Opium Black Fortress
The literal translation of Türkiye's province of Afyonkarahisar would come to Opium Black Fortress. There are multiple words for fortress such as citadel, fort, or castle. However, there aren't many other words that could replace opium. Poppy is just one of those words. The area is known to be full of the opium poppy plant, aka Papaver somniferum. Apparently, a lot of people cultivate this plant in the region. I remember eating opium-bread as a child. Funnily enough, we don't call it afyon in its food-form, but rather haşhaş - literally hashhash. It's worth noting that up until 2005, the province was just called Afyon. Opium City.
When I first came to Türkiye about six months ago, a lot of the village names in the Aegean region caught my attention. What was even more interesting was how a lot of these names would be translated into English. Below are 58 villages from the province of Afyonkarahisar to illustrate my excitement over these translations. Some of them are more literal translations while others lean towards a more playful interpretation. Some of the Anglicized names have actual English equivalents while others couldn't possibly be found anywhere else.
This post is meant as an expression of curiosity and word-play. It's not meant to be taken seriously. In some cases, there could be more accurate translations. In others, a more accurate translation would ruin it. The actual names as they appear in Turkish on Google Maps can be found at the very end of the post.
And then, we have Noah's Village. The story of Noah's Arc goes deep among Turks and it's not surprising to see a village named after the Messiah either.
Next is Tea Fortress. Bring cookies.
The next village is Lubricator. Careful now.
There are two villages named South. One is in the west of the province and the other is in the north.
Then we come to Barleycornly. This is the first of the examples of names ending with 'ly.' There has been a surge of online platforms with names ending in a similar fashion. I can think of Preply, Cambly, and Grammarly. The Turkish equivalents of the villages end with a 'li' which would literally mean 'with Barleycorn.' I find it to be an awkward translation so most of the Englished names here will be this wayly, following the internet trendly.
Next on our itinerary, we arrive in the village of Lightning Perfection.
Redly is a village in neighbouring Kütahya but it would've been bluely of me not to include it here.
White Windmill is another village where some Anatolians call home.
You might think there are a lot of teachers in the village of Teachers but the opposite may be true as well. It's a small village.
Awkwardly is another translationly villagely I found funly.
Afterwards, we get to the village of To Whom It May Concern.
You'll probably find some doughboys in the village of Dough.
The Wide Ones is another village from neighbourly Kütahya that I included here.
Then, we have Bridgely.
Next, welcome to The Enlightened Ones.
Fridayly is next up.
Governor Pilgrimly is the following village on our list.
The Murats sounds like a band from the 70s.
Falcons is another name on our list, one that can be pimped out to include the versions Falcon Future, Falconizer, or Falcon Faction.
Gassy Lake is probably not what Kurt Cobain had in mind when he sang the lyrics "Where do bad folks go when they die? They don't go to heaven where the angels fly. They go to a lake of fire and fry. See 'em again til the fourth of July!"
Mount Command sounds like it was named by the Galactic Federation itself.
Come to Tied Uply where everybody is busy or otherwise unavailable.
Make your own bed at the inns of Tends To Get Untidy.
Dryly is just dryly.
They make films about swordsmen in the village of Swords.
Blackbed sounds like it could be named after a layer of the Earth's crust.
Farm Village is a village...with farms.
Welcome to Pilgrim Apostrophe, an apostrophely kind of place.
Messy is not the name of a football player in Afyonkarahisar. It's a village.
Almondly is a village that prides itself on almond consumption.
Stew Chef is a place you can expect some good stew.
After Hunting is a good village to stop by after going hunting.
Turkmen Village gives you an idea of the diversity of Anatolian demographics.
Three Wells just feels well.
Stonebridge is not only a Swedish DJ and a district of London, but also a village in Afyonkarahisar.
Tell all the culture vultures to back off in the village of Vulture.
Republic is the name of a tiny republic in Asia Minor. Just kidding, it's a village.
If you've spent too much time in front of a screen today, the locals of Blurry might umm... alsdkfahlkjhjh ulakjhsdflaiuia uygmn bmhxczvgkuya gksd jfhgaawewr alsd.
If you thought you had the Christ in your heart, then imagine what the locals of With Jesus would have.
I want to read the Bible in Sunday Tree.
The Moon Has Risen sounds like it could be a film with a soundtrack full of rave music.
My ears are burning in the village of Ear.
I like the sound of Greyish Blue Essence.
Another example of Anatolian diversity is Tatarly - demographically-ly.
If you thought Mete Gazoz was cool, you should check out the village of Archers.
Dinar is the only village name I didn't even bother translating.
Let's go to Duckling to visit the ducks.
Shoemaker is a village with a population of 37 shoemakers.
Kindly Disposed is a friendly and warmhearted place.
The same can be said for Grandpa Hasan.
There's a lot of buzz in Bee Village. What's up with it?
- Çobanlar
- Karaarslan
- Halımoru
- Işıklar
- Susuz
- Kılıçarslan
- Nuh
- Çayhisar
- Yağcı
- Güney
- Arpalı
- Yıldırım Kemal
- Kızılca
- Akdeğirmen
- Öğretmenler
- Garipce
- Başkimse
- Hamur
- Genişler
- Köprülü
- Aydınlar
- Cumalı
- Hacıbeyli
- Muratlı
- Doğanlar
- Gazlıgöl
- Emirdağ
- Bağlıca
- Dağılgan
- Kuruca
- Kılıçlar
- Karayatak
- Çiftlikköy
- Hamzahacılı
- Dağınık
- Bademli
- Güveççi
- Avdan
- Türkmenköy
- Üçkuyu
- Taşköprü
- Akbaba
- Cumhuriyet
- Bulanık
- Isalı
- Pazarağaç
- Aydoğmuş
- Kulak
- Çakırözü
- Tatarlı
- Okçular
- Dinar
- Palaz
- Başmakçı
- Eşrefli
- Hasandede
- Arıköy
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