Altaic Research Articles

Развитие и семантика колоронимов «көк» и «кöк» в казахском и алтайском языках

The purpose of the article is to determine the origin of the color term kөk / kӧk in the Kazakh and Altaic languages, to trace the development of these tokens in Turkic languages and cultures, and to identify their specific usage. The research was conducted on the basis of the dictionaries of the Kazakh and Altaic languages as well as the samples from Kazakh and Altaic prose. A historical comparative and descriptive methods have been used. The study highlighted the main meanings of the color designations kөk ~ kök in the Kazakh and Altaic languages: blue, green and grey. They are equally common in the Kazakh and Altaic languages. Based on the meaning ‘green’ developed the meaning ‘unripe’. As for the meaning ‘gray-haired’, in the Altaic language it is used to indicate the color of the hair, while in the Kazakh language – only a beard and mustaches. In general, this meaning is manifested in contexts related to age: in the Altaic language it is old age, in Kazakh – mature age. Further the article describes synonyms of color designation kөk ~ kök. It has been shown that the color synonyms kөgіldіr, zеngіr (‘blue’) are used only in the Kazakh language, in Altaic kӧk means both blue colors. In the Kazakh language comparison of the color with such natural objects as the sky, ice, and salt was found to be more developed, for example: aspan (dai) kөk (lit.: like blue sky). The paper presents an interesting function of color designation kөk / kӧk which is intensification. It is observed in both languages; with the help of these tokens negative characteristics of the object are enhanced, for example: kaz. kөk zhalkau (lit.: blue lazy – bones), alt. kӧk tenek (lit.: complete fool). More significant differences are manifested in phraseological units, i. e. by further development of semantics in the languages. In the Kazakh language, the lexeme kөk functions as a component in phraseological units, denoting thinness and emaciation of a person, for example: kөk jambas (lit.: blue thigh) 1) very thin; 2) weak from old age, a feeble old man. In the Altaic language, such use of the lexeme kөk has not been noted. In general, we can speak of rich idiomaticity of the color scheme kөk in the Kazakh language in contrast to the Altaic language. There are also differences in the figurative use of these tokens in the structure of phraseological units: in Kazakh, these, as a rule, denote negative values, negative emotions, or associations with height, a cherished dream; in Altaic – they are used as the intensifiers ‘quite, completely”: kӧk ӱlӱsh (completely wet; lit.: blue wet). Comparing the two languages, we came to the conclusion that their greatest specificity is observed in phraseological units, which confirms the ability of phraseological units and fixed word combinations to reflect an ethnic world view and to be true keepers of the culture of the people.

Towards an RRG analysis of constructions with a morphologcal causaive in some Altaic languages

The present paper examines Bashkir and Kalmyk construction formed from transitive verbs by means of causative suffixes1. We refer to these constructions to “constructions with a morphological causative”. The paper also references other Altaic languages (Mishar Tatar, Nanai, Tuvinian, Khakas). The main focus of the paper is on the valence-increasing behavior of causatives. Primary attention is drawn to the case marking of the Causee since Altaic languages allow several options for that. The paper describes in detail the existing alternation and reviews prior explanations of this phenomenon. It then couches the explanation for the alternation within the framework of Role and Reference Grammar. The analysis identifies that Altaic constructions in question are somehow peculiar compared to general trends. After discussing the advantages and drawbacks of various theoretical interpretations of this peculiarity, we conclude that it is best to link two different causative constructions to two different logical structures. We also suggest constructional schemata for Kalmyk and Bashkir to include in the Linking Algorithm.

Семантика и функция форм императива в алтайском языке

The paper is devoted to the analysis of imperative forms of the Altai language. In the system of imperatives, we have identified 11 positive forms (=Ø=; CA=; =GÏn / =GÏŋ (rare); =(Ï)GAr / =AAR=; =SAgAr; =GÏlA; =SÏn; =AAK; =AAktAr; =y/AAlï: =y/AAlïk / =AAlïktAr (rare) and 10 negative (all form with a particle of negation, but the form on =GÏn / =GÏŋ). It is considered that the imperative has a complete paradigm in grammatical descriptions of the Siberian Turkic languages. In this regard, the Altai language has a particular position: the im-perative-Hortative of the 1st person unit number at =Aiyn is derived from the paradigm and referred to the indicators of the desired mood, i.e. the optative. A specific feature of the Altai imperative is the variety of forms of the 1st person non-singular number denoting two or more participants in the action. This type of imperative is defined as a call to action distinguishing between minimal and extended inclusiveness. For the first time in the Altai language, one can observe a grammatical opposition in time with two paradigms as in the Yakut language: “the imperative of the present tense” and “the imperative of the future tense.” The first group ex-presses the forms of 2nd dual numbers at =AAK / =AAktAr, and =AAlïk / =AAlïktAr; the se-cond group is form at =AAlï. Thus, it turns out that the lower the degree of flatness, the great-er the distance from the moment of speaking. The system of imperative forms includes the form of multiplicity on =GYLA with the value of a categorical imperative.

Модальные формы с семантикой желания в алтайском языке

In the following article, we analyze the forms of the optative in the Altai language. The modal meaning of volition in the Altai language is expressed by various means: lexical, grammatical, analytical means, and idiomatic constructions. In the article, we offer a brief overview of the means of expression of volition. The primary focus of our study is the desiderative form with =(Ы)ксА=, along with 5 synthetic forms of optative mood: =ГАй, =СА, =(А)йын, =СЫн, =БАзЫн. We show that in the modern Altai language, the finite form with =(Ы)ксА= is widely used in spoken language, with limited compatibility. The form with =(Ы)ксА= is used with the lexical-semantic group of verbs denoting physiological, psychological, or social needs of the subject, for example: јаныкса ʻto want to go homeʼ from the verb јан= ʻto go homeʼ, кӧрӱксе= ʻto want to seeʼ from the verb кӧр= ʻto look’, etc. This form denotes the subject’s strong desire to do something related to their inner feelings and emotions experienced currently and at the moment of speech, or in the past, a desire aimed towards the future which the subject is confident about. Because this form’s semantic compatibility is limited, and the modal meaning of volition expressed by this form is defined as ‘non-locutive’ modality, we believe that it should not, at this stage of the language’s development, be viewed as optative mood, but rather as a non-productive word-forming affix.

Интонация модальных вопросительных высказываний в алтайском языке (на материале фольклора алтай-кижи)

Интонация модальных вопросительных высказываний в алтайском языке (на материале фольклора алтай-кижи)

Форма на =ЗА в алтайском языке

In the following article, we analyze the polyfunctional form with =ZA in the Altai language. Traditionally, this form is viewed as a marker of conditional mood. Our materials show that its semantics and functions are very varied. It can be used not only in infinite functions within polypredicative constructions, but also as an independent finite form with the meaning of a non-real, contrafactive volition. When it is used as a dependent predicate, this form mainly denotes modality of an action’s conditions according to the speaker’s point of view. When one uses the if conjunction, the expected action-condition may not take place, and when the when conjunction is used, such possibility is not considered, but rather, temporal relations are expressed (consecution, simultaneity, general temporal correlation). Specific temporal meanings depend on specific tense forms of finite predicates: if the predicate of a main clause is in present tense, the construction denotes general temporal correlation; if a future tense form is used, it denotes consecution or simultaneity in the future; the past tense denotes consecution in the past. With a 2nd person singular and plural affix =ZAŋ, =ZAgAr expresses the meaning of soft incentive. The =ZA form as a marker of concessive mood denotes completion of an action in spite of conflicting conditions, which demonstrates the shift of this form towards other mood forms.

Изъяснительные конструкции в алтайском языке (на материале художественных и научных текстов)

We analyze the structural and semantic types of Altai polypredicative explanatory construc-tions (in literary and academic texts). Explanatory relations are expressed by two types of constructions: monofinite (with the infinite predicate in the subordinate clause) and bifinite (with the finite predicate in the main and subordinate clauses and their relation being analyti-cally indicated by the linking unit or connector dep). The semantic-grammatical type of the predicate in the main clause defines the semantic distinctiveness of explanatory sentences and the structural models of constructions corresponding to the semantic types. The strategy choice of the subordinate sentence structure primarily depends on the semantics of the main predicate. The verbs of three lexical-semantic groups (thought, speech, and emotion) predom-inantly function as a predicate of the main predicate unit. These verbs have their peculiarities in semantics and usage. For example, speech verbs are actively used in bifinite poly- predicative constructions and much less in monofinite constructions. Verbs of perception sug-gest only sensory interpretations in monofinite constructions. However, in bifinite construc-tions, they also contain epistemic elements. The academic text specificity is characterized by the wide use of the verbs of thought and speech, deductive evaluative predicates as main pred-icates in polypredicative constructions. The functionally subordinate clauses may serve as ei-ther a subject or an object. In the Altai language, the subordinate clause, as a predicate object, contains possessive and case affixes of the accusative, dative, ablative, instrumental, and loca-tive cases. When being a predicative subject, a subordinate clause takes the form of a nomina-tive sentence with possessive affixes denoting the grammatical meaning of the action per-former person. Bifinite constructions with verbs from various lexical-semantic groups share a subordinate subject in nominative or accusative cases, while the monofinite construction subordinate subjects have genitive or nominative cases.

Bayïrqu and Barγu: Deconstructing One Myth

In academic and unspecialized literature related to the ethnogenesis and ethnic history of the Buryats, the two ethnonyms Bayïrqu ~ Bayarqu, known in the Old Turkic period, and Barγu ~ Barqu, first recorded in the early 13th century, have been commonly regarded as corresponding forms, phonetically or, at least, semantically. This position fit well into the ideas about the ethnic continuity in the history of the population of the Baikal region at different stages. Once hypothetically suggested, this point of view established itself in historiography. But although accepted by many authors, this position has never been subjected to verification or philological criticism. The article aims to reconsider and dispel this misconception. The authors give philological evidence to prove that treating the ethnonyms Bayïrqu ~ Bayarqu and Barγu ~ Barqu as phonetic forms of one word at different historical stages is completely ungrounded. Specifically, the study shows that there are no phonetic rules, known at least for Altaic languages, to argue the transformation of forms Bayïrqu and Bayarqu, attested in written sources of the 8th–10th centuries, to Barγu known since the 13th century. The authors also consider different versions of the etymology of each of these ethnonyms, based on the materials of the Turkic and Mongolic languages. The name Bayïrqu ~ Bayarqu must be derived from the stem bay+u- ~ bay+ï- ‘to be or become rich’ and is likely a verbal noun with the meaning ‘enrich (Acc.)’. Contrary, the ethnonym barγu is attested among Mongolic peoples and displays parallels in the ethnonymy of the Turkic peoples in the forms of Barγï, Barqï. It can be either a Turkic borrowing or an original Mongolic formation, in both cases representing a verbal noun from the stem bar-.

Bioarchaeological perspective on the expansion of Transeurasian languages in Neolithic Amur River basin.

Owing to the development of sequencing technology, paleogenomics has become an important source of information on human migration and admixture, complementing findings from archaeology and linguistics. In this study, we retrieved the whole genome and Y chromosome lineage from late Neolithic Honghe individuals in the Middle Amur region in order to provide a bioarchaeological perspective on the origin and expansion of Transeurasian languages in the Amur River basin. Our genetic analysis reveals that the population of the Amur River basin has a stable and continuous genetic structure from the Mesolithic Age up to date. Integrating linguistic and archaeological evidence, we support the hypothesis that the expansion of the Transeurasian language system in the Amur River basin is related to the agricultural development and expansion of the southern Hongshan culture. The spread of agricultural technology resulted in the addition of millet cultivation to the original subsistence mode of fishing and hunting. It played a vital role in the expansion of the population of the region, which in its turn has contributed to the spread of language.

About millets and beans, words and genes.

In this special collection, we address the origin and dispersal of the Transeurasian languages, i.e. Japonic, Koreanic, Tungusic, Mongolic and Turkic, from an interdisciplinary perspective. Our key objective is to effectively synthesize linguistic, archaeological and genetic evidence in a single approach, for which we use the term 'triangulation'. The 10 articles collected in this volume contribute to the question of whether and to what extent the early spread of Transeurasian languages was driven by agriculture in general, and by economic reliance on millet cultivation in particular.

Вторичная долгота гласных в говорах теленгитского диалекта алтайского языка

Telengit dialect is one of the southern dialects of the Altai language, with the native speakers living in the South-Eastern part of the Altai Mountains, mostly in the Kosh-Agach and Ulagan districts of the Altai Republic. There are two sub-dialects in the Telengit dialect: Kosh-Agach and Ulagan, named after the administrative districts. The research materials are the linguistic data collected by the author in the areas of compact residence of Telengits. The paper aims at describing secondary vowel longitude in the sub-dialects of the Telengit dialect of the Altai language in a comparative aspect. Research objectives were identifying the secondary long vowels, describing the phonetic processes that produce this type of longitude, and comparing this phonetic phenomenon with similar processes in the Northern dialects of the Altai lan-guage and other Turkic languages of southern Siberia. Long vowels in the Telengit sub-dialects have a secondary origin, i.e., they are the result of phonetic development. The main ways of longitude formation in the Telengit sub-dialects are compensation of the fallen final consonant of the word form, the contraction of two vowels in one syllable due to the loss of the intervocalic consonant, and the fusion of vowels at the junction of morphemes. The sec-ondary longitude formed due to the dropped auslaut consonant replacement is characteristic of the Altai southern dialects, including the Telengit sub-dialects. The longitude formed by the intervocalic consonant loss and the morpheme junction is characteristic of the entire South Siberian area of the Turkic languages.

АРТИКУЛЯТОРНЫЕ ХАРАКТЕРИСТИКИ РЕАЛИЗАЦИЙ ЗВУКОВ ТИПА /И/ В ЯЗЫКЕ ЮЖНЫХ АЛТАЙЦЕВ (ПО ДАННЫМ МРТ)

The paper considers some articulatory features of allophones of the vowel /i/ in the Altai-Kizhi dialect (spoken in the locality Ust-Kan, Altai) of the Altai language visualized by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The Altai-Kizhi is the central basic dialect of the Altai literary language. In Altai, each rural locality represents a unique dialect, whose relevance of studying was emphasized by V. V. Radlov. Speech sounds of the /i/-type in the dialects of the Altai language are realized mainly as front variants with different degrees of openness. In the written Altai speech, the symbol “и” is used to denote narrow front non-labialized vowel; some variants of the Altai vowel /i/ are central-back differing in this from the Russian vowel /i/. Experimental data on the territorial dialects of the Altai-Kizhi dialect, obtained from its 6 native speakers (d1-d6) taking into account variable inherent palate height, shows both the common articulation bases of native speakers (clearly-expressed frontness) and their differences (variable openness).

The Comparative Analysis of the Goguryeo 'hol(忽)' system toponymy and Evenki, Udege, Nanaj Languages

본 논문에서는 『삼국사기』권35·37에 기록된 고구려 지명 중 홀(忽)계 지명 42개에서 고구려 단어 57개를 추출한 뒤 중국상고음과 선행연구에 기초하여 고구려 한자음을 재구한 뒤 퉁구스어파 중 북부 분파를 대표하는 에벤키어, 동남 나나이 분파를 대표하는 나나이어, 나나이어와 에벤키어의 중간 지점에 있는 우데게어 단어들과 비교하였다. 본 논문의 분석 결과, 퉁구스어와 고구려어는 유사성이 높은 언어로 나타났는데 특히 에벤키어와의 유사성이 높게 나타났다. 또 다른 언어와의 접촉에 의해서 쉽게 변하지 않는 동사, 형용사에서 유사성이 높게 나타난 반면 다른 언어의 영향을 많이 받는 접사, 복합 품사 등에서는 유사성이 발견되지 않았는데 이는 고구려가 퉁구스어와 무관하지 않음을 말해준다.The purpose of this paper is to compare the Tungusic words of Altaic Language Family with Goguryeo words and to identify similarity between languages. This study extracted 54 words from 42 place names in hol(忽) system of the Goguryeo Dynasty and compared them with words of Evenki, Udege, Nanai language. As a result of comparing of tungus word, especially for evenki similarity words 33 and non-similarity words 21, so similarity: non-similarity the ratio of is 61:39(%), the ratio of words with similarity was about 1.5 times higher. From the above analysis, it can be seen that the similarity between Koguryo language and Tungus language is very high. However, whether it is borrowed or based on the same language system, it should be clarified through continuous research.

TRANSLATIONS OF RUSSIAN AND FOREIGN WRITERS INTO THE ALTAI LANGUAGE

Brief review on the history of translating Russian and foreign classics into the Altai language is given. Altai Republican National Library named after M. V. Chevalkov activity in popularizing literature in the Altai language and increasing reader’s interest to the literature in translation is considered.

Factivity Alternation of Attitude ‘know’ in Korean, Mongolian, Uyghur, Manchu, Azeri, etc. and Content Clausal Nominals

It was discovered in the literature (Lee 1978, 1999; Kiefer 1978, Őzyildiz 2017, Lee 2017) that the epistemic attitude report ‘know’ in Korean, Turkish, and Hungarian reveal factivity alternation and this rare phenomenon has been recently investigated also in such Altaic languages as Mongolian, Uyghur, Manchurian, and Azerbaijan, as first reported here. The attitude report ‘know’ in most languages so far known typically selects for a factive complement (Kiparsky and Kiparsky 1970, Hintikka 1975 a.o.). One generalization made is that nominalized complements tend to convey a factive reading, while non-nominal ones tend not to (Kastner 2015, Moulton 2015 a.o.). This work demonstrates that for a clause selected by a cognitive epistemic attitude verb to have a factive reading, it bears a nominal (D) feature with a structural case, whereas a clause for a non-factive reading, it does not, in alternation languages and possibly beyond. This work shows that a nominalized clause with the internal type ‘pro-fact’ noun -(u)n kes in Korean (and in Japanese as well with koto), witness-based, is factively presupposed by itself and contradicted if predicated by negated veracious adjectives in a veridicality test. It is embedded also by a doxastic verb such as mit- ‘believe.’ The non-factive alternants of ‘know’ in all the languages logically belong to the doxastic category of ‘believe’, though with implication of evidential justification in distinction with the real ‘believe,’ undergoing neg-raising, revealing their anti-rogativity. Thus, more weight is given to complements typing than to attitude reports typing.

Калмыцкая терминология родства как отражение исторических связей и этнокультурных контактов Ойратского мира и тувинцев

Статья представляет собой обобщающую работу, посвященную выявлению специфики системы терминов родства калмыков как лексической микросистемы в отношении распределения составляющих ее отдельных номинационных единиц, а также тех семантических признаков, которые формируют лексические оппозиции внутри этой системы и определяют ее историко-типологическую динамику, в сравнении с системой терминов родства тувинцев. Объясняются причины сходств и различий между терминологиями родства монголоязычных (в частности, ойратских) и тюркоязычных народов на примере номенклатур родства калмыков и тувинцев, а также рассматривается взаимодействие терминов родства и свойства тюркского и монгольского происхождения у тувинцев.Отмечается, что объяснение наблюдаемых лексических сходств тюркских и монгольских языков исключительно как контактных явлений в свете фактов истории самих тюркских языков имеет на несколько порядков меньшую вероятность, чем объяснение тех же сходств как следствие генетического родства алтайских языков при наличии в них некоторого количества перекрестных заимствований. Терминология родства тувинцев-эрзинцев носит отчетливые следы языковых контактов с монголами-ойратами. Для системы терминов родства калмыков характерны строгая соотнесенность терминов родства по признаку пола как по восходящей, так и по нисходящей линиям, наличие особой лексической единицы для номинации родственников по материнской стороне, счет родства до 9-го поколения как по восходящей, так и по нисходящей линиям, тогда как у других монголоязычных народов учитывается счет родства только до 5-го поколения по восходящей и 4-го поколения по нисходящей линиям.

The Contrastive Evaluation On Modern Chinese and Uzbek Vowels

This paper adopts the four steps of “comparative analysis”.First of all, it summarizes the language of Chinese and Uzbek and its Vowels. Chinese belongs to the “Sino-Tibetan language family” and is an isolated language. The Uzbek language belongs to the “Altaic language family” and is an adhesive language. There are 10 single vowels and 13 diphthongs in Chineselanguage. There are 7single vowels in Uzbeklanguage,andone syllable contains one vowel, that is to say, several vowels have several syllables. Generally speaking, there are 4 diphthongsin Uzbeklanguage. Secondly, the single vowels in Chinese and Uzbek pronunciation are selected for comparative analysis. Then, the single vowels of Chinese and Uzbek are compared and analyzed from the aspects of “pronunciation part”, “ tongue position” and “lip shape”. Finally, based on the similarities and differences between the two vowels, the errors that Uzbek learners may have in Chinese vowels acquisition are predicted, and propose relevant teaching suggestions.

Pigmentation Phenotype Prediction of Chinese Populations from Different Language Families.

Objective To predict the pigmentation phenotypes of Chinese populations from different language families, analyze the differences and provide reference data for forensic anthropology and genetics. Methods The HIrisPlex-S multiplex amplification system with 41 loci related to pigmentation phenotypes was constructed in the laboratory, and 2 666 DNA samples of adult males of 17 populations from six language families, including Indo-European, Sino-Tibetan, Altaic, Hmong-Mien, Tai-Kadai and Austro-Asiatic language families distributed in different regions of China were genotyped. The pigmentation phenotype category of each individual was predicted using the online prediction system （https://HIrisPlex.erasmusmc.nl/）, and then the output data were statistically analyzed. Results About 1.92% of the individuals of Asian-European admixed populations from Indo-European and Altaic language families had blue eyes and 34.29% had brown or gold hair. The phenotypes of the color of eyes and hair of other populations had no significant difference, all individuals had brown eyes and black hair. There were differences in skin color of populations of different language families and geographical areas. The Indo-European language family had the lightest skin color, and the Austro-Asiatic language family had the darkest skin color; the southwestern minority populations had a darker skin color than populations in the plain areas. Conclusion The prediction results of pigmentation phenotype of Chinese populations are consistent with the perception of the appearance of each population, proving the reliability of the system. The color of eyes and hair are mainly related to ancestral components, while the skin color shows the differences between language families, and is closely related to geographical distribution of populations.

Квазисинонимические уступительные конструкции в бурятском языке

Introduction. The syntax of the complex sentence in Altaic languages is characterized by a large number of synonymous constructions. Goals. The paper seeks to differentiate the synonymous constructions, firstly, to systemically identify important oppositions and, secondly, to determine development vectors of certain constructions. The study hypothesizes such constructions as actually quasi-synonymous, i.e. those are not complete synonyms and differ in shades of meaning or style. For the first time in Mongolian studies, the paper attempts to differentiate quasi-synonymous poly-predicative constructions with concessive meanings. In modern Buryat, concessive-adversative relations are expressed by four structurally different constructions, namely: ones containing adverbial participles ending with –bashye (-бАшье), ones with the particles γaa and -shye (hаа, -шье), ones with the concessive-adversative particle aad (аад), and ones containing the bifinite construction with particles on the basis of the service verb of saying –ge (гэ-). The study investigates examples from Buryat imaginative literature placed in the online Buryat corpus. Methods and results. The use of methods of contextual analysis, introspection and linguistic experiment makes it possible to identify various semantic shades, such as principal mono-subjectivity, an extended time interval between events, and a complication with the modus component. Thus, the differentiation of quasi-synonymous constructions contributes to the refinement and rationing of relations between them.

Significance testing of the Altaic family

AbstractHistorical linguists have been debating for decades about whether the classical comparative method provides sufficient evidence to consider Altaic languages as part of a single genetic unity, like Indo-European and Uralic, or whether the implicit statistical robustness behind regular sound correspondences is lacking in the case of Altaic. In this paper, I run a significance test on Swadesh-lists representing Turkish, Mongolian and Manchu to see if there are regular patterns of phonetic similarities or correspondences among word-initial phonemes in the basic vocabulary that cannot be expected to have arisen by chance. The methodology draws onOswalt (1970),Ringe (1992),Baxter & Manaster Ramer (2000)and Kessler (2001,2007). The results only partially point towards an Altaic family: Mongolian and Manchu show significant sound correspondences, while Turkish and Mongolian show some marginally significant phonological similarity, that might however be the consequence of areal contact. Crucially, Turkish and Manchu do not test positively under any condition.1