Abstract:

The word atan has occurred several times in historical Turkic languages (Old Turkic, Middle Turkic) as atan / atgan “castrated camel” and several etymologies have been written on the word. The aim of this study is to give the etymologies related to atan word and to suggest a new etymology of the word. For this purpose, the study is grouped under six subtitles: Introduction, The word “Atan” in Historical Turkic Languages, The Word “Atan” in Modern Turkic Languages, Etymologies Related to the Word “Atan”, A New Etymology Proposal and Conclusion. In the conclusion part, the following etymology has been proposed: Yak. at “castrated” > atta- (<*at+laa-) “to castrate”, < CT (Common Turkic) *at+a-n. Furthermore, it has also been determined that it is possible to develop the meanings of the word with the modern Turkish language and dialects, while the word only survives with the meaning “castrated camel” in historical Turkic languages. e.g. NewUyg., Uzb, KirTat. atan “castrated camel”; Khak. adan “1. working camel; 2. meth. tambourine; igĭr adan “shaman tambourine” (lit. ‘humpback camel’), altı imcektĭgigĭr adan “six-wire shaman tambourine”; Alt. adan “shaman tambourine”; Kaz. atan “1. castrated camel over four years old; 2. meth. huge, bulky”; Bash. atan “1. male camel held for breeding purpose, 2. first offspring of camel”.

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