Inter-inscriptional comparison and phonetic continuity with Khakas Turkish in the vocabulary of old Turkic runic inscriptions

This study compares the vocabulary of the Orkhon, Yenisei, Uyghur, Altai Mountain Region, and Tian Shan (Kyrgyzstan) inscriptions and examines the phonetic continuity of the words attested in these inscriptions in Khakas Turkish. The primary aim of the study is to compare the lexical items found in these inscription groups, identify common and distinct vocabulary elements, and determine the words that have survived in Khakas Turkish. The study consists of five chapters. The first chapter provides general information about the inscription groups included in the scope of the research. The second chapter focuses on the Khakas people and the Khakas language and discusses the historical development, geographical distribution, and linguistic characteristics of Khakas Turkish. The third chapter examines the words attested in the inscriptions that continue to exist in Khakas Turkish and also presents inter-inscriptional comparisons based on these lexical items. The fourth chapter presents comparative tables containing the words identified in all inscription groups and their equivalents in Khakas Turkish. The fifth chapter evaluates other linguistic elements and structures attested in the inscriptions. As a result of the study, the headwords attested in the inscriptions were identified, and those that have survived in Khakas Turkish were determined. The words continuing in Khakas Turkish were evaluated in terms of their phonetic characteristics, and examples of sound changes, sound preservation, and historical continuity were revealed. In addition, common and distinct vocabulary elements among the inscription groups were identified, and the lexical relationship between Old Turkic and Khakas Turkish was evaluated.