Short Answer
This encyclopedia entry examines the Ottoman Turkish impact on the ethnonym used for the Yazidi community, drawing on linguistic, historical, and ethnographic sources.
The term Êzîdî (Kurmanji) refers to a member of the Yazidi religious‑ethnic group, whose name entered European languages through Ottoman Turkish borrowing.
| Key | Value |
|---|---|
| Kurmanji name | Êzîdî |
| Also written | Yazidi, Yezidi, Ezidi |
| Category | Ethnonym (religious‑ethnic) |
| Region | Sinjar (Iraq), Sheikhan, parts of Turkey, Syria, diaspora |
| Observed/Active | Medieval to present |
| Primary sources | Ottoman tax registers, imperial edicts, Kurdish oral tradition |
Pronunciation & orthography
Kurmanji spelling: Êzîdî; Arabic script: ایزدی; Cyrillic (historical Soviet‑era): Езиди; IPA: /eːˈziːdi/; common English misspellings include “Yazidi” and “Yezidi”. The Ottoman Turkish form recorded in 17th‑century documents is Yezīdī (see source 1).
Main exposition
Ottoman Turkish borrowing
The Oxford English Dictionary records the English word “Yazidi” as a borrowing partly from Ottoman Turkish Yezīdī and partly from Persian Yazīdī (source 1). The earliest attested English usage appears in Paul Rycaut’s 1668 diplomatic correspondence, indicating that the Ottoman form was already established in diplomatic circles (source 1).
Ottoman administrative records
Ottoman archival material from the 19th century treats the community as a distinct “millet” without granting them the status of “people of the Book”. Legal recognition arrived only with the 1849 imperial decree, which listed the Ezidis alongside Christians (source 4). These documents consistently render the name as Yezīdī, confirming the Turkish phonological adaptation of an older Kurdish term.
Transmission to European scholarship
European travelers and missionaries adopted the Ottoman spelling, which later stabilized into the English variants “Yazidi” and “Yezidi”. The shift from the Ottoman Yezīdī to the Persian‑influenced “Yazidi” reflects 19th‑century orientalist preferences for Persian etymologies (source 1).
Impact on self‑identification
While the Ottoman exonym was externally imposed, modern Yazidi communities sometimes internalize it, especially in diaspora contexts where the Turkish‑derived form appears in official documents (source 2). Nevertheless, many Yazidis prefer the native Kurdish form Êzîdî as a marker of ethnic distinctiveness.
“The Ottoman records provide the first systematic use of the term ‘Yezīdī’, which later filtered into Western languages as ‘Yazidi’.” (source 4)
In the oral tradition
Yazidi qewl (sacred hymns) and beyts frequently employ the native ethnonym Êzîdî. For example, a well‑known qewl states: “Êzîdî me, bi Xwedê re,” meaning “I am an Êzîdî, with God.” This internal usage predates Ottoman borrowing and underscores the community’s self‑designation (source 2).
“Êzîdî me, bi Xwedê re.” – a line from a traditional Yazidi qewl (source 2)
Scholarly disagreement
Kreyenbroek argues that the Ottoman Turkish form cemented the exonym in Western scholarship, effectively marginalising the Kurdish self‑name (no specific citation required). Açıkyıldız counters that Persian influence was equally decisive, pointing to the parallel Persian spelling in early Ottoman documents. Both positions acknowledge the Ottoman administrative role but differ on the weight of Turkish versus Persian contribution.
Common misconceptions
Regional variation
The ethnonym’s spelling and pronunciation vary across Yazidi settlements. In Sinjar and Sheikhan, the Kurdish Êzîdî dominates oral usage, while official Turkish documents use Yezidi. Syrian Yazidis, influenced by Arabic administration, often appear as “Yazidi” in legal texts. In the diaspora (Europe, North America), all three forms coexist, with community organizations usually adopting the Kurdish spelling to assert identity.
Timeline
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| 1668 | First English appearance of “Yazidi” in Paul Rycaut’s writings (source 1) |
| 1849 | Ottoman imperial decree grants legal recognition to the Ezidi millet (source 4) |
| 1918 | Mass migration of Turkish Ezidis to Transcaucasia amid World War I turmoil (source 4) |
| 1970s‑1980s | Second wave of Ezidi emigration from Turkey and Iraq to Europe (source 4) |
| 2014‑2015 | ISIS attacks on Sinjar amplify international attention to Yazidi ethnonym and identity (general knowledge) |
Data table
| Form | Language of Origin | First Documented Use |
|---|---|---|
| Yezīdī1 | Ottoman Turkish | 1668 (English source) 1 |
| Yazīdī1 | Persian | Mid‑17th century 1 |
| Êzîdî4 | Kurmanji Kurdish | Medieval oral tradition 2 |
FAQ
How reliable are the Ottoman records for Yazidi ethnonyms?
Ottoman tax registers and imperial edicts systematically recorded community names, providing consistent evidence of the Turkish form Yezīdī from the 19th century onward (see source 4).
Why do multiple English spellings exist?
The variation stems from Ottoman Turkish (Yezīdī), Persian (Yazīdī), and later orientalist transliterations, each influencing different scholarly traditions (source 1).
Can the Yazidi community choose its own spelling in official documents?
Yes; many contemporary Yazidi organizations adopt the Kurdish spelling Êzîdî to assert self‑identification, while state records may retain the Ottoman‑derived form for legal continuity.
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