ARTVİN AND ARTVİN REGİON-PAST AND PRESENT(Historical- Philological essays), Prof.Dr Roin Kavrelishvili,Prof.Dr Eka Dadiani, Editör, Akaki Tsereteli State university, Kutaisi, ss.189-194, 2022
Toponiyms/ Hydronyms of Yusufeli District of Artvin province ( Historical And Linguistic overview)
The District of modern yusufeli was part of ottomanEmpire from the end of the 70s of the 16 th century.Georgian speech-Tao,an dialect is preserved today highland viilages of the Yusufeli: khevai(Turk:Bıçakçılar).Balkhi (Balcılı)and khvebai(Yüksekoba).İndigeneus Georgians live in other villages as well but they have forgotten their mother tongue and speak Turkish.Their georgian origin is indicated by the microtoponymy of the viilages.
The etymology of the names of georgian settlements is largely trasparent ,for example, khevegi// khevai, the same as ''khevaki'' ,means '' a small ravine''.kobai//kuabaki,the same as ''kvabaki'' - a small cave''; Erkinisi - ''made of iron''.Manytoponyms are diffucult to etymologize.