Uyghur Language

Overview

The Uyghur language (Uyghurcheئۇيغۇرچە, Uyghurche) is a Turkic language belonging to the Karluk branch of the Turkic language family. It is primarily spoken by the Uyghur people, a Turkic ethnic group living mainly in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region of China. The language has approximately 13 million speakers (as of 2015 in China), with significant communities in Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Russia, Ukraine, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Turkey, and Canada.

History

The history of the Uyghur language can be divided into three main periods: Old Uyghur, Chagatai, and Modern Uyghur.

Ancient Uyghur Language

The ancient Uyghur language (also known as Old Uyghur or Huihe) emerged after the 8th century as the common written language of the Uyghur people. It belonged to the Altai language family, Turkic branch, and Karluk subgroup. The literary works from this period include the Turkish Dictionary of Mahmud al-Kashgari (Divân Lugât at-Turk), Wisdom of Royal Glory (Qutadghu Bilig), and numerous Dunhuang and Turpan documents.

Chagatai Uyghur Language

Chagatai Uyghur, also known as Chagatai, was used from the 13th to the 20th century, a period of over 600 years. It served not only as the literary language of the Uyghur people but also as a common language for multiple ethnic groups in the region. During this period, the Arabic script was used for writing. The era produced famous works such as Nava'i's Chahaar Diwan, Hemsa, and Muhakimetul Lugheteyin. Many scholars, poets, and historians created significant literary works during this time.

Modern Uyghur Language

Modern Uyghur is the language used by contemporary Uyghur people. It is divided into three main dialects: Central, Hotan (Khotan), and Lop (Luobu), with the primary differences being phonological. The modern standard written language is based on the phonological system of the Central dialect, represented by the Ürümqi dialect. After several standardization efforts, the modern Uyghur literary language has become the unified written form used by Uyghur people today.

Key Information

Cultural Significance

The Uyghur language holds significant cultural importance for the Uyghur people, serving as a vessel for their rich literary tradition, oral history, and cultural identity. Classical works like Qutadghu Bilig (Wisdom of Royal Glory) and the Divân Lugât at-Turk represent important contributions to Turkic literature and scholarship. The language has also preserved elements of ancient Turkic culture and religious traditions, particularly through the influence of Islamic literature following the adoption of Islam by the Uyghur people.

The Uyghur script has undergone several transformations throughout history, reflecting the cultural and political changes in the region. From the Old Turkic script to the Sogdian-derived Old Uyghur script, and later the Arabic-based scripts, each writing system has left its mark on the language's development.

Modern Status

Today, Uyghur is spoken by approximately 13 million people, primarily in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region of China. The language exists in several dialects, with the Central dialect serving as the basis for the standard written language. The Arabic script (UEY) is currently the official writing system in China, while a Latin-based script (ULY) has been developed for computer and digital applications.

Historically, the Uyghur language has used various writing systems:
1. Ancient Turkic script (5th-8th centuries)
2. Sogdian-derived Old Uyghur script (5th-10th and 15th-16th centuries)
3. Modified Arabic script (10th century onwards)
4. Cyrillic script (briefly used after 1949)
5. Latin-based拼音 script (1959-1982)
6. Arabic script (officially restored in 1982)

The vocabulary of Uyghur contains words from various sources, including ancient Turkic roots, Arabic and Persian loanwords (introduced through Islam), and more recent borrowings from Chinese, Russian, and English. The language continues to evolve as Uyghur communities maintain connections with their cultural heritage while adapting to modern global influences.

References

1. Roos, J. (2009). Turkic Linguistics in the Twentieth Century. Brill.
2. Tenishev, E. R. (1984). Languages of the Soviet Union. Cambridge University Press.
3. Grocke, M. (2017). Uyghur Texts from Khotan in the Stein Collection. Brill.
4. Dwyer, A. (2005). Language and Identity in Xinjiang. Routledge.
5. Mutellip, A. (2011). Uyghur-English Dictionary. University of Washington Press.