# AZ (Azerbaijani) — Copywriting Knowledge Base

> Source of truth for all Azerbaijani copy generated by multilingual-copywriter.
> Updated whenever learning-keeper captures a new AZ rule or correction.

## Grammar Foundation

### Word order: SOV (Subject-Object-Verb)

**Rule**: Verb (xəbər) goes at the end of the sentence.

✅ Correct: "Brendin video paylaşmır." (Subject + Object + Verb)
❌ Wrong (EN syntax forced): "Brendin paylaşmır video."

### Six noun cases

| Case | AZ name | Suffix examples | Usage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nominative | Adlıq | (no suffix) | Subject |
| Genitive | Yiyəlik | -ın/-in/-un/-ün | Possession |
| Dative | Yönlük | -a/-ə | Direction (to) |
| Accusative | Təsirlik | -ı/-i/-u/-ü, -nı/-ni/-nu/-nü | Direct object |
| Locative | Yerlik | -da/-də | Location (in/at) |
| Ablative | Çıxışlıq | -dan/-dən | Origin (from) |

**Vowel harmony**: Pick the suffix variant matching the last vowel of the word.

### Possessive suffixes

| Person | Suffix | Example |
|---|---|---|
| my | -im / -ım / -um / -üm | brendim, evim |
| your (sg) | -in / -ın / -un / -ün | brendin |
| his/her/its | -i / -ı / -u / -ü, -si / -sı / -su / -sü | brendi, brendinin |
| our | -imiz / -ımız / -umuz / -ümüz | brendimiz |
| your (pl) | -iniz / -ınız / -unuz / -ünüz | brendiniz |
| their | -ləri / -ları | brendləri |

### Tense markers

| Tense | Suffix | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Past definite | -dı / -di / -du / -dü | yazdı |
| Present continuous | -ır / -ir / -ur / -ür | yazır |
| Future | -acaq / -əcək | yazacaq |
| Aorist | -ar / -ər | yazar |

### Mandatory sentence completeness

Every sentence MUST have a finite verb at the end. Verb-less fragments are NOT sentences.

❌ Wrong: "Brendin son video?" (missing verb)
✅ Right: "Brendin son videosu nə vaxt çəkilib?" (verb at end)

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## Forbidden Slang (Loanwords)

These English loanwords are NOT in AMEA Dilçilik İnstitutu dictionary. Use the AZ replacements.

| Slang (FORBIDDEN) | AZ replacement | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| postlamaq | **paylaşmaq** (most common), **yerləşdirmək** (formal), **dərc etmək** (publish) | Captured 2026-06-19, source: AMEA |
| lol | ha-ha-ha, çox gülməli | informal |
| ok | tamam, oldu, razı | |
| pliz | xahiş edirəm, zəhmət olmasa | |
| sori | bağışla, üzr istəyirəm | |
| cool | əla, möhtəşəm, baxımlı | |
| tşk | təşəkkür edirəm, sağ ol | abbreviation forbidden |

---

## Accepted Loanwords

These are commonly accepted in AZ Instagram/marketing context. Safe to use:

- post (as noun), reels, story, hashtag, follower
- Instagram, TikTok, YouTube (as proper nouns)
- video, kontent, brend, marka
- agentlik (agency), startup, founder, marketing
- analitika, audit, strategiya

**Rule**: Loanwords as **nouns** = OK. As **verbs** (postlamaq, follow etmək) = NOT OK.

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## Copywriting Frameworks Validated for AZ

### PAS (Problem-Agitate-Solution)
**Why it works in AZ**: Direct, factual, no fluff. AZ readers respond to data + behavior callout.

Example:
- **P**: "Auditoriyanın 80%-i video baxır."
- **A**: "Sən hələ də şəkil paylaşırsan."
- **S**: "Brendinə hər həftə AI tier video."

### Ogilvy 8 Golden Rules (AZ application)
1. **Headline = product label** — direct keyword (məs. "MƏDƏ AĞRISI", "AI VIDEO")
2. **Promise personal benefit** — "X yaşdan yuxarı qadınlar üçün..."
3. **News words** — "PULSUZ", "YENİ", "İLK"
4. **Magic words** — "Necə..?", "Sonuncu şans!", "Tez!"
5. **Brand in headline** — repeated for memory
6. **Headline length** — 6-12 words optimal
7. **No wordplay** — clear, serious message
8. **No blind headlines** — keyword must be present

### 4U Headline Checklist
- **Useful** — clear benefit
- **Urgent** — time pressure
- **Unique** — specific to brand
- **Ultra-specific** — numbers, names, places

### Anti-superlative rule (CLAUDE.md Rule 13)

Forbidden: "Mən təkəm", "AZ-də #1", "Yeganə", "Ən tanınmış", "Heç kim etmir"
Accepted: facts with numbers ("110K izləyici", "7M aylıq görüntü")

Why: AZ cultural context — self-praise reads as untrustworthy. Facts read as credible.

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## Cultural Sensitivities

### Avoid
- Direct religious appeals (unless specifically religious brand)
- Politically charged language
- Mocking other AZ regions or dialects
- Russian-AZ code-mixing in formal copy (informal context OK)

### Resonant themes
- Family (ailə), tradition (ənənə) — but not overused
- Innovation (yenilik) — Eminin pozisyonu
- Trust (etibar), expertise (təcrübə)
- AZ identity, Azerbaijani success stories

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## Validated successful AZ ad corpus

Real examples of AZ copy that converted:

> "Brendin üçün AI video. 14 günə. Fotoqraf qalmadan."
> — AI Video service hook, source: cavably positioning

> "Auditoriyanın 80%-i video baxır. Sən hələ də şəkil paylaşırsan."
> — PAS framework, captured 2026-06-19

(Add more as learning-keeper captures successful copy)

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## Verification Checklist (before output)

Before producing any AZ copy, verify:

- [ ] Verb is at sentence end (SOV)
- [ ] Verb is present (no fragments)
- [ ] Possessive/case suffixes match vowel harmony
- [ ] No forbidden slang from the table above
- [ ] Word count 6-12 for headline (Ogilvy)
- [ ] No superlatives without proof (Rule 13)
- [ ] No EN sentence structure forced onto AZ

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## Sources

- AMEA Dilçilik İnstitutu (official AZ language authority)
- AZ İzahlı Lüğət (4 volumes, 1997-2000, 2005 reprint)
- AZ Orfoqrafiya Lüğəti
- Terminologiya Komissiyası (Nazirlər Kabineti yanında), 2015 social media terms decree
- David Ogilvy 8 qızıl qaydası (360marketinq.az AZ translation)
- Buffer 2026 Instagram Algorithm Guide

## Maintenance

- Updated by learning-keeper on every AZ-related correction
- Reviewed annually by user
- Version: `1.0.0` (Mərhələ B-2, 2026-06-20)