Do you know where does the word "Istanbul" come from?

Question

Just curious to see how many people really know that! Kisses!

Answer 1

Ä°stanbul (is tan bul) comes from the Greek 'is tin polin' that means "in the city", "to the city" or "downtown".

Answer 2

As far as I know, it is the greek words on the signs which lead to the "city", thus reading something like "eis tin Poli" or "To the city". In the ancient world, it was the dream city, the only city ever!!!

Kisses back :D

Answer 3

hi,

here is the list to the name of Ä°stanbul :



*Greeks: Vizantion

**Latins: Bizantium, Antoninya, Alma Roma, Nova Roma

***Greeks in Türkiye: Konstantinopolis, Istinpolin, Megali Polis, Kalipolis

****Slavs: Çargrad, Konstantingrad

*****Vikings: Miklagord

******Armanians: Vizant, Stimbol, Esdambol, Eskomboli

*******Arabs : Bizantiya, el-Mahsura, Kustantina el-uzma

********Selçuk Türks: Konstantiniyye, Mahrusa-i Konstantiniyye, Stambul

*********Ottoman Türks: Dersaadet, Deraliyye, Mahrusa-i Saltanat, Istanbul, Islambol, Darü's-saltanat-ı Aliyye, Asitane-i Aliyye, Darü'l-Hilafetü'l Aliye, Payitaht-ı Saltanat, Dergâh-ı Mualla, Südde-i Saadet

Nowadays , we say :İSTANBUL,CULTURAL CAPITAL OF TÜRKİYE.

Answer 4

Without the Greeks the world was still going to be a beautiful place but without the Greeks:

KONSTANTINOUPOLIS AND MAKEDONIA WAS NEVER GOING TO EXIST.

Answer 5

Yes we do. It derives from a greek word.. If it weren't for you Greeks the world wouldn't have existed! Thanks guys!

Answer 6

See, I always thought it was just a Turkish adoptation of Constantinople, after the Turkish Republic was founded... I know for a fact that the Turks called it "Konstantiniye" well into the 1930`s...

Answer 7

Very interesting question and really very good answers. Thanx for both sides i never thought about the question less abouth the answer but every day i learn someting interesting.

Btw in Mexico we have a city called "Yucatan" when spanish conquered came to that mayan region they asked to the native mayan "what is the name of this place?" and the native mayan answered "Yucatan" wich means "i am not from here"

Answer 8

Do you know that Kangaroo means "I don't know" in Australian aborigine language?

You see, the new settlers come to the continent, see this weird creature that hops on two feet and one asks a native what its name is. The native, probably because he doesn't understand the English words that are screamed to him for better conveyance, says "Kangaroo -- I don't know" and the settler thinks that's the name of the animal.

True story.

What was the question again?

Answer 9

GME got in before I did :)  He or She is right (sorry couldn't work out from the nick name).

Answer 10

Yes I do (stin poli) I won't bother writing anything additional since I'm Macedonian already did it for me.

Answer 11

Ancient Greek Εις την πολιν (can be transcribed as "is tin polin" if we are to pronounce it like in Byzantian Greek) or in Dimotiki aka in modern Greek Στην πολι (Stin boli). Exactly means "towards the city".

It's thought to be derived from what Turks who first came to Anatolia understood what Greeks told them when they asked them about Konstantinopolis (hmm that adds up to how many whens whos and whats in this sentence? :P). Btw the word polis in Ancient and Byzantine Greek meant simply city but it also meant Istanbul itself. People referred to the most populated and advanced city in the world at these times simply "the city" (η πολις)

It's tho still not certain whether Turks adapted the pronunciation of Istanbul from the ancient version of Is tin polin or the more recent version of stin poli. Since, as we know, colloquial Greek in Istanbul was closer to Dimotiki from around 800 AD than to Ancient Koine Greek. And Turks entered Anatolia much later.