Echoes of the Steppe
An academic exploration into the structure, script, and lexicon of the extinct Khitan language, spoken by the Khitan people of Northeast Asia.
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Language Classification
Linguistic Affiliation
Khitan, an extinct language spoken in Northeast Asia, is primarily understood to be related to the Mongolic languages. Contemporary linguistic consensus suggests it may belong to a broader "Para-Mongolic" classification, indicating a close but potentially distinct relationship to historically documented Mongolic tongues.
Writing Systems
Dual Scripts
The Khitan language utilized two distinct writing systems: the Khitan large script and the Khitan small script. These systems were not used interchangeably but served different functions and evolved over time.
Historical Records
Linguistic Evidence
Early scholarship primarily identified only one Khitan text, the Langjun inscription, which was mistakenly attributed to the Jurchen script by Ming and Qing dynasty scholars. However, the History of Liao contains a crucial volume titled "Glossary of National Language" (國語解), providing transcriptions of Khitan words in Chinese characters.
Lexical Comparisons
The study of Khitan vocabulary reveals significant similarities with Mongolic languages, particularly in core semantic domains. The following tables present comparative data for various lexical categories.
Seasons
Numerals
Animals
Directions
Time
Personal Relations
Tribal Administration
Basic Verbs
Natural Objects
Temporal Expressions
The Liaoshi (History of Liao) records a Khitan phrase for a specific date:
In the national (Khitan) language this day (5th day of the 5th lunar month) is called 'Tao Saiyier'. 'Tao' means five; 'Saiyier' means moon/month.
This phrase, 'Tao Saiyier', corresponds to the Mongolian 'tavan sar' (fifth moon/month), further illustrating the linguistic connections.
Scholarly References
Further Reading
Academic Works
- Janhunen, Juha (2006). "Para-Mongolic". In Janhunen, Juha (ed.). The Mongolic Languages. Routledge. pp. 391–402. ISBN 978-1-135-79690-7.
- Vovin, Alexander (2017). "Koreanic Loanwords in Khitan and Their Importance in the Decipherment of the Latter". Acta Orientalia Academiae Scientiarum Hungaricae. 70 (2): 207–215. doi:10.1556/062.2017.70.2.4.
- Franke, H. (1976). "Two Chinese–Khitan Macaronic Poems". In Heissig, W.; Krueger, J. R.; Oinas, F. J.; Schütz, E. (eds.). Tractata Altaica: Denis Sinor, Sexagenario Optime de Rebus Altaicis Merito Dedicata. Wiesbaden: Otto Harrassowitz. pp. 175–180. ISBN 3-447-01798-8.
- Kane, Daniel (1989). The Sino-Jurchen Vocabulary of the Bureau of Interpreters. Bloomington, Indiana: Indiana University, Research Institute for Inner Asian Studies. ISBN 0-933070-23-3.
- Qinge'ertai (Chinggeltei); Yu, Baolin; Chen, Naixiong; Liu, Fengzhu; Xin, Fuli (1985). Qìdān xiǎozì yánjiū [A Study of the Khitan Small Script] (in Chinese). Beijing: Zhongguo shehui kexue chubanshe. OCLC 16717597.
- Jacques, Guillaume (2010). "Review of Kane 2009, The Khitan Language and Script". Diachronica. 27 (1): 157–165. doi:10.1075/dia.27.1.05jac.
- Vovin, Alexander (2003). "Once Again on Khitan Words in Chinese-Khitan Mixed Verses" (PDF). Acta Orientalia Academiae Scientiarum Hungaricae. 56 (2–4): 237–244. doi:10.1556/AOrient.56.2003.2-4.10.
External Resources
Related Projects
- Khitan Language Texts on Wikisource (opens in new tab)
- Khitan Language Category on Wiktionary (opens in new tab)
- Khitan Word List on Wiktionary (opens in new tab)
- New Developments of the Studies on Khitai Language and Khitai Scripts (Archived) (opens in new tab)
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References
References
- Herbert Franke, John King Fairbank, Denis Crispin Twitchett, Roderick MacFarquhar, Denis Twitchett, Albert Feuerwerker. The Cambridge History of China, Vol. 3: Sui and T'ang China, 589â906. Part 1, p.364
- é¼å²/å·116 å·116.
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Academic Disclaimer
Important Notice
This document has been generated by an AI language model for educational and informational purposes. The content is derived from publicly available data, primarily Wikipedia, and aims to present a comprehensive overview of the Khitan language.
This is not professional linguistic advice. The information provided should not substitute consultation with qualified linguists or historical scholars. While efforts have been made to ensure accuracy and adherence to the source material, the AI cannot guarantee the absolute completeness, timeliness, or error-free nature of the content. Always consult primary academic sources for critical research.
The creators of this page are not responsible for any errors or omissions, or for any actions taken based on the information provided herein.