The Research on the Identification Between Tiele and the Oghuric Tribes (original) (raw)

Tocharian ethnotoponyms and ethnohydronyms in Xinjiang

Abstract: As far as is known, Tocharians were one of the oldest inhabitants of Xinjiang and they were present in that area since before our era. Their Turkification and total linguistic assimilation probably took place in the 12th–13th centuries. Thus, there are many unsolved problems and unknown aspects with regard to Tocharian-Turkic linguistic and ethnic relations. One of these problems is whether or not the Tocharian ethnonyms occurring in Old Turkic (Twqry, Twq’ry) and Sogdian (Tw r’k) sources can be shown in the toponymy of Xinjiang. To solve this problem, the present study investigates Uighur and Chinese place names and tries to list Tocharian ethnotoponyms and ethnohydronyms in and around Xinjiang. At the end of the study, a map based on Tocharian ethnonyms is also given to show the former geographical distribution of Tocharians in Xinjiang.

Peyrot 2016: Language contact in Central Asia: On the etymology of Tocharian B yolo 'bad'

Tocharian B yolo 'bad, evil' is often connected with Hittite idālu- 'id.', after a suggestion of Čop and Rasmussen. The similarities between the Tocharian word on the one hand and Khotanese yola- 'falsehood' and Old Turkish yavlak 'bad, evil' on the other would be due to chance or to borrowing from Tocharian. Here it is argued that we should rather return to a suggestion of Hansen, who assumed that both the Tocharian and the Khotanese word are borrowed from Turkish. More precisely, it seems that the Old Turkish word was borrowed into Khotanese and from there into Tocharian.

Tocharian-Turkic lexical correspondences, I

Abstract: There are many unsolved problems and unknown aspects with regard to Tocharian-Turkic relations. The most fascinating of them are especially the Tocharian- Turkic lexical correspondences. One of these lexical correspondences is the Tocharian B kärk- ‘to hack up’ and the Karachay-Balkar Turkic kärk- ‘to hack (up), to notch’. Since the structure of the Tocharian word is unclear and there is no acceptable etymology of it, the question arises as to whether it is a borrowing from Turkic. The present study investigates whether the Turkic word is the source of the Tocharian B word. The study states that mainly on the basis of the Turkic and Tocharian morphological criteria, the Tocharian B kärk-seems to be a borrowing from Turkic.