Names can contain recognisable words without describing their bearers. You will separate given names from surnames and explain the limits of a literal reading. The Surname Law, adopted on 21 June 1934, is the historical reference point for this lesson.
The idea
In an ordinary full name, the given name or names come before the surname. Ad and isim mean name; soyadı and soyad mean surname. In Mehmet Ali Demirci, Mehmet Ali can be two given names, with Demirci as the surname. Read the labels or ask, rather than treating every second word as a surname. Some surnames contain recognisable elements: Çobanoğlu combines çoban (shepherd) with oğlu (son of); Demirci contains the occupational element -ci, and demirci means blacksmith. These are clues to word meaning, not proof of an individual family history. Not every surname has such an ending.
Read the text
Yazı atölyesinde herkes kendini tanıtıyor. Selin Çobanoğlu, soyadının anlamını açıklıyor ama ailesinin geçmişi hakkında ayrıntılı bilgi vermiyor. Yanındaki katılımcı, soyadından hareketle babasının çoban olduğunu düşünüyor. Selin, babasının mesleğini henüz söylemediğini hatırlatıyor.
Sıra Mehmet Ali Demirci’ye gelince öğretmen, katılımcı listesindeki ad alanına yalnızca Mehmet yazıldığını fark ediyor. Mehmet Ali, iki adını da kullandığını belirtiyor. Öğretmen listeyi düzeltiyor ve soyadı aynı olan iki kişinin mutlaka akraba sayılamayacağını ekliyor.
Examples
- Benim iki adım var.I have two given names.
- Soyadınızı tekrar söyler misiniz?Could you say your surname again?
- Burada soyadım yanlış yazılmış.My surname has been written incorrectly here.
- Ayşe Demir'in adı Ayşe, soyadı Demir.Ayşe Demir has the given name Ayşe and the surname Demir.
- Demirci soyadı, kişinin demirci olduğunu göstermez.The surname Demirci does not show that the person is a blacksmith.
- Çobanoğlu soyadı bir kadının da soyadı olabilir.Çobanoğlu can also be a woman’s surname.
- Soyadı Kanunu 21 Haziran 1934'te kabul edildi.The Surname Law was adopted on 21 June 1934.
Read-aloud uses a synthetic Turkish voice available on your device. Voice quality and availability vary; it does not assess your pronunciation.
No Turkish device voice is available. You can still read the text.
Watch out
Do not read -oğlu as evidence that the bearer is male or that their father has a particular occupation. A woman can also have the surname Çobanoğlu. Likewise, the surname Demirci does not establish that someone works as a blacksmith. Keep the name itself when translating a sentence about the person.
Try it yourself
Given name: Mehmet Ali. Surname: Demirci. What are this person’s two given names?
Show answer or example answer
Mehmet Ali
Mehmet Ali: both words appear under the given-name label; Demirci is separately identified as the surname. Taking only Mehmet would omit a given name.
If Demirci is a surname, can you know the person’s occupation for certain? Answer evet or hayır.
Show answer or example answer
hayır
hayır: the prompt gives a family name, not a job description. The lexical meaning of demirci does not tell us what this person does.
Which element comes at the end of the surname Çobanoğlu?
Show answer or example answer
oğlu / -oğlu
oğlu / -oğlu: this is the final element of Çobanoğlu; çoban is the preceding element. Recognising the boundary does not establish the bearer’s ancestry.
In which year was the Surname Law adopted?
Show answer or example answer
1934
1934: the question asks for the year of adoption, so extract the year from 21 June 1934; a date of birth or a present-day procedure is not being requested.
Practice round
Answer questions, then rebuild Turkish sentences and words where available. We keep your score.
Given name: Mehmet Ali. Surname: Demirci. What are this person’s two given names?
If Demirci is a surname, can you know the person’s occupation for certain? Answer evet or hayır.
Which element comes at the end of the surname Çobanoğlu?
In which year was the Surname Law adopted?
Tap the words in the right order.
Tap the words in the right order.
Tap the words in the right order.
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Invent a person with two given names and a surname. Introduce them, ask a partner to repeat the surname, and explain two things you cannot infer from that surname.