Mongolisms in Tuvan Toponyms: A Comparative Analysis of Placenames in Tsengel sum of Bayan-Olgii Aimag, Mongolia with those of Tuva
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.25178/nit.2018.3.14Keywords:
toponymy; Tuvan language; toponym; Tuva; Mongolia; Tsengel; Mongolian language; mongolism; linguistic processesAbstract
Mongolisms occupy a major place in the toponymy of Tuva – a group of toponyms which deserves urgent attention of scholars. A study of them should include a comparative analysis of Tuvan toponyms with place names in Mongolia populated by Tuvans. This article analyses Mongolian influence on the toponymy of Tuva and Mongolia. It is based both on existing publications on toponymy of Tuva and on the field data collected by the authors in Tsengel sum of Bayan-Olgii aimag of Mongolia, an area of compact settlement of Tuvans, in 2010-2011.
At the moment, Tuvan toponyms in Mongolia are vanishing. Mongolian Tuvans use their native language only with their family members. Local placenames, previously used in Tuvan, were translated into Mongolian by Soviet specialists at the request of Mongolian authorities in 1930s-40s, and this now appear in the Mongolian language on the maps.
An analysis of Tuvan and Mongolian toponyms of Mongolian origin (Amdaigyn-Kho, Chyrgalady, Saigyn, Bayan-Churek, Bayan-Tala, Khaiyrakan in Tuva and Noyan-Dag, Tsengel-Khairkhan, Bumbalyg-Khairkhan, Khaan-Dag, Bayan-Churek in Mongolia) shows that they have undergone a phonetic adaptation to the Tuvan language. They accepted its rules, so the Tuvan language treated them like its own material, forming place names in accordance with its own norms. At the same time, the adaptation of Tuvan and Mongolian toponyms by the Mongolian language has its own distinctive features.
This lexical layer of the Tuvan language is of great interest for academic study. However, it is equally important to preserve Tuvan linguistic heritage, especially under the conditions of linguistic assimilation of Tuvans in Mongolia.
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Author Biographies
Badarch Bayarsaikhan, Tuvan Institute for the Humanities and Applied Socioeconomic Studies
Candidate of Philology, Leading Research Fellow, Sector of Linguistics and Mongolian Studies, Tuvan Institute for the Humanities and Applied Socioeconomic Studies.
Postal address: 4 Kochetova St., 667000 Kyzyl, Russian Federation.
Tel.: +7 (913) 349-69-69.
E-mail: bayiraa@mail.ru
Mira V. Bavuu-Surun, Tuvan State University
Candidate of Philology, Associate Professor, Leading Researcher, Research and Education Center of Turkic Studies, Tuvan State University.
Postal address: 36 Lenin St., 667000 Kyzyl, Russian Federation.
Tel.: +7 (394-22) 2-16-69.
E-mail: mira.bavuu_surun@mail.ru
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