Turkic lexicographic works of the XI-XIV centuries pertaining to the development of orientalism in Crimea

Abstract

This article examines the evolution of oriental studies thought of in Crimea during the XI-XIV centuries; analyzes specific philological works created in the region; as well as gives a generalized review to the overall development process of written artifacts of all Turkic ethnic groups and tribes dwelling on the vast territory from China’s boundaries to the countries of Eastern Europe, from the steppes of North Kazakhstan to Byzantium and Egypt. First and foremost, it is such written artifacts as “Diwan Lughat al-Turk”, “Kitab Al-Idrak Li-Lisan Al-Atrak”, “ad-Durrat al-muḍi'a fī-l-lugat at-turkiya”, The author comprehensively examines most well-known lexicographic artifacts that contain the lexis of Turkic tribes of Kashgaria and Semirechye, as well as of various Turkic tribes of Mamluk Egypt of the XIII-XV centuries from the perspective of comparison. It is determined that Kipchak-Mamluk dictionaries were published for studying Tatar language used in Crimea. The research allowed establishing a direct link between the languages of Turkic tribes of Egypt of the XIII-XV centuries and the modern Crimean Tatar language. This link is traces in the lexis and morphology. The research results may be used in lecturing the fundamental academic disciplines in philological faculties on lexicology and dialectology of Crimean Tatar language.