Proto-Turkic/Vocabulary

Welcome to fifth lesson in Proto-Turkic, wikibooks!

Vocabulary

The four elements in Proto-Turkic

• water - *sub
• earth - *toprak
• fire - *ōt
• wind - *yẹl

The words are short for the peoples who lead a nomadic life in the steppes of East Asia. Due to this lifestyle and various factors, people have formed words with one or two syllable roots. Long words are only provided with suffixes.

Foods in Proto-Turkic

• wheat - *bodagay
• barley - *arpa
• millet - *tạrïg
• egg - *yumurtka
• salt - *tūŕ
• onion - *sōgun
• hen - *takïgu
• meat - *et
• milk - *sǖt
• honey - *bạl
• butter - *yāg
• cherry - *yidge (complicated)
• strawberry - *yidgelek (complicated)
• bird cherry - *yïmurt
• fruit, vegetable - *yẹ̄miĺč

In today's Turkic languages, an old Common-Turkic word *čiye and Proto-Turkic *yidgelek are blended. Therefore, there is confusion in inheritances.

Animals in Proto-Turkic

• horse - *at
• foal - *kulum
• cow - *ingek
• calf - *buŕagu
• dog - *ït
• wolf - *bȫrü
• fox - *tilkü
• ox - *öküŕ
• bull - *buka
• worm - *kūrt
• bird - *kuš (Proto-Common Turkic)
• small bird - *torgay
• hawk, falcon - *kïrguy
• aquila fulva, eagle - *bürküt
• fish - *bālïk
• sheatfish - *yāyïn
• carp - *sāŕgan
• lion - *arsïlan
• snake - *yï̄lan
• mosquito - *siŋek
• wasp, bee - *ārï
• beetle - *koŋuŕ
• insect - *bȫg
• elk - *bulan
• he-goat - *teke
• sheep - *sarïk
• donkey - *eĺčgek

...

Animals have a very wide range in this language. It's not strange at all, considering the years it was spoken.

Next lesson:  Genitive, accusative and dative cases

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