Phonetic traits of the Chalkan language (based on the materials of V. V. Radlov, N. A. Baskakov, and modern field research)

The paper describes the phonetic correlations found in the records done by V. V. Radlov (1866-1907), N. A. Baskakov (1934-1952), and modern Chalkan records (2010-2019). We show certain phonetic shifts that have taken place since the middle of the 19th century: spirantization of labial consonants in the inlaut; the shifts in consonants: j-č-t’ ; elimination of the auslaut - ғ ( -ɣ ). Graphic correlations are also shown in anlaut: p- (mid-19th century), b- (mid-20th century), p- (early 21st century). The text analysis in the diachronic aspect allowed us to assume that the anlaut grapheme “ b ” in the texts of N. A. Baskakov is not a confirmation of the presence of the corresponding sound [b] in the language of the Chalkans of the beginning of the 20th century. The use of the analog sound [p] instead of [b] is evidenced by the materials of V. V. Radlov. N. A. Baskakov most likely used the grapheme “ b ” in his texts to reflect Chalkan speech at the beginning of the 20th century by analogy with other Turkic closely related languages in which this sound is present. Graphic correlations are also shown in inlaut: -џ - (mid-19th century), - dž- / -ž- (mid-20th century), -ž- / -š’- (early 21st century). Graphic variations stem from the fact that the Chalkan language remains unwritten to this day, and for the transmission of national speech, researchers and native speakers use graphics of written Altai and Russian languages, adapting it to the features of their speech.

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