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Stepanakert Vs. Xankendi


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I ma a bit curious on the Azerbaijani Name of Stepanakert. As we all know the town is named after Stepan Shahumyan, etc ....

 

I am curious, when did Azeris start callin it Xankendi, and why they did not choose a name that is easier to pronounce. It sounds like a Rabbi choking on popcorn, or something else ... :) I doubt even azeris can pronounce this name with ease ...

 

Levon

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Xankandi (pronounced Khankendi) means "village of the khan" in azerbaijani. Probably because the village is right next to the former karabagh capital Shushi, where the azeri khans lived in the 18th and early 19th century. Stepanakert is a name that came after the bolshevik revolution, in honour of Stepan Shahumyan and the village, that slowly turned into a small city, was officially (as well as in the popluation) called so during the soviet union.

 

When the empire collapsed, Azerbaijan considered Karabagh its own and gave himself the right to assign names to the various cities it thought it controlled. Until today, azeris refer to it as Xankendi. But isn't the name of a city decided by its inhabitants? Hasn't the city been called Stepanakert during soviet times by the will of its people (overwhelmingly armenian)? And isn't the city still being called Stepanakert by the will of its people (now completely armenian)?

 

Hence, there is a natural question that arises: If the rights and will of the people of Karabagh are not respected by Baku for such a banal story concerning a city name, then what sort of autonomy, freedom, or self government can the armenians expect if remaining within Azerbaijan? This is a question azeris should perhaps think about. As for us armenians, we've thought about it and found the answer a long time ago!

 

A.

Edited by Aaron
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Thank you Aaron. True.

Just as well Stepanavan in Armenia, formerly Jalaloghlu was named for S. Shahumian.

Stepanakert, state capital of Artsakh was known as Varakn until 1847, and until renaming it for the Armenian hero it was known as Khankent.

You are also right about homonyms. The people decide what their towns and villages should be named and not their enemies, nor by their “friends” like Nagorny Karabagh Oblast.

PS. Maybe some day we will think of a (internationally) lessscumbersome name for “Artsakh” too, like Herosastan/Heroland.

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Незнаю могу ли писать на русском языке...Надеюсь меня за это камнями не забросают...

Специально зарегестрировалась на этом форуме так как хотела бы поближе познакомится с жизнью армян. Врага надо знать в лицо как говорится))))))

Но, на самом деле в мои планы, как надеюсь и в ваши. не входт ругать, обвинять в чем либо армян.

на самом деле нужно все таки посмотреть вглубь , в корень пробелмы.Да, на сегодняшний день отношения более чем в критическм состоянии. естественно, не вы и тем более не мы на примирение идти не собираемся и как бы мы не доказывали друг другу свою правоту все равно каждый остается при своем мнении. мне очень обидно что мне приходится называть врагами народ который так же как и мы находится на кавказе, народ с которым у нас есть определенные общие черты., в кухне например или в музыкальных инструментах. Все таки я считаю что эта самая проблема не появилась бы не будь россии и их тоталитарного режима в течении 70 лет. Уже не важно кому и что когда то принадлежало. С таким же успехов я могу трубить на весь форум что ереван это бывшее Иреванское ханство. С таким же успехом та же Туция может заявить что Болгария принадлежит им потому что когда то это были ее земли. Мне кажется пора прекращать оскорбления друг друга на различных форумах и сайтах независимо от того как решится этот конфликт..

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She says she hopes she can in write in Russian and registered here to become more familiar with Armenians. She says she doesn’t want to blame Armenians for everything, realizes that relations are in a critical state, and thinks that the issue should be analyzed at its core. She says that neither side is ready to accept peace and neither side can prove to the other that they are in the right. She says, that she is upset about calling another Caucasian nation, and a people with whom she has we have many similar features as her enemy and says the problem was created by Russia.

 

Then she says that it’s not important who owned what land when and started citing examples of empires occupying other nations. Then she says that we should stop insulting each other on the internet.

 

 

 

--------------------------

 

 

 

 

I could try to answer, but I don't think that there is any point.

Edited by skhara
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Fidan,

 

First of all, I do not see how this posts relates to hte name of Stepanakert, but anyway shall respond.

 

As of historical claims to areas, so what if there was a Khanate in Yerevan? There was an Abbasid Caliphate, Bagratuni Rule, Shaddadid, Seljuq, Georgian, and Ilkhanid, Timurid, Ottoman, otherwise, to name a few dynasties that ruled yerevan, but you know what? Since the days of Urartu, armenians and their ancestors have continually lived here. You may say this, but do not expect to come to an Armenian forum and have people agree with you.

 

Bulgaria cannot be claimed by turkey either, I do not see were you are going with this ...

 

Levon

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С таким же успехом та же Туция может заявить что Болгария принадлежит им потому что когда то это были ее земли.

just as armenians and greeks can claim turkey. but the difference between erevanskoe xanstvo and the rest. is that historically (not during some brief period) eastern part of turkey belongs to Armenians. Karabakh too. So what's your point here?

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Anyone can claim whatever they like. Armenia may have existed in 3000 B.C. or even 3 million years ago. Armenia existed on other planets too. If there is something to the multiuniverse theory it may even exist in other universes. If we are going to claim any land that one ancestor's has set foot it's going to create one big mess.

 

What I'm trying to say is this is a slippery slope argument. It's the present that counts. Armenia regained Karabakh and no one is going to take it away from her given that it has an Armenian majority. Just like in Kosovo it's numbers that count. Historical precedence is only its justification or excuse.

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