution and the wiki articles. Persian Norouz is 3000 years old while in Kurdistan it is as old as at least 7000 years. Currently the a team of Kurdish scholars are preparing a pack of info to be offered to the UN as proof of the truth about who first set the fire of newroz and also in protest to ignoring Kurdish nation in the UN resolution. Currently newroz is celebrated in Turkey and Iraq just by the Kurdish minority, while Kurdish nation has been ignored in the resolution.

Newroz traditions and ceremonies are absolutely different in Kurdistan. Please let the Newroz independently edited and also related words such as "nuroj", newroz, nevrouz and which are particulary Kurdish pronounciation of newroz be redirected to Newroz(Kurdistan)

Newroz (Kurdistan)

2010-03-19T07:26:02Z

Cyrus abdi:

'''Newroz''' or '''Nûroj'''<ref>Thomas Bois, ''Connaissance des Kurdes'', 164 pp., 1965. (see p.69)</ref> ({{lang-ku|نه‌ورۆز/Newroz/Nûroj}}, also: '''Gulus''')<ref>Abdurrahman Sharafkandi ([[Hejar]]), ''Henbane Borîne (Kurdish-Kurdish-Persian Dictionary)'', Soroush Press, 1991, Tehran, p. 715</ref> ({{lang-ku|گوڵوس}}) refers to the celebration of the traditional [[Kurdish People|Kurdish]] new year holiday of [[Newroz]] in [[Kurdish culture|Kurdish]] society. Newroz is celebrated throughout the countries of the [[Middle East]] and [[Central Asia]] such as in [[Iran]], [[Azerbaijan]], [[Afghanistan]] and [[Turkey]] by their Kurds. Newroz is also celebrated by some communities in [[Pakistan]]. In Kurdish legend, the holiday celebrates the deliverance of the [[Kurds]] from a tyrant, and it is seen as another way of demonstrating support for the Kurdish cause.<ref name="murphy">{{cite web | title = For Kurds, a day of bonfires, legends, and independence | first = Dan | last = Murphy | publisher = The Christian Science Monitor | url = http://www.csmonitor.com/2004/0323/p07s02-woiq.html| date = 2004-03-24| accessdate = 2007-03-08}}</ref><ref name="religionjournal">{{cite journal | journal = Middle Eastern Studies | volume = 42 | issue = 2 | pages = pp. 285–302 | date = 2006-03 | first = Lerna K. | last = Yanik | title = ‘Nevruz’ or ‘Newroz’? Deconstructing the ‘Invention’ of a Contested Tradition in Contemporary Turkey | doi = 10.1080/00263200500417710}}</ref><ref name="thekurds">{{cite book | title = The Kurds: A Concise Handbook | first = Mehrdad R. | last = Izady | year = 1992 | publisher = Taylor francis | location = United Kingdom | isbn = 0844817279 | pages = 243–244}}</ref><ref name="Australia">{{cite book | title = The Australian People: An Encyclopedia of the Nation, its People and their Origins | first =James | last = Jupp | year = 2001 | isbn = 0521807891 | publisher = Cambridge University Press | location = Cambridge}}</ref><ref name="Yildiz">{{cite book | title = The Kurds: Culture and Language Rights | first = Kerim | last = Yildiz | coauthors = Fryer, Georgina | publisher = Kurdish Human Rights Project | year = 2004 | isbn = 1900175746}}</ref><ref name="diaspora">{{cite book | year = 1999 | isbn = 0312220677 | title = Kurdish Diasporas: A Comparative Study of Kurdish Refugee Communities (Migration, Minorities and Citizenship) | first = Osten | last = Wahlbeck | publisher = Macmillan | location = Basingstoke}}</ref> The celebration is commonly [[Kurdish language|transliterated]] ''Newroz'' by the Kurds and coincides with the [[spring equinox]] which falls mainly on 21 March <ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.bbc.co.uk/london/yourlondon/unitedcolours/features/kurdish_newyear.shtml | title =Newroz - Kurdish New Year | publisher = BBC}}</ref> and the festival is held usually between the 18th and 24 March. The festival currently has an important place in the terms of Kurdish identity for the majority of Kurds, mostly in [[Turkey]] and [[Syria]].<ref name="murphy" /><ref name="religionjournal" /><ref name="thekurds" /><ref name="Yildiz" /> Though celebrations vary, people generally gather together to welcome the coming of spring; people wear coloured clothes and flags of green, yellow and red, the colours of the Kurdish people are waved.<ref name="nyt">{{cite news |first= Douglas |last= Frantz |title= Diyarbakir Journal: Where Misery Abounds, the Kurds Make Merry|url= http://www.library.cornell.edu/colldev/mideast/diarbkrj.htm |work= The New York Times |date= 2001-03-23 |accessdate=2007-03-08}}</ref><ref name="providence">{{cite news |first= Gina |last= Macris |title= Kurds Ring in New Year|url= http://www.kurdistan.org/Current-Updates/ring.html |work= Providence Journal |date= 2002-03-25 |accessdate=2007-03-08}}</ref>

==Mythology==
===Story of Zahak===
In [[The Meadows of Gold]] by Muslim historian [[Masudi]] <ref name=autogenerated1>Hakan Ozoglu, Kurdish notables and the Ottoman State, 2004, SUNY Press, page: 30. ISBN 0791459934</ref>, and [[Shahnameh]], a poetic opus written by the [[Sharafnameh]] of medieval Kurdish historian [[Sherefxan Bidlisi]], [[Zahhak]] is an evil king who conquers [[Kurdistan]] and who has serpents growing out of his shoulders.<ref name="myths">{{cite book | title = World of Myths: Roman Myths | first = Marina | last = Warner | coauthors = Fernández-Armesto, Felipe | year = 2004 | publisher = University of Texas Press | isbn = 0292706073}}</ref> The Iranian Zahak's rule lasts for a thousand years during which two young kurdish men are sacrificed daily to provide their brains to the serpents to alleviate the pain that Zahak felt.<ref name="myths" /> The man who was charged with slaughtering two young people each day would instead kill one person a day and would mix their brains with that of a sheep, thus saving one young man a day. As discontent grows against Zahhak's rule, the nobleman plan a revolt, being led by [[Kaveh]], a blacksmith (cf. Ossetian ''Kurdalægon''), who has lost six sons to Zahhak.<ref name="myths" /> Therefor, the saved young children (who according to the legend were ancestors of the Kurds <ref name=autogenerated1 /><ref>[http://www.shahnameh.com/Epic/05Zahak/index.html 05001 Zahak]</ref>) are then trained by Kawa into an army marches to Zahhak's castle where Kawa kills the king with a hammer; eventually Kawa instates [[Fereydun]] as king.<ref name="myths" /> The root of this story goes back to ancient Iranian legends. According to [[Evliya Çelebi]], the district ([[sancak]]) of ''Merkawe'' in ''Shahrazur'' ([[Sharazur]]) is named after the blacksmith Kawe(Kaveh), who overthrew Zahhak<ref name=autogenerated2>Martin van Bruinessen, ''Kurdistan in the 16th and 17th centuries, as reflected in Elviya Çelebi's Seyahatname'', The Journal of Kurdish Studies, Vol. 3, pp.1-11, 2000.</ref>. The 12th century geographer [[Yaqoot Hamawi]], mentions ''Zor'' son of [[Zahhak]] (Aji Dahak) as founder of the famous city of [[Sharazor]]<ref>Kitab Mu'jam Al Buldan by [[Yaqoot Hamawi]], Book 3, p: 425-427</ref>.
[[Image:Newroz Istanbul(4).jpg|thumb|250px|It is a tradition to jump across a fire at Newroz]]

===Death of Dehak and spring===
According to Kurdish myth, Kawa lived for 2,500 years under the tyranny of Zahhak, an [[Assyria]]n who is named Zuhak or Dehak by the Kurds.<ref name="murphy" /><ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.institutkurde.org/en/publications/bulletins/bulletins.php?bul=192 | title =Newroz 2001: In Diyarbekir the celebrations brought together, in a calm atmosphere, 5000,000 people but there were many incidents in Istanbul | accessdate = 2007-03-13 | date = 2001-03 | author = Kurdish Institute of Paris}}</ref> Dehak's evil reign caused spring to no longer come to [[Kurdistan]].<ref name="murphy" /> March 20 is traditionally marked as the day that Kawa defeated Dehak. He is then said to have set fires on the hillsides to celebrate the victory and summon his supporters; subsequently spring returned to Kurdistan the next day.<ref name="murphy" />

In some of the present Kurdish versions of the story of Zahhak and Kawe, there is no mention of ''[[Fereydun]]''<ref name=autogenerated2 />. Although in the [[Ahl-e Haqq]] (Yarsan) Kurdish tradition, Kawa rebelled against Zahak and helped Fereydun bound Zahak in Damavand<ref>Hajj Nematollah, Shah-Nama-Ye Haqiqat, Intishaaraat Jeyhun, (1982).</ref>.

This legend is now used by the Kurds to remind themselves that they are a different, strong people, and the lighting of the fires has since become a symbol of freedom.<ref name="murphy" />

In the 1930s, the Kurdish poet ''Taufik Abdullah'', wanting to instil a new Kurdish cultural revival, used a previously known modified form of the story of Kaveh, (written as Kawa in [[Kurdish language|Kurdish]]).<ref name="murphy"/> He connected the myths where people felt oppressed with Newroz, thus reviving a dying holiday and made it a symbol of Kurdish national struggle.<ref name="murphy" /> However it should be noted that Kurds celebrated ''Newroz'' long before this, and the word ''Newroz'' has been mentioned in the Kurdish poetry of 16th century. Indeed the arrival of spring was celebrated in Asia Minor since neolithic times, a good example is the Indo-European Phrygians who mourned the death of Attis, and rejoiced over his resurrection during the fourth week of March.

===Divergent views===
According to the Kurdish writer, Musa Anter, Newruz was originally celebrated on August 31, not March 21. However, after the introduction of the Arab calendar, the celebration was shifted to March <ref>http://www.xs4all.nl/~tank/kurdish/htdocs/cult/anter.html</ref>.
Some scholars associate ''Dehak'' or ''Zehhak'' with [[Astyages]], the last Emperor of the [[Medes]]. During the reign of Astyages, the native religion of '[[Yazdanism]] had a strong influence on Zoroastrianism, through introduction of [[Magi]] priests into that faith. It was during the Achaemenian period that the honorific royal title of ''Azhi Dahak'' was given a demonic character by the Zoroastrians as an attempt to reverse the ''Magi'' influence.

==Newruz customs and celebration==

Newruz is considered the most important festival in Kurdish culture, and is a time for entertainments such as games, dancing, family gathering, preparation of special foods and the reading of poetry<ref name="IranicaFestivals">[http://www.iranica.com/newsite/index.isc?Article=http://www.iranica.com/newsite/articles/unicode/v9f5/v9f553c.html#v Festivals: Kurdish, in Encyclopedia Iranica, by KEITH HITCHINS]</ref>. The celebration of Newruz has its local peculiarities in different regions of Kurdistan<ref name="IranicaFestivals"/>. On the eve of Newruz, in southern and eastern Kurdistan, bonfires are lit. These fires symbolize the passing of the dark season, winter, and the arrival of spring, the season of light<ref name="IranicaFestivals"/>.

==Political overtone==
[[File:Zakia Alkan 1.jpg|thumb|250px|A statue of Zakia Alkan, the women who set herself on fire to protest the Turkish ban on Nowruz, [[Sulaymaniyah]].]]
The Kurdish association with Newroz has become increasingly pronounced since the 1950s when the Kurds in the Middle East and those in the diaspora in Europe started adopting it as a tradition.<ref name="religionjournal" /> In combination with the persecution they suffered in [[Turkey]], the revival of the Newroz celebration become more intense and politicized and became a symbol of their resurrection.<ref name="religionjournal" /> By the end of the 1980s Newroz was mainly associated with Kurdish identity and the attempts to express and resurrect it.<ref name="religionjournal" />

While the Kurdish celebration has taken the form of a political expression in Turkey, most Kurdish celebrations in Iran are identical to the national festivals.<ref name="thekurds"/> Izady states that the reason for this may be that the original tradition and folklore behind Newroz has been lost in the northern and western parts of [[Kurdistan]] (i.e. Turkey), where it was never as involving, as it was in the southern and eastern parts.<ref name="thekurds" /> Izady further states that Newroz might have gained prominence in the northern and western parts because of the prominence of the celebrations that the staunchest Kurdish adherents of Newruz, the Iraqi and Iranian Kurds, have enjoyed through their more frequent popular uprisings.<ref name="thekurds" /> Thus the western and northern Kurds seem to have resolved to the celebration of the new year as a unifying political expression.<ref name="thekurds" />

In 2000, Turkey legalized the celebration of the spring holiday, spelling it ''Nevruz'' and claiming it as a Turkish spring holiday.<ref name="religionjournal" /><ref>{{cite web | title = Kurds and No Way | url = http://www.schnews.org.uk/archive/news496.htm | date = 2005-05-06 | accessdate = 2007-03-10 | publisher = SchNEWS}}</ref> Also using ''Newroz'' rathern than ''Nevruz'' i.e. using Kurdish spelling has been officially forbidden,<ref>[http://www.bianet.org/english/kategori/english/105753/let-newroz-and-nevruz-bring-peace-and-spring Bianet :: Let Newroz and Nevruz bring Peace and Spring!]</ref> though it is still widely used by Kurds. In the Kurdish regions of the country, specifically in Eastern Anatolia, but also in [[Istanbul]] and [[Ankara]] where there is a large Kurdish population, people gather and jump over bonfires.<ref name="religionjournal" /> Previous to it being legalized, the [[PKK]], the Kurdistan Workers’ Party, had chosen Newroz to stage attacks to obtain publicity for its cause;<ref name="religionjournal" /> this had led to Turkish forces detaining thousands of people who were seen as supporters of the Kurdish rebel movements.<ref>{{cite web | date = 1999-03-22 | title = Turkish police arrest thousands | publisher = BBC | accessdate = 2007-03-10 | url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/300830.stm}}</ref> In Newroz 1992 more than 50 Kurdish participants were killed by Turks; also in Newroz 2008 two participants were killed.<ref>[http://www.rte.ie/news/2008/0323/turkey.html RTÉ News: Two demonstrators die in Turkey clashes]</ref>

In Syria, the Kurds dress up in their national dress and celebrate the new year.<ref>{{cite book | title = The Kurds | first = Philip G. | last = Kreyenbroek | coauthors = Sperl, Stefan Sperl | publisher = Routledge | year = 1991 | isbn = 0415072654}}</ref> According to Human Rights Watch, the Kurds have had to struggle to celebrate Newroz, and in the past the celebration has led to violent oppression, leading to several deaths and mass arrests.<ref name="Yildiz"/><ref>{{cite web | title = Syria: Mass arrests of Syrian Kurds and fear of torture and other ill-treatment | url = http://web.amnesty.org/library/Index/ENGMDE240202004?open&of=ENG-352 | date = 2004-03-16 | accessdate = 2007-03-10 | publisher = Amnesty International | author = Amnesty International}}</ref> The government had stated that the Newroz celebrations will be tolerated as long as they do not become political demonstrations of the treatment of the Kurds.<ref name="Yildiz" /> During Newroz 2008, three Kurdish celebrators were shot dead by Syrian security forces.<ref>[http://news.monstersandcritics.com/middleeast/news/article_1396362.php/Three_Kurds_killed_in_Syria_shooting_human_rights_group_says Three Kurds killed in Syria shooting, human rights group says - Middle East]</ref>
<ref>[http://www.reuters.com/article/latestCrisis/idUSL21565217 Police kill three Kurds in northeast Syria - group | Reuters]</ref>

Kurds in the [[diaspora]] also celebrate the new year; for example Kurds in [[Australia]] celebrate Newroz, not only as the beginning of the new year but also as the Kurdish National Day;<ref name="Australia" /> and the Kurds in [[Finland]] celebrate the new year as a way of demonstrating support for the Kurdish cause.<ref>{{cite book | title = Kurdish Diasporas: A Comparative Study of Kurdish Refugee Communities | first = Osten | last = Wahlbeck | publisher = Palgrave Macmillan | year = 1999 | isbn = 0312220677}}</ref> Also in [[London]], organizers estimated that 25,000 people celebrated Newroz during March 2006.<ref>{{cite web | title = London celebrates Newroz: The Kurdish New Year | url = http://www.london.gov.uk/londoner/06mar/p7b.jsp?nav=on | accessdate = 2007-03-10 | date = 2006-03 | publisher = The Londoner}}</ref>

==Newroz in Kurdish literature==

Newroz has been mentioned in works of many Kurdish [[poet]]s and writers as well as [[musician]]s.<ref name="artists">{{cite web | year = 2000 | first = Martin | last = van Bruinessen | title = Transnational aspects of the Kurdish question | publisher = Robert Schuman Centre for Advanced Studies, European University Institute | location= Florence | url = http://www.let.uu.nl/~Martin.vanBruinessen/personal/publications/transnational_Kurds.htm}}</ref>
One of the earliest records of ''Newroz'' in [[Kurdish literature]] is from [[Melayê Cizîrî]] (1570–1640):<ref name="poem">{{cite web | first = Sandrine | last = Alexie | title = Newroz û Sersal (Newroz and New Year) | url = http://northerniraq.info/blog/?p=176 | accessdate = 2007-03-22 | date = 2007-03-21 | publisher = Roj Bash}}</ref>
:''Whithout the light and the fire of Love,''
:''Without the Designer and the power of Creator'',
:''We are not able to reach Union.''
:''(Light is for us and dark is the night)''

:''This fire massing and washing the Heart,''
:''My heart claim after it.''
:''And here come '''Newroz''' and the New Year,''
:''When a such light is rising.''

Also the famous Kurdish writer and poet [[Piramerd]] (1867–1950) writes in his 1948 poem Newroz:<ref name="poem">{{cite web | first = Kamal | last = Mirawdeli | title = The old man and the fire | url = http://www.kurdistanreferendum.org/writers/kamalmirawdeli/cultural-oldmanandfire.htm | accessdate = 2007-03-08 | date = 2005-03-21 | publisher = Kurdistan Referendum Movement}}</ref>
:''The New Year’s day is today. '''Newroz''' is back.''
:''An ancient Kurdish festival, with joy and verdure.''
:''For many years, the flower of our hopes was downtrodden''
:''The fresh rose of spring was the blood of the youth''
:''It was that red colour on the high horizon of [[Kurdish people|Kurd]]''
:''Which was carrying the happy tidings of dawn to remote and near nations''
:''It was Newroz which imbued the hearts with such a fire''
:''That made the youth receive death with devoted love''
:''Hooray! The sun is shining from the high mountains of [[Kurdistan|homeland]]''
:''It is the blood of our martyrs which the horizon reflects''
:''It has never happened in the history of any nation''
:''To have the breasts of girls as shields against bullets''
:''Nay. It is not worth crying and mourning for the martyrs of homeland''
:''They die not. They live on in the heart of the nation.''

==See also==
*[[Kurdish culture]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://www.iranica.com/newsite/index.isc?Article=http://www.iranica.com/newsite/articles/unicode/v9f5/v9f553a.html Festivals: Kurdish, in Encyclopedia Iranica, KEITH HITCHINS]
*[http://www.library.cornell.edu/colldev/mideast/diarbkrj.htm Where Misery Abounds, the Kurds Make Merry]
*[http://www.csmonitor.com/2004/0323/p07s02-woiq.html Newroz for Kurds, a day of bonfires, legends, and independence]
*[http://www.kerkuk-kurdistan.com/kulturek.asp?ser=4&cep=3&nnimre=2021 Kawa and the Story of Newroz, By Mark Campbell]
*[http://www.kurdistanica.com/english/culture/ncharacters/calendar/calendar.html Newroz and Kurds (a good academic sources on Kurds)]
*[http://www.bbc.co.uk/persian/interactivity/yourphotos/story/2008/03/080321_fe-mehabad-pix.shtml Newroz 2008 in Mahabad (Iranian Kurdistan), BBC photo]
{{Kurdish culture}}
{{Nowruz}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Newroz As Celebrated By Kurds}}
[[Category:Kurdish culture]]
[[Category:March observances]]
[[Category:New Year celebrations]]

[[ar:نه‌وروز]]
[[da:Kurdisk fejring af Newroz]]
[[fa:نوروز در میان کردها]]
[[ku:Newroz]]
[[sv:Newroz]]

Nevroz

2010-03-19T07:21:30Z

Cyrus abdi: ←Redirected page to Newroz (Kurdistan)

#REDIRECT [[Newroz (Kurdistan)]]

Newroz (Kurdistan)

2010-03-19T07:19:48Z

Cyrus abdi:

'''Newroz''' or '''Nûroj'''<ref>Thomas Bois, ''Connaissance des Kurdes'', 164 pp., 1965. (see p.69)</ref> ({{lang-ku|نه‌ورۆز/Newroz/Nûroj}}, also: '''Gulus''')<ref>Abdurrahman Sharafkandi ([[Hejar]]), ''Henbane Borîne (Kurdish-Kurdish-Persian Dictionary)'', Soroush Press, 1991, Tehran, p. 715</ref> ({{lang-ku|گوڵوس}}) refers to the celebration of the traditional [[Iranian peoples|Iranian]] new year holiday of [[Newroz]] in [[Kurdish culture|Kurdish]] society. Newroz is celebrated throughout the countries of the [[Middle East]] and [[Central Asia]] such as in [[Iran]], [[Azerbaijan]], [[Afghanistan]] and [[Turkey]] by their Kurds. Newroz is also celebrated by some communities in [[Pakistan]]. In Kurdish legend, the holiday celebrates the deliverance of the [[Kurds]] from a tyrant, and it is seen as another way of demonstrating support for the Kurdish cause.<ref name="murphy">{{cite web | title = For Kurds, a day of bonfires, legends, and independence | first = Dan | last = Murphy | publisher = The Christian Science Monitor | url = http://www.csmonitor.com/2004/0323/p07s02-woiq.html| date = 2004-03-24| accessdate = 2007-03-08}}</ref><ref name="religionjournal">{{cite journal | journal = Middle Eastern Studies | volume = 42 | issue = 2 | pages = pp. 285–302 | date = 2006-03 | first = Lerna K. | last = Yanik | title = ‘Nevruz’ or ‘Newroz’? Deconstructing the ‘Invention’ of a Contested Tradition in Contemporary Turkey | doi = 10.1080/00263200500417710}}</ref><ref name="thekurds">{{cite book | title = The Kurds: A Concise Handbook | first = Mehrdad R. | last = Izady | year = 1992 | publisher = Taylor francis | location = United Kingdom | isbn = 0844817279 | pages = 243–244}}</ref><ref name="Australia">{{cite book | title = The Australian People: An Encyclopedia of the Nation, its People and their Origins | first =James | last = Jupp | year = 2001 | isbn = 0521807891 | publisher = Cambridge University Press | location = Cambridge}}</ref><ref name="Yildiz">{{cite book | title = The Kurds: Culture and Language Rights | first = Kerim | last = Yildiz | coauthors = Fryer, Georgina | publisher = Kurdish Human Rights Project | year = 2004 | isbn = 1900175746}}</ref><ref name="diaspora">{{cite book | year = 1999 | isbn = 0312220677 | title = Kurdish Diasporas: A Comparative Study of Kurdish Refugee Communities (Migration, Minorities and Citizenship) | first = Osten | last = Wahlbeck | publisher = Macmillan | location = Basingstoke}}</ref> The celebration is commonly [[Kurdish language|transliterated]] ''Newroz'' by the Kurds and coincides with the [[spring equinox]] which falls mainly on 21 March <ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.bbc.co.uk/london/yourlondon/unitedcolours/features/kurdish_newyear.shtml | title =Newroz - Kurdish New Year | publisher = BBC}}</ref> and the festival is held usually between the 18th and 24 March. The festival currently has an important place in the terms of Kurdish identity for the majority of Kurds, mostly in [[Turkey]] and [[Syria]].<ref name="murphy" /><ref name="religionjournal" /><ref name="thekurds" /><ref name="Yildiz" /> Though celebrations vary, people generally gather together to welcome the coming of spring; people wear coloured clothes and flags of green, yellow and red, the colours of the Kurdish people are waved.<ref name="nyt">{{cite news |first= Douglas |last= Frantz |title= Diyarbakir Journal: Where Misery Abounds, the Kurds Make Merry|url= http://www.library.cornell.edu/colldev/mideast/diarbkrj.htm |work= The New York Times |date= 2001-03-23 |accessdate=2007-03-08}}</ref><ref name="providence">{{cite news |first= Gina |last= Macris |title= Kurds Ring in New Year|url= http://www.kurdistan.org/Current-Updates/ring.html |work= Providence Journal |date= 2002-03-25 |accessdate=2007-03-08}}</ref>

==Mythology==
===Story of Zahak===
In [[The Meadows of Gold]] by Muslim historian [[Masudi]] <ref name=autogenerated1>Hakan Ozoglu, Kurdish notables and the Ottoman State, 2004, SUNY Press, page: 30. ISBN 0791459934</ref>, and [[Shahnameh]], a poetic opus written by the [[Sharafnameh]] of medieval Kurdish historian [[Sherefxan Bidlisi]], [[Zahhak]] is an evil king who conquers [[Kurdistan]] and who has serpents growing out of his shoulders.<ref name="myths">{{cite book | title = World of Myths: Roman Myths | first = Marina | last = Warner | coauthors = Fernández-Armesto, Felipe | year = 2004 | publisher = University of Texas Press | isbn = 0292706073}}</ref> The Iranian Zahak's rule lasts for a thousand years during which two young kurdish men are sacrificed daily to provide their brains to the serpents to alleviate the pain that Zahak felt.<ref name="myths" /> The man who was charged with slaughtering two young people each day would instead kill one person a day and would mix their brains with that of a sheep, thus saving one young man a day. As discontent grows against Zahhak's rule, the nobleman plan a revolt, being led by [[Kaveh]], a blacksmith (cf. Ossetian ''Kurdalægon''), who has lost six sons to Zahhak.<ref name="myths" /> Therefor, the saved young children (who according to the legend were ancestors of the Kurds <ref name=autogenerated1 /><ref>[http://www.shahnameh.com/Epic/05Zahak/index.html 05001 Zahak]</ref>) are then trained by Kawa into an army marches to Zahhak's castle where Kawa kills the king with a hammer; eventually Kawa instates [[Fereydun]] as king.<ref name="myths" /> The root of this story goes back to ancient Iranian legends. According to [[Evliya Çelebi]], the district ([[sancak]]) of ''Merkawe'' in ''Shahrazur'' ([[Sharazur]]) is named after the blacksmith Kawe(Kaveh), who overthrew Zahhak<ref name=autogenerated2>Martin van Bruinessen, ''Kurdistan in the 16th and 17th centuries, as reflected in Elviya Çelebi's Seyahatname'', The Journal of Kurdish Studies, Vol. 3, pp.1-11, 2000.</ref>. The 12th century geographer [[Yaqoot Hamawi]], mentions ''Zor'' son of [[Zahhak]] (Aji Dahak) as founder of the famous city of [[Sharazor]]<ref>Kitab Mu'jam Al Buldan by [[Yaqoot Hamawi]], Book 3, p: 425-427</ref>.
[[Image:Newroz Istanbul(4).jpg|thumb|250px|It is a tradition to jump across a fire at Newroz]]

===Death of Dehak and spring===
According to Kurdish myth, Kawa lived for 2,500 years under the tyranny of Zahhak, an [[Assyria]]n who is named Zuhak or Dehak by the Kurds.<ref name="murphy" /><ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.institutkurde.org/en/publications/bulletins/bulletins.php?bul=192 | title =Newroz 2001: In Diyarbekir the celebrations brought together, in a calm atmosphere, 5000,000 people but there were many incidents in Istanbul | accessdate = 2007-03-13 | date = 2001-03 | author = Kurdish Institute of Paris}}</ref> Dehak's evil reign caused spring to no longer come to [[Kurdistan]].<ref name="murphy" /> March 20 is traditionally marked as the day that Kawa defeated Dehak. He is then said to have set fires on the hillsides to celebrate the victory and summon his supporters; subsequently spring returned to Kurdistan the next day.<ref name="murphy" />

In some of the present Kurdish versions of the story of Zahhak and Kawe, there is no mention of ''[[Fereydun]]''<ref name=autogenerated2 />. Although in the [[Ahl-e Haqq]] (Yarsan) Kurdish tradition, Kawa rebelled against Zahak and helped Fereydun bound Zahak in Damavand<ref>Hajj Nematollah, Shah-Nama-Ye Haqiqat, Intishaaraat Jeyhun, (1982).</ref>.

This legend is now used by the Kurds to remind themselves that they are a different, strong people, and the lighting of the fires has since become a symbol of freedom.<ref name="murphy" />

In the 1930s, the Kurdish poet ''Taufik Abdullah'', wanting to instil a new Kurdish cultural revival, used a previously known modified form of the story of Kaveh, (written as Kawa in [[Kurdish language|Kurdish]]).<ref name="murphy"/> He connected the myths where people felt oppressed with Newroz, thus reviving a dying holiday and made it a symbol of Kurdish national struggle.<ref name="murphy" /> However it should be noted that Kurds celebrated ''Newroz'' long before this, and the word ''Newroz'' has been mentioned in the Kurdish poetry of 16th century. Indeed the arrival of spring was celebrated in Asia Minor since neolithic times, a good example is the Indo-European Phrygians who mourned the death of Attis, and rejoiced over his resurrection during the fourth week of March.

===Divergent views===
According to the Kurdish writer, Musa Anter, Newruz was originally celebrated on August 31, not March 21. However, after the introduction of the Arab calendar, the celebration was shifted to March <ref>http://www.xs4all.nl/~tank/kurdish/htdocs/cult/anter.html</ref>.
Some scholars associate ''Dehak'' or ''Zehhak'' with [[Astyages]], the last Emperor of the [[Medes]]. During the reign of Astyages, the native religion of '[[Yazdanism]] had a strong influence on Zoroastrianism, through introduction of [[Magi]] priests into that faith. It was during the Achaemenian period that the honorific royal title of ''Azhi Dahak'' was given a demonic character by the Zoroastrians as an attempt to reverse the ''Magi'' influence.

==Newruz customs and celebration==

Newruz is considered the most important festival in Kurdish culture, and is a time for entertainments such as games, dancing, family gathering, preparation of special foods and the reading of poetry<ref name="IranicaFestivals">[http://www.iranica.com/newsite/index.isc?Article=http://www.iranica.com/newsite/articles/unicode/v9f5/v9f553c.html#v Festivals: Kurdish, in Encyclopedia Iranica, by KEITH HITCHINS]</ref>. The celebration of Newruz has its local peculiarities in different regions of Kurdistan<ref name="IranicaFestivals"/>. On the eve of Newruz, in southern and eastern Kurdistan, bonfires are lit. These fires symbolize the passing of the dark season, winter, and the arrival of spring, the season of light<ref name="IranicaFestivals"/>.

==Political overtone==
[[File:Zakia Alkan 1.jpg|thumb|250px|A statue of Zakia Alkan, the women who set herself on fire to protest the Turkish ban on Nowruz, [[Sulaymaniyah]].]]
The Kurdish association with Newroz has become increasingly pronounced since the 1950s when the Kurds in the Middle East and those in the diaspora in Europe started adopting it as a tradition.<ref name="religionjournal" /> In combination with the persecution they suffered in [[Turkey]], the revival of the Newroz celebration become more intense and politicized and became a symbol of their resurrection.<ref name="religionjournal" /> By the end of the 1980s Newroz was mainly associated with Kurdish identity and the attempts to express and resurrect it.<ref name="religionjournal" />

While the Kurdish celebration has taken the form of a political expression in Turkey, most Kurdish celebrations in Iran are identical to the national festivals.<ref name="thekurds"/> Izady states that the reason for this may be that the original tradition and folklore behind Newroz has been lost in the northern and western parts of [[Kurdistan]] (i.e. Turkey), where it was never as involving, as it was in the southern and eastern parts.<ref name="thekurds" /> Izady further states that Newroz might have gained prominence in the northern and western parts because of the prominence of the celebrations that the staunchest Kurdish adherents of Newruz, the Iraqi and Iranian Kurds, have enjoyed through their more frequent popular uprisings.<ref name="thekurds" /> Thus the western and northern Kurds seem to have resolved to the celebration of the new year as a unifying political expression.<ref name="thekurds" />

In 2000, Turkey legalized the celebration of the spring holiday, spelling it ''Nevruz'' and claiming it as a Turkish spring holiday.<ref name="religionjournal" /><ref>{{cite web | title = Kurds and No Way | url = http://www.schnews.org.uk/archive/news496.htm | date = 2005-05-06 | accessdate = 2007-03-10 | publisher = SchNEWS}}</ref> Also using ''Newroz'' rathern than ''Nevruz'' i.e. using Kurdish spelling has been officially forbidden,<ref>[http://www.bianet.org/english/kategori/english/105753/let-newroz-and-nevruz-bring-peace-and-spring Bianet :: Let Newroz and Nevruz bring Peace and Spring!]</ref> though it is still widely used by Kurds. In the Kurdish regions of the country, specifically in Eastern Anatolia, but also in [[Istanbul]] and [[Ankara]] where there is a large Kurdish population, people gather and jump over bonfires.<ref name="religionjournal" /> Previous to it being legalized, the [[PKK]], the Kurdistan Workers’ Party, had chosen Newroz to stage attacks to obtain publicity for its cause;<ref name="religionjournal" /> this had led to Turkish forces detaining thousands of people who were seen as supporters of the Kurdish rebel movements.<ref>{{cite web | date = 1999-03-22 | title = Turkish police arrest thousands | publisher = BBC | accessdate = 2007-03-10 | url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/300830.stm}}</ref> In Newroz 1992 more than 50 Kurdish participants were killed by Turks; also in Newroz 2008 two participants were killed.<ref>[http://www.rte.ie/news/2008/0323/turkey.html RTÉ News: Two demonstrators die in Turkey clashes]</ref>

In Syria, the Kurds dress up in their national dress and celebrate the new year.<ref>{{cite book | title = The Kurds | first = Philip G. | last = Kreyenbroek | coauthors = Sperl, Stefan Sperl | publisher = Routledge | year = 1991 | isbn = 0415072654}}</ref> According to Human Rights Watch, the Kurds have had to struggle to celebrate Newroz, and in the past the celebration has led to violent oppression, leading to several deaths and mass arrests.<ref name="Yildiz"/><ref>{{cite web | title = Syria: Mass arrests of Syrian Kurds and fear of torture and other ill-treatment | url = http://web.amnesty.org/library/Index/ENGMDE240202004?open&of=ENG-352 | date = 2004-03-16 | accessdate = 2007-03-10 | publisher = Amnesty International | author = Amnesty International}}</ref> The government had stated that the Newroz celebrations will be tolerated as long as they do not become political demonstrations of the treatment of the Kurds.<ref name="Yildiz" /> During Newroz 2008, three Kurdish celebrators were shot dead by Syrian security forces.<ref>[http://news.monstersandcritics.com/middleeast/news/article_1396362.php/Three_Kurds_killed_in_Syria_shooting_human_rights_group_says Three Kurds killed in Syria shooting, human rights group says - Middle East]</ref>
<ref>[http://www.reuters.com/article/latestCrisis/idUSL21565217 Police kill three Kurds in northeast Syria - group | Reuters]</ref>

Kurds in the [[diaspora]] also celebrate the new year; for example Kurds in [[Australia]] celebrate Newroz, not only as the beginning of the new year but also as the Kurdish National Day;<ref name="Australia" /> and the Kurds in [[Finland]] celebrate the new year as a way of demonstrating support for the Kurdish cause.<ref>{{cite book | title = Kurdish Diasporas: A Comparative Study of Kurdish Refugee Communities | first = Osten | last = Wahlbeck | publisher = Palgrave Macmillan | year = 1999 | isbn = 0312220677}}</ref> Also in [[London]], organizers estimated that 25,000 people celebrated Newroz during March 2006.<ref>{{cite web | title = London celebrates Newroz: The Kurdish New Year | url = http://www.london.gov.uk/londoner/06mar/p7b.jsp?nav=on | accessdate = 2007-03-10 | date = 2006-03 | publisher = The Londoner}}</ref>

==Newroz in Kurdish literature==

Newroz has been mentioned in works of many Kurdish [[poet]]s and writers as well as [[musician]]s.<ref name="artists">{{cite web | year = 2000 | first = Martin | last = van Bruinessen | title = Transnational aspects of the Kurdish question | publisher = Robert Schuman Centre for Advanced Studies, European University Institute | location= Florence | url = http://www.let.uu.nl/~Martin.vanBruinessen/personal/publications/transnational_Kurds.htm}}</ref>
One of the earliest records of ''Newroz'' in [[Kurdish literature]] is from [[Melayê Cizîrî]] (1570–1640):<ref name="poem">{{cite web | first = Sandrine | last = Alexie | title = Newroz û Sersal (Newroz and New Year) | url = http://northerniraq.info/blog/?p=176 | accessdate = 2007-03-22 | date = 2007-03-21 | publisher = Roj Bash}}</ref>
:''Whithout the light and the fire of Love,''
:''Without the Designer and the power of Creator'',
:''We are not able to reach Union.''
:''(Light is for us and dark is the night)''

:''This fire massing and washing the Heart,''
:''My heart claim after it.''
:''And here come '''Newroz''' and the New Year,''
:''When a such light is rising.''

Also the famous Kurdish writer and poet [[Piramerd]] (1867–1950) writes in his 1948 poem Newroz:<ref name="poem">{{cite web | first = Kamal | last = Mirawdeli | title = The old man and the fire | url = http://www.kurdistanreferendum.org/writers/kamalmirawdeli/cultural-oldmanandfire.htm | accessdate = 2007-03-08 | date = 2005-03-21 | publisher = Kurdistan Referendum Movement}}</ref>
:''The New Year’s day is today. '''Newroz''' is back.''
:''An ancient Kurdish festival, with joy and verdure.''
:''For many years, the flower of our hopes was downtrodden''
:''The fresh rose of spring was the blood of the youth''
:''It was that red colour on the high horizon of [[Kurdish people|Kurd]]''
:''Which was carrying the happy tidings of dawn to remote and near nations''
:''It was Newroz which imbued the hearts with such a fire''
:''That made the youth receive death with devoted love''
:''Hooray! The sun is shining from the high mountains of [[Kurdistan|homeland]]''
:''It is the blood of our martyrs which the horizon reflects''
:''It has never happened in the history of any nation''
:''To have the breasts of girls as shields against bullets''
:''Nay. It is not worth crying and mourning for the martyrs of homeland''
:''They die not. They live on in the heart of the nation.''

==See also==
*[[Kurdish culture]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://www.iranica.com/newsite/index.isc?Article=http://www.iranica.com/newsite/articles/unicode/v9f5/v9f553a.html Festivals: Kurdish, in Encyclopedia Iranica, KEITH HITCHINS]
*[http://www.library.cornell.edu/colldev/mideast/diarbkrj.htm Where Misery Abounds, the Kurds Make Merry]
*[http://www.csmonitor.com/2004/0323/p07s02-woiq.html Newroz for Kurds, a day of bonfires, legends, and independence]
*[http://www.kerkuk-kurdistan.com/kulturek.asp?ser=4&cep=3&nnimre=2021 Kawa and the Story of Newroz, By Mark Campbell]
*[http://www.kurdistanica.com/english/culture/ncharacters/calendar/calendar.html Newroz and Kurds (a good academic sources on Kurds)]
*[http://www.bbc.co.uk/persian/interactivity/yourphotos/story/2008/03/080321_fe-mehabad-pix.shtml Newroz 2008 in Mahabad (Iranian Kurdistan), BBC photo]
{{Kurdish culture}}
{{Nowruz}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Newroz As Celebrated By Kurds}}
[[Category:Kurdish culture]]
[[Category:March observances]]
[[Category:New Year celebrations]]

[[ar:نه‌وروز]]
[[da:Kurdisk fejring af Newroz]]
[[fa:نوروز در میان کردها]]
[[ku:Newroz]]
[[sv:Newroz]]

Talk:Newroz (Kurdistan)

2010-03-19T07:17:57Z

Cyrus abdi: ←Created page with '"Newroz as celebrated by Kurds" has a negative and undesetimating meanings.'

"Newroz as celebrated by Kurds" has a negative and undesetimating meanings.

Newroz

2010-03-19T07:16:19Z

Cyrus abdi: ←Redirected page to Newroz (Kurdistan)

#REDIRECT [[Newroz (Kurdistan)]]