LANGUAGE AND CULTURE STUDIES: OLD TURKIC CHRISTIAN TEXTS

Abstract

<p class="ql-align-justify">The Old Turkic texts which were written in “Old Turkic”, the first period of Turkish literary language, are the first and the main sources for illuminating grammar, vocabulary and etymological specialities of Turkish via its witnessing to the literary development of Turkish language and literature. These texts are the literary works of Turkish from the centuries 7th-8th to the 13rd century, in the time of advance period for Turkish as a literary language. Thus, “Old Turkic” became a common literary language for the Turks from utterly different&nbsp;cultures and varied civilisations. This language was the common literary language of Turks who were at first under the effects of Shamanism and after that affected by the way of various philosophies such as Buddhism, Brahmanism and Manichaeism and in addition religions such as Judaism and Christianity. This language was also the language of the first Muslim Turkish government Karakhanids naturally and other Turks from many lands finally and substantially came under the influence of Islam. Although Old Turkic texts were belonging to the different philosophies, religions and civilisations, “Old Turkic” studies are very important in order to understand Old Turkish culture in detail and to determine the variances in Turkish language, literature and culture and also to specify the unchanging and progressing cultural traces today. Herein, Turkish Christian texts written in Old Uigur period after the Kokturkic period in the era called “Old Turkish Language” or “Old Turkic” in the Turkish Language History, were selected as the main subject of this work. In the first place, cultural background of the religious texts written by Turks who were belonging to Nestorian church of Christianity is metioned and afterwards various philological determinations and examinations are presented from the perspective of grammar, vocabulary and etymology on a selected exemplary Old Turkic Christian text. Consequently, this lesser known aspect of the Old Turkic is pointed out on a philological methodology.&nbsp;