The Azerbaijani language
Spoken by around 35 million people, including residents of Azerbaijan.
Azerbaijani is also used in Russia, Georgia and Armenia.
The Azerbaijani language, also known as Azeri, is a Turkic language that originated in the eastern part of Transcaucasia and the northern regions of Iran. It has rich historical roots and plays a significant role in the cultural identity of the Azerbaijani people.
Origins and Brief History:
- The Azerbaijani language’s origins can be traced back to the Oghuz branch of Turkic languages, the same group from which Turkish and Turkmen languages arose.
- Over the centuries, it has been influenced by various languages such as Persian, Arabic, and Russian due to geopolitical influences.
- By the 11th century, Azerbaijani had evolved into a distinct language, separate from other Oghuz Turkic languages.
Number of Speakers:
- There are approximately 23-30 million Azerbaijani speakers worldwide.
- Most of these speakers are located in the Republic of Azerbaijan and Iran, but Azerbaijani-speaking communities can also be found in Russia, Georgia, and Turkey, among others.
Official Language:
Azerbaijani is the official language of the Republic of Azerbaijan. It is also spoken widely in the Iranian region of Azerbaijan, but Persian remains the official language there.
Example of Text:
Here is an Azerbaijani proverb: “Dağ dağa məhəbbət etməz, adam adamə məhəbbət edər.”
In English, this translates to “Mountains do not love each other, but people do.”
Usage:
- Azerbaijani is used in various settings, including government, media, education, and daily communication.
- In Azerbaijan, the language is taught in schools and universities and is the language of print and broadcast media.
- While it’s not the official language in Iran, it is widely spoken and part of cultural practices and local media.
Loanwords:
Due to historical and cultural interactions, Azerbaijani has borrowed many words from various languages. English words in Azerbaijani include “taksi” (taxi), “boks” (box), and “futbol” (football). However, Azerbaijani hasn’t given English many of its words. But a Persian-origin word like “bazaar” means a market in both Azerbaijani and English.
Azerbaijani consists of many different dialects and is the national language of Azerbaijan. Although written in the Latin alphabet by speakers in Azerbaijan, Azerbaijani is written in the Persian-Arabic alphabet in other countries, such as Iraq. Turkish and Azerbaijani speakers can communicate relatively quickly, especially when exposed to different languages through popular music or television shows. Still, both languages do vary quite significantly in parts.
Azerbaijani is a colourful and evolving language, resonating with the rhythms of the Azerbaijani people’s past and present. It continues to weave in new influences while showcasing its distinct charm.
Our experienced Azerbaijani translators mean that international brands can rely on us to provide professional Azerbaijani translations. We offer our clients services such as consultancy, quality assurance and copywriting.
Our translation services - FAQ
Do you use native translators?
Yes, always. All our translators are native speakers and most are still resident in their native country. We pride ourselves on ensuring that all Brightlines’ translators are native. We do not accept applications from non-native candidates or allow them to register on our online recruitment database. All our translators are rigorously tested.
How long will the translations take?
The turnaround for the translation will depend on the word count. As a rough guide, assume that the translators can comfortably process about 2500 words of non-specialised text per day. Proofreading can effectively be completed on a basis of 4000-6000 words a day. Our minimum turnaround time is usually about three days, although it is possible to shorten this if you are in a rush for the final files and we will always be happy to discuss this with you.
What is the variation in your translators’ experience and qualifications? Are they native speakers? Will the cost increase if we use a more experienced translator?
All our translators have to go through a series of tests to make sure they are as good as they say they are, and only if they pass are they allowed to work for Brightlines. There is quite a range of experience and qualifications, but all translators have a minimum of five years’ experience. All translators translate into their mother-tongue without exception and are generally based in-country so they are up-to-date with the local language. We match translators with projects/clients depending on the subject matter, and most of our translators have industry experience in their speciality – there is no better experience than being immersed professionally in the industry they specialise in. Our costs are based on translator experience, speciality (i.e. medical, creative, scientific) and the language choice.
Which languages can you translate into?
We have an extensive database with hundreds of trusted and tested translators covering all commercial languages. If you cannot see the language or dialect you need please ask.
I don’t know the word count; can you base the quote on the number of pages?
Our pricing structure is based on a rate-per-word, but we can estimate from a page count. If we can’t see the source document then we would usually estimate between 300 – 500 words a page depending on the density of the text and the presence of photos and images.
Does the translation need to be proofread?
Brightlines is an ISO 9001:2015 certified company. This means that quality is safeguarded. We adhere to the “four-eyes principle” and translations are always checked by a second professional proofreader (who is not the translator). If the translation is for internal use and reference purposes only (i.e. not to be published, distributed or used in a court of law), or you simply don’t wish to have proofreading, we can remove the proofreading stage.
Get in touch
If you need Azerbaijani translations, get in touch with our team, or get a quick quote.
