A Review of the Historical Evolution of the Term of " Tajik" from the Beginning Till Today

The term Tajik defined differently and sometimes even opposite. Over the last two centuries, these definitions have been mostly given with ideological and political nuances. Who is a Tajik? In response to this question, in this article the most important definitions from reliable sources have been compiled and then discussed. Furthermore, the attempt is made to answer the question about the development of the terms Tajik, Tajik language and Tajik literary language respectively. The analysis revealed two important facts, one regarding what is written in old literature and history books and one concerning the meanings added to those definitions by cultural activists in Transoxania during the formation of the state of Tajikistan. In this regard, some of the political and cultural activists were regarded as the main force in changing the term Farsi to Tajik.