30-09-2021, 11:14 AM
The author wrote this word in the form of ŞAILAK. Today we write in the form of ŞALAK.
The word ŞALAK is used as the names of different plants in regions where different dialects of the Turkish language are spoken. The word has meanings other than plant names. As a plant name, it is mostly used in the sense of "seedy cucumber" (“Cucumis Sativus) . But there are also communities that use this word as a name for fruits such as watermelon, melon and pumpkin.
If you look at the "Dictionary of Dialects of Turkey Turkish", you will see these meanings. You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view.
1. Ungrown melon, watermelon.
2.Very ripe melon.
3. Raw pumpkin.
4. Cucumber (usually for overripe cucumbers)
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Throughout most old Turkic-languages, two vowel letters in a word could follow each other (Such as: “ŞAILAK”). In modern Anatolian Turkish, generally, the second vowel in a side by side structure can be dropped while the first vowel still maintains its function (Such as: “ŞALAK”).
The Turkish vowel harmony rule governs this concept. (Simply, vowel Harmony in Turkish means echoing phonetic value of the previous vowel in a word, that means the vowels of suffixes must mirror the final vowel of the root word being suffixed in a same phonetic value. Most suffixes must follow the rule of vowel harmony. (Such as: “ŞALAK”)) Synonymous to the word “ŞALAK”: “Salatalık”, “hıyar” (Cucumber, “Cucumis Sativus”), and “SALAK”. (SALAK: “salak” “aptal” – if directed towards a person – is defined as “idiot” or “stupid”. It refers to situations in which mental functions are not fully functioning because they are too old or too young. But if it is used for describing a plant, it also means “it is worthless to eat because it is unripe and-or very mature and watery despite being useful as a seed”. Thus, in different Turkish dialects, this word may describe either a “cucumber, zucinni, melon, watermelon or pumpkin”, as they are considered watery vegetables and fruits. However, some dialects employ the word to describe underdeveloped and-or overdeveloped “watermelon, pumpkin, melon, zuccini or cucumber”. In summary, the definition – accounting for the dialectic, geographical and cultural differences – for the word “ŞALAK” is suggested to be “an underdeveloped and-or overdeveloped watermelon, pumpkin, melon, zuccini or cucumber that is not good for consumption, for it is only used for its seeds”. However, a great majority of Turkic dialects employ this word to describe an “unconsumable cucumber that is used for its seed”.