LEXICAL UNITS EXPRESSING THE CONCEPT OF KINSHIP RELATIONS IN 7TH–10TH CENTURY TURKIC TEXTS

Abstract

 This article investigates the semantic and functional characteristics of lexical units expressing kinship and close personal relationships based on the materials of the 7th–10th century Turkic runic inscriptions. Drawing on the texts of the Taryat, Shine Usu, Suji, Khoyto Tamir, Arkhanan, and other Turkic runic monuments, kinship terms are classified into internal semantic groups, and lexical units related to “seniority in relation to an individual,” “juniority in relation to an individual,” and marital relations are analyzed. The study examines the contextual usage, historical semantic development, and functional potential of lexemes such as qaŋ, äčü, apa, ini, urï, oγul, qïz, yägän, küdägü, and yutuz. Furthermore, it is demonstrated that some of these units were employed not only to denote kinship relations but also to express titles, social status, and political-authoritative relationships. The research also provides a comparative-historical analysis of the phonetic and semantic changes undergone by these kinship terms in later historical stages and in modern Turkic languages. The findings contribute to a deeper understanding of the formation and development of kinship terminology in Turkic languages and serve as an important source for studying the socio-cultural and genealogical perceptions of ancient Turkic society.