Verbs of intellectual activity in the Turkic languages and dialects of Sayan-Altai

The paper investigates the verbs of intellectual activity in the northern dialects of the Altai language (Chаlkan, Kumandy, and Tubalar) in a comparative elucidation. A comparison is made between the literary Altaic language and the neighbouring Shor and Khakas languages, with which these dialects have many common features. Also involved in the study is the material of the Tuvin language, because, on the one hand, it is geographically close to the studied languages and, on the other hand, the Tuvin language has incorporated some elements, spesific for the languages of different classification groups. The paper analyzes the lexical and semantic parallels, oppositions, and semantic shifts in these languages. Accordingly, an attempt is made to determine the ratio of cross-language equivalents combining different languages and dialects. Also revealed are some features inherent in the group of the verbs under investigation: a small number of common Turkic equivalents and quite a number of specific meanings that have been developed by all-Turkic and by inter-Turkic lexemes, an abundance of Mongolian loanwords in the Tuvin and Altai literary language etc.

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