Tocharian languages
The Tocharian languages were a branch of the Indo-European languages. They are now extinct. They were spoken on the northern side of the Tarim Basin (now in Xinjiang, China). Writing was found from around the 5th century to the 8th century AD. There were three known languages in the branch, named A, B and C.[4]
Tocharian | ||||
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Native to | Agni, Kucha, Turfan and Krorän | |||
Region | Tarim Basin | |||
Ethnicity | Tocharians | |||
Extinct | 9th century AD | |||
Language family | Indo-European
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Dialects | Agnean (Tocharian A)
Kuchean (Tocharian B)
Kroränian (Tocharian C)[1]
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Writing system | ||||
Language codes | ||||
ISO 639-3 | Either: xto – Tocharian A txb – Tocharian B | |||
Linguist List | xto Tocharian A | |||
txb Tocharian B | ||||
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Tocharian Languages Media
The geographical spread of Indo-European languages.
Tocharian royal family (King, Queen and young blond-haired Prince), Kizil, Cave 17 (entrance wall, lower left panel). Hermitage Museum.
Tocharian B inscription from the Kizil Caves, in the Tocharian version of the Brahmi script, reading:𑀲𑁂𑀧𑀜𑀓𑁆𑀢𑁂 𑀲𑀡𑁆𑀓𑁂𑀢𑀯𑀝𑁆𑀲𑁂 𑀱𑀭𑁆𑀲 𑀧𑀧𑁃𑀬𑁆𑀓𑁅(Traditional Ashokan Brahmi)Se pañäkte saṅketavattse ṣarsa papaiykau"This Buddha, by Sanketava's hand, was painted". Wooden tablet with an inscription showing Tocharian B in its Brahmic form. Kucha, Xinjiang, 5th–8th century (Tokyo National Museum)
Ambassador from Kucha (龜茲國 Qiuci-guo) at the Chinese Tang dynasty court. Wanghuitu (王会图), circa 650 AD
Tocharian B Love Poem, manuscript B496 (one of two fragments).
References
- ↑ Mallory, J.P. (2010). "Bronze Age languages of the Tarim Basin" (PDF). Expedition. 52 (3): 44–53. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2021-01-09. Retrieved 2020-06-06.
- ↑ Krause, Todd B.; Slocum, Jonathan. "Tocharian Online: Series Introduction". University of Texas at Austin. Retrieved 17 April 2020.
- ↑ Mallory, J.P.; Adams, Douglas Q., eds. (1997). Encyclopedia of Indo-European Culture. London: Fitzroy Dearborn. p. 509. ISBN 978-1-884964-98-5.
- ↑ Adams, Douglas Q. "'Tocharian C' Again: The Plot Thickens and the Mystery Deepens". Language Log. Retrieved 25 September 2019.