Linguistic traits of Tuvan texts in Latin script (1930-1941)

This paper studies the unique linguistic (phonetic, morphological, and lexical) traits of Tuvan texts written in Latin script (1930-1941) in contrast with modern Tuvan. The materials gathered by early researchers, V. V. Radlov and N. F. Katanov, in the late 19th century, and dialect data are investigated. A number of phonetic and morphological traits and lexemes were found that can be divided into two groups: 1) the traits reflecting the earlier state of Tuvan: the - тур particle, forms with = а-дыр , analytical constructions with =гай эртти , as well as archaic words; 2) the traits resulting from the influence of spoken language: the present tense marker =у in auxiliary verbs (= п туру ), negative verb forms with =ва / =ве . The comparative analysis of the late 19th century materials and texts in Latin script shows that V. V. Radlov and N. F. Katanov’s materials and modern Tuvan texts have phonetic differences. They are related to the dialects and subdialects spoken on territories where these researchers worked. The period of Latinized Tuvan writing system was a preliminary period of formation of modern Standard Tuvan, as demonstrated by the influence of spoken language and variative usage of dialect word forms. Overall, Latin Tuvan texts, in spite of their unique phonetic, morphological, and lexical traits, do not differ significantly from the modern Tuvan language. This research confirms Sh. Ch. Sat’s earlier statement that Standard Tuvan (the language with minor dialect differences comprehensible for all Tuvans) was formed by the end of the 19th century.

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