Classification

Ili Turki appears to belong to the Chagatay group of Turkic languages, although it exhibits a number of features that suggest a Kypchak substratum.[1] [2]

A comparison of Ili Turki's Chagatay and Kipchak features is shown below:

Kipchak & Chagatay features in Ili Turki   Kazakh (Kipchak) Ili Turki Uzbek (Chagatay) English
*G > w after low vowels taw taw tɒɣ mountain
Genitive assimilation tyje+niŋ / et+tiŋ tʉjæ+nin / et+tin tʉjæ+niŋ / et+niŋ of the camel / of the meat
*G > w > Ø after high vowels sarɨ sarɨq sarɨq yellow
Loss of geminate consonants seɡiz sekkiz sækkiz eight

Geographic Distribution

Ili Turki is in China's Ili Kazakh Autonomous Prefecture along the Ili River and its tributaries and in Yining. There may be some speakers in Kazakhstan. Ili Turki has no official status in either country.

Sounds

Consonants

Consonants of Ili Turki Bilabial Alveolar Palatal Velar Uvular Glottal
Nasal m n ŋ  
Plosive p b t d tʃ dʒ k g q    
Fricative s z ʃ χ ʁ h
Tap ɾ
Approximant l j w

Vowels

Vowel Sounds of Ili Turki Front non-Front
Unrounded Rounded
Close i ɨ ʉ
Mid e ɵ
Open æ ɑ

References

External links

• Ili Turki language on Ethnologue

Altaic languages

¹ Not always recognized as Altaic languages. See also Buyeo languages.
Turkic languages
Italics indicate extinct languages
Oghur
Uyghuric
Kypchak
Oghuz
Arghu
Siberian
¹ Mixed language.   ² Also Oghuz.   ³ Disputed.
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