Azerbaijani lawmaker Hikmet Babaoglu has proposed replacing the English word “Stop” on road signs with the Azerbaijani words “dur” or “toxta.”
Babaoglu, a member of Azerbaijan’s Milli Majlis, linked the proposal to a broader effort to return forgotten and rarely used words to everyday speech.
He said the Institute of Linguistics at the Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences should prepare proposals to expand the use of national vocabulary.
Babaoglu cited the word “Stop” on road signs as an example. He said it could be replaced with “dur,” meaning “stop,” or with “toxta,” which he said carries a broader meaning.
“If the word ‘toxta’ is used, it has a certain semantic nuance connected with continuing movement. In other words, stop, catch your breath and then continue moving. Thus, three meanings are combined in one word,” he said.
The lawmaker proposed considering the return of those words in signs used to regulate road traffic.
Babaoglu also called for compiling a list of words that remain in use in Azerbaijan’s regions but have stayed outside the literary language or are rarely used. He said specialists in relevant fields should work with the academy on the project.
Using that list, he proposed preparing a dictionary of Azerbaijani equivalents for loanwords. Babaoglu said the vocabulary could later be used in legal practice, legislation and textbooks.
Source: Vesti Baku, citing Bizim.Media.