Abstract
“ČOK” IN TUVAN TURKISH
Various researchers have made classification experiments on Turkish dialects according to genetic, geographical, ethnic and linguistic criteria. One of the striking criteria in these classifications is related to suffix +sIz . As it is known, +sIz is to declare “absence" and "deficiency; +sIz suffix and nouns can be used as nouns or adjectives. In addition, +sIz is opposite of +LI(g) and it is used in Azerbaijan, Bashkir, Chuvash, Gagauz, Karachay-Balkar, Karakalpak, Kazakh, Kirghiz, Crimean Tatar, Kumuk, Nogai, Uzbek, Tatar, Turkmen, Uigur and Turkey dialects. Tuvan, Khakas, Altai, Yellow Uighur, Salar and Yakut-Sakha dialects do not have +sIz, although they have +LI(g). Instead of +sIz, they have versions of Old Turkic “yok”: Tuvan Turkish. čok, Khakas Turkish. čox, Altai Turkish. “d’ok” , Shor Turkish “čok”, “Yakut Turkish “suox”, Yellow Uighur. “yok” and Salar Turkish “yok”.
Generally “yok” can be used as adjective, noun, verb (with suffixes) and absence marker in historical and contemporary Turkish dialects. It can be said about the functions of “čok” in Tuva Turkish.“čok” with various words can be used as an adverb, conjunction, preposition. There are a great number of loan words in Tuvan Turkish vocabulary. They are mostly Mongolian and Russian origin. “čok” can be used loan words together.“čok” can be used in idioms and expressions, hendiadys and scientific terms. This paper focus on functions of “čok” in Tuvan Turkish.
Keywords
Tyvan Turkish, Word formation, “çok”, Suffix +sIz.