Part 3

Science in this matter is also not free from ideology.  In Armenia, Orientalists use the name "ezdiki", which throws a stone in the direction of many kurdologists. Western scholars never mention "ezdiki" and always describe Yazidis as Kurds. This is due to the fact that Western scientists in their field research came into contact mainly with nationalist Kurds and were influenced by Kurdish nationalism, which is relevant to this day. And for this they can be blamed, because the task of scientists is to understand how the Yazidis really describe their language, how they identify themselves and how they present themselves, which will give their research even more value.

Today, the linguonym "ezdiki" is used mostly by Yazidis of the former Soviet Union, but it is also gaining popularity among members of the Yazidi Diaspora in Germany and in parts of Iraq. It is interesting that in the past not only of the Soviet Yazidis have used this language. Accusations that the Yazidis invented the name "ezdiki" to separate themselves ethnically from the Kurds and this was facilitated by the state, do not stand up to criticism. Anthropologist Ernest Chantre in 1895 during a field visit to Birejik (Turkey) notes: "Both speak Kurmanji. The Yazidis call their language " zyman e ezda "(the language of the Yazidis) and claim that it is the Kurds who speak their language." (Ernest Chantre "Ethnographic notes on the Yazidis", 1895).

Thus, the Yazidis did not want to use the name "Kurmanji" for their native language, preferring "Yazidi language" (ezdiki). It is not surprising that the aforementioned source is deliberately ignored by nationalist Kurdish circles. And science also consciously hides such sources to this day – there is no other explanation for this.

Undoubtedly, many Yazidis used and still use the term "Kurmanji". For Kurds and Yazidis, the use of the term "Kurd" has become active in recent decades, thanks to Kurdish television stations that have pushed a nationalist agenda to the forefront. Previously, instead of this term, everyone used "Kurmanji". Today, the Kurds consider "Kurmanji" only a dialect of the Kurdish language, which includes, among other things, such dialects as Sorani and zazaki. But there is no obvious etymological connection between the terms "Kurmanji" and "Kurd".  Attempts to establish such a connection have so far led to various theories, some of which contradict each other. According to Mackenzie's theory, Kurmanji came from the words "Kurd" and "manj" (derived from Mussels). Another theory States that "Kurmanji" comes from the name of the city of Kermanshah.