Kypchak
Geographic distribution:	Kypchak-Bolgar   Kypchak-Cuman   Kazakh-Nogay
Genetic classification:	Turkic  Kypchak
Subdivisions:	Kypchak-Bolgar Group Kypchak-Cuman Group Kazakh-Nogay Group

The Kypchak languages (also known as the Kipchak, Qypchaq, or Northwestern Turkic languages), are a major branch of the Turkic language family spoken by more than 12 million people in an area spanning from Lithuania to China.

[edit] Linguistic features

The Kypchak languages share a number of features that have led linguists to classify them together. Some of these features are shared with other Turkic languages; others are unique to the Kypchak language family.

[edit] Shared features

• Change of Proto-Turkic *d to /j/ (e.g. *hadaq > ajaq "foot")
• Loss of initial *h sound (preserved only in Khalaj. See above example.)

[edit] Unique features

• Extensive labial vowel harmony (e.g. olor vs. olar "them")^{[citation needed]}
• Frequent assibilation of initial */j/ (e.g. *jetti > ʒetti "seven")
• Diphthongs from syllable-final */ɡ/ and */b/ (e.g. *taɡ > taw "mountain", *sub > suw)

[edit] Classification

The Kypchak languages may be broken down into three groups, based on geography and shared features:

• Kypchak-Bolgar (Uralo-Caspian), including Bashkir and Tatar (including Siberian Tatar, Mishar Tatar, Astrakhan Tatar, Baraba Tatar, etc.)

• Kypchak-Cuman (Ponto-Caspian), including Karachay-Balkar, Kumyk, Karaim, Krymchak, and the extinct Cuman and Kipchak languages. Urum and Crimean Tatar appear to have a Kypchak-Cuman base, but have been heavily influenced by Oghuz languages.

• Kazakh-Nogay, including Kazakh, Karakalpak, and Nogay

The Uzbek language's Kypchak dialect contains the remainder of Kypchak languages that were once spoken in Uzbekistan, and there is a dialect continuum between Uzbek and Kazakh.

The language of the Mamluks in Egypt appears to have been a Kypchak language, probably one belonging to the Kypchak-Cuman group.

[edit] See also

• Kipchaks

[edit] References

• Johanson, Lars and Csató, Éva Ágnes (1998). The Turkic Languages. London: Routledge. ISBN 0-415-08200-5. 

• Menges, Karl H. (1995). The Turkic Languages and Peoples. Wiesbaden: Harrassowitz. ISBN 3-447-03533-1.