Čolpan ‘The Planet Venus’ in Turkic

Abstract

The planet Venus, which is the brightest celestial body in the sky after the Moon, takes its astronomical name from the Roman goddess of love, beauty and fertility. It is known in Turkic as Yaruk Yulduzi ‘light star’, Aksam Yildizi ‘Evening Star’, Sabah Yildizi ‘Morning Star’, Tan Yildizi ‘Dawn Star’, Seher Yildizi id., Kervan Yildizi ‘Caravan Star’, Kervankiran ‘Caravan-perishing’, Zuhre (< Arabic ةرهز ), Colpan and Coban Yildizi ‘Shepherd’s Star’. This paper will discuss whether the word Colpan is etymologically connected with the Proto-Bulgarian title coban and the Slavic title župan .