Khitan language

Short description: 4th–13th-century Para-Mongolic language of Northeast Asia

Khitan

Native to| Northeastern China , southeastern Mongolia, eastern Siberia
Region| Northern
Extinct| c. 1243 (Yelü Chucai, last person known who could speak and write Khitan)

Language family

Serbi–Mongolic ?

* Para-Mongolic ?[1]
* Khitan

Writing system

| Khitan large script and Khitan small script
Language codes
ISO 639-3| `zkt`

Linguist List

| `zkt`
Glottolog| `kita1247`[2]

Khitan or Kitan ( in large script or 35px in small, Khitai;[3] Chinese: 契丹語, Qìdānyǔ), also known as Liao, is a now-extinct language once spoken in Northeast Asia by the Khitan people (4th to 13th century). It was the official language of the Liao Empire (907–1125) and the Qara Khitai (1124–1218).

## Contents

* 1 Classification
* 2 Script
* 3 Records
* 4 Vocabulary
* 4.1 Seasons
* 4.2 Numerals
* 4.3 Animals
* 4.4 Directions
* 4.5 Time
* 4.6 Personal relations
* 4.7 Tribal administration
* 4.8 Basic verbs
* 4.9 Natural objects
* 5 References
* 6 Bibliography
* 7 Further reading
* 8 External links

## Classification

Khitan appears to have been related to the Mongolic languages;[4] Juha Janhunen states, "[T]he conception is gaining support that Khitan was a language in some respects radically different from the historically known Mongolic languages. If this view proves to be correct, Khitan is, indeed, best classified as a Para-Mongolic language."[1]

Alexander Vovin (2017) argues that Khitan has several Koreanic loanwords.[5] Since both the Korean Goryeo dynasty and the Khitan Liao dynasty claimed to be successors of Goguryeo, it is possible that the Koreanic words in Khitan were borrowed from the language of Goguryeo.[5]

## Script

Khitan was written using two mutually exclusive writing systems known as the Khitan large script and the Khitan small script.[1] The small script, which was a syllabary, was used until the Jurchen-speaking Jin dynasty (1115–1234) replaced it[clarification needed] in 1191.[6] The large script was logographic like Chinese.

## Records

The History of Liao contains a volume of Khitan words transcribed in Chinese characters titled "Glossary of National Language" (國語解). It is found in Chapter 116.[7][8][9][10]

The Qianlong Emperor of the Qing dynasty erroneously identified the Khitan people and their language with the Solons, leading him to use the Solon language to "correct" Chinese character transcriptions of Khitan names in the History of Liao in his Imperial Liao-Jin-Yuan Three Histories National Language Explanation (欽定遼金元三史國語解) project.

The Liao dynasty referred to the Khitan language with the term Guoyu (國語, "National language"), which was also used by other non-Han Chinese dynasties in China to refer to their languages like Manchu of the Qing, Classical Mongolian during the Yuan dynasty, Jurchen during the Jin, and Xianbei during the Northern Wei. Even today, Mandarin is referred to in Taiwan as Guoyu.

## Vocabulary

There are several closed systems of Khitan lexical items for which systematic information is available.[11] The following is a list of words in these closed systems that are similar to Mongolic. Mongolian and Daur equivalents are given after the English translation:

### Seasons

Khitan | Translation | Mongolian script | modern Mongolian pronunciation  | Daur

|
|
|
|

heu.ur | spring | qabur | havar  | haor
ju.un | summer | jun | zun  | najir
n.am.ur | autumn | namur | namar  | namar
u.ul | winter | ebül | övöl  | uwul

### Numerals

Khitan | Translation | Mongolian script | modern Mongolian pronunciation  | Daur

|
|
|
|

*omc | one | onca 'unique' | onts (unique)  | enqu
j.ur.er | second | jirin 'two' | jirin (two), jiremsen (double/pregnant)  | jieeq
hu.ur.er | third | gurba 'three' | gurav, gurvan, guramsan (triple)  | guarab
durer/duren | fourth | dörben | döröv, dörvön  | durub
tau | five | tabun | tav, tavan  | taawu
t.ad.o.ho | fifth | tabu-daki | tav dahi  | taawudar
*nil | six | jirgugan | zurgaa (innovation "jir'gur" or 2x3)  | jirwoo
da.lo.er | seventh | dologa 'seven' | doloo  | doloo
n.ie.em | eight | nayim 'eight' | naim  | naim
*is | nine | yesü | yüs, yüsön  | is
par (p.ar) | ten | arban | arav  | harbin
jau | hundred | jagun | zuu, zuun  | jao
ming | thousand | minggan | myanga, myangan  | mianga

Compared with Khitan, The Tungusic numerals of the Jurchen language differ significantly: three=ilan, five=shunja, seven=nadan, nine=uyun, hundred=tangu.

### Animals

Khitan | Translation | Mongolian script | modern Mongolian pronunciation  | Daur

|
|
|
|

te.qo.a | chicken | taqiya | tahia  | kakraa
ni.qo | dog | noqai | nohoi  | nowu
s.au.a | bird | sibuga | shuvuu  | degii
em.a | goat | imaga | yamaa  | imaa
tau.li.a | rabbit | taulai | tuulai  | tauli
mo.ri | horse | mori | mori  | mori
uni | cow | üniye | ünee  | unie
mu.ho.o | snake | mogoi | mogoi  | mowo

### Directions

Khitan | Translation | Mongolian script | modern Mongolian pronunciation  | Daur

|
|
|
|

ud.ur | east | doruna | dorno  | garkui
dzi.ge.n | left | jegün | züün  | solwoi
bo.ra.ian | right | baragun | baruun  | baran
dau.ur.un | middle | dumda | dund  | duand
xe.du.un | horizontal | köndelen | höndölön  |
ja.cen.i | border | jaqa | zasan, zaag  | jag

### Time

Khitan | Translation | Mongolian script | modern Mongolian pronunciation  | Daur

|
|
|
|

suni | night | söni | shönö  | suni
un.n/un.e | now, present | önö | önöö  | nee

### Personal relations

Khitan | Translation | Mongolian script | modern Mongolian pronunciation  | Daur

|
|
|
|

c.i.is | blood | cisu | tsus  | qos
mo ku | female | eme | em  | emwun
deu | younger sibling | degü | düü  | deu
n.ai.ci | friend | nayija | naiz  | guq
na.ha.an | uncle | nagaca | nagats  | naoq
s.ia/s.en | good | sayin | sain  | sain
g.en.un | sadness, regret | genü='to regret' in the letter of Arghun Khan) | genen, gem  | gemxbei
ku | person | kümün | hün, hümün  | huu

### Tribal administration

Khitan | Translation | Mongolian script  | Daur

|
|
|

cau.ur | war | cagur, as in "tsa'urgalan dairakh"  | quagur
nai/nai.d | heads, officials | "-d" is a plural suffix=noyan, noyad for plural  | noyin
t.em- | to bestow a title | temdeg 'sign'  | temgeet
k.em | decree | kem kemjiye 'law/norm'  | hes
us.gi | letter | üseg  | jiexgen
ui | matter | üile  | urgil
qudug | blessed | qutug  | hireebei
xe.se.ge | part, section, province | keseg  | meyen
ming.an | military unit of thousand | minggan  | miangan

### Basic verbs

Khitan | Translation | Mongolian script

|
|

p.o | become | bol-
p.o.ju | raise(intr.) | bos-
on.a.an | fall | una-
x.ui.ri.ge.ei | transfer | kür-ge-
u- | give | ög-
sa- | to reside | sagu-
a- | be | a- 'live', as in "aj ahui"

### Natural objects

Khitan | Translation | Mongolian script | modern Mongolian pronunciation  | Daur

|
|
|
|

eu.ul | cloud | egüle | üül  | eulen
s.eu.ka | dew | sigüderi | shüüder  | suider
sair | moon | sara | sar  | saruul
nair | sun | nara | nar  | nar
m.em/m.ng | silver | mönggö | möng  | mungu

The Liaoshi records in Chapter 53:

> 國語謂是日為「討賽咿兒」。「討」五；「賽咿兒」，月也。

> In the national (Khitan) language this day (5th day of the 5th lunar month) is called 'Tao Saiyier'. 'Tao' means five; 'Saiyier' means moon/month.

'Tao Saiyier' corresponds to Mongolian 'tavan sar' (fifth moon/month). The Turkic Kyrgyz equivalent would be 'beshinchi ay' while the Manchu (Tungusic) equivalent would be 'sunja biya'.

## References

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Janhunen 2006, p. 393.
2. ↑ Hammarström, Harald; Forkel, Robert; Haspelmath, Martin, eds (2017). "Kitan". Glottolog 3.0. Jena, Germany: Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History. http://glottolog.org/resource/languoid/id/kita1247.
3. ↑ "Khitan" (in en). https://omniglot.com/writing/khitan.htm.
4. ↑ Herbert Franke, John King Fairbank, Denis Crispin Twitchett, Roderick MacFarquhar, Denis Twitchett, Albert Feuerwerker. The Cambridge History of China, Vol. 3: Sui and T'ang China, 589–906. Part 1, p.364
5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Vovin 2017, p. 207.
6. ↑ Janhunen 2006, p. 395.
7. ↑ 遼史/卷116 卷116.
8. ↑ Howorth, H. H. (1881). "The Northern Frontagers of China. Part V. The Khitai or Khitans" (in en). Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland 13 (2): 123–125. doi:10.1017/S0035869X00017780. https://zenodo.org/record/1599003.
9. ↑ Wilkinson, Endymion Porter (2000) (in en). Chinese History: A Manual (illustrated, revised ed.). Cambridge: Harvard University Asia Center. p. 864. ISBN 0-674-00249-0. https://books.google.com/books?id=ERnrQq0bsPYC&pg=PA864.
10. ↑ Yong, Heming; Peng, Jing (2008) (in en). Chinese Lexicography: A History from 1046 BC to AD 1911. Oxford: Oxford University Press. p. 382–. ISBN 978-0-19-953982-6. https://books.google.com/books?id=NYFBtTUZFxEC&pg=PA382.
11. ↑ Kane, Daniel A. (2009) (in en). The Kitan Language and Script. Leiden: Brill. ISBN 978-90-04-16829-9.

## Bibliography

* Janhunen, Juha (2006). "Para-Mongolic". in Janhunen, Juha (in en). The Mongolic Languages. Routledge. pp. 391–402. ISBN 978-1-135-79690-7.
* Vovin, Alexander (2017). "Koreanic Loanwords in Khitan and Their Importance in the Decipherment of the Latter" (in en). Acta Orientalia Academiae Scientiarum Hungaricae 70 (2): 207–215. doi:10.1556/062.2017.70.2.4. https://www.academia.edu/34805884.

## Further reading

* Franke, H. (1976). "Two Chinese–Khitan Macaronic Poems". in Heissig, W. (in en). Tractata Altaica: Denis Sinor, Sexagenario Optime de Rebus Altaicis Merito Dedicata. Wiesbaden: Otto Harrassowitz. pp. 175–180. ISBN 3-447-01798-8.
* Kane, Daniel (1989) (in en). The Sino-Jurchen Vocabulary of the Bureau of Interpreters. Bloomington, Indiana: Indiana University, Research Institute for Inner Asian Studies. ISBN 0-933070-23-3.
* Qinge'ertai (Chinggeltei); Yu, Baolin; Chen, Naixiong; Liu, Fengzhu; Xin, Fuli (1985) (in zh). Qìdān xiǎozì yánjiū. Beijing: Zhongguo shehui kexue chubanshe. OCLC 16717597.
* Jacques, Guillaume (2010). "Review of Kane 2009, The Khitan Language and Script" (in en). Diachronica 27 (1): 157-165. doi:10.1075/dia.27.1.05jac. https://www.academia.edu/4285991.
* Vovin, Alexander (2003). "Once Again on Khitan Words in Chinese-Khitan Mixed Verses" (in en). Acta Orientalia Academiae Scientiarum Hungaricae 56 (2–4): 237-244. doi:10.1556/AOrient.56.2003.2-4.10.

## External links

* New Developments of the Studies on Khitai Language and Khitai Scripts

| Khitan language test of Wikipedia at Wikimedia Incubator

|

* v
* t
* e

Languages of China

Official|

* Standard Mandarin

Regional|

| ARs / SARs|

* CantoneseHK/MC
* EnglishHK
* MongolianNM
* PortugueseMC
* TibetanXZ
* UyghurXJ
* ZhuangGX

|

Prefecture|

* Hmong
* Kam
* Bouyei
* Tujia
* Korean
* Qiang
* Yi
* Kyrgyz
* Kazakh
* Tai Nüa
* Tai Lü
* Zaiwa
* Lisu
* Bai
* Hani
* Zhuang

Counties/Banners|

numerous

Indigenous|

Sino-Tibetan languages

| Lolo-
Burmese|

| Mondzish|

* Kathu
* Maang
* Manga
* Mango
* Maza
* Mondzi
* Muangphe

|

Burmish|

* Achang
* Xiandao
* Pela
* Lashi
* Chashan
* Lhao Vo
* Zaiwa

Loloish|

| Hanoish|

* Akeu
* Akha
* Amu
* Angluo
* Asuo
* Baihong
* Bisu
* Budu
* Bukong
* Cosao
* Duoni
* Duota
* Enu
* Habei
* Hani
* Honi
* Jino
* Kabie
* Kaduo
* Lami
* Laomian
* Laopin
* Mpi
* Muda
* Nuobi
* Nuomei
* Phana’
* Piyo
* Qidi
* Sadu
* Sangkong
* Suobi
* Tsukong
* Woni
* Yiche

|

Lisoish|

* Eka
* Hlersu
* Kua-nsi
* Kuamasi
* Laizisi
* Lalo
* Lamu
* Lavu
* Lawu
* Limi
* Lipo
* Lisu
* Lolopo
* Mangdi
* Micha
* Mili
* Sonaga
* Toloza
* Xuzhang
* Yangliu
* Zibusi

Nisoish|

* Alingpo
* Alugu
* Aluo
* Axi
* Azha
* Azhe
* Bokha
* Gepo
* Khlula
* Lope
* Moji
* Muji
* Muzi
* Nasu
* Nisu
* Nuosu
* Phala
* Phola
* Phowa
* Phukha
* Phuma
* Phupa
* Phupha
* Phuza
* Samei
* Sani
* Thopho
* Zokhuo

Other|

* Gokhy
* Katso
* Kucong
* Lahu
* Naruo
* Namuyi
* Naxi
* Nusu
* Samu
* Sanie
* Zauzou

Qiangic|

* Baima
* Choyo
* Ersu
* Guiqiong
* Horpa
* Japhug
* Khroskyabs
* Laze
* Lizu
* Na
* Muya
* Namuyi
* Naxi
* Pumi
* Northern Qiang
* Southern Qiang
* Shixing
* Situ
* Tshobdun
* Zbu
* Zhaba

Tibetic|

* Amdo
* Baima
* Basum
* Central Tibetan
* Choni
* Dao
* Dongwang
* Drugchu
* Groma
* Gserpa
* Khalong
* Khams
* Kyirong
* Ladakhi
* Tseku
* Zhongu
* Zitsadegu

Other|

* Bai
* Caijia
* Derung
* Jingpho
* Longjia
* Nung
* Tujia
* Waxianghua

Other languages

| Austroasiatic|

* Bit
* Blang
* Bolyu
* Bugan
* Bumang
* Hu
* Kuan
* Mang
* Man Met
* Muak Sa-aak
* Palaung
* Riang
* U
* Va
* Wa

|

Hmong-Mien|

| Hmongic|

* A-Hmao
* Bu-Nao
* Gejia
* Guiyang
* Hm Nai
* Hmong
* Hmu
* Huishui
* Kiong Nai
* Luobohe
* Mashan
* Pa-Hng
* Pa Na
* Pingtang
* Qo Xiong
* Raojia
* She
* Small Flowery
* Xixiu
* Younuo

|

Mienic|

* Biao Min
* Dzao Min
* Iu Mien
* Kim Mun

Mongolic|

* Bonan
* Buryat
* Daur
* Eastern Yugur
* Kangjia
* Khamnigan
* Monguor
* Oirat
* Ordos
* Santa
* Torgut

Kra-Dai|

| Zhuang|

* Bouyei
* Dai
* Min
* Ningming
* Nong
* Tai Dam
* Tai Dón
* Tai Hongjin
* Tai Lü
* Tai Nüa
* Tai Ya
* Yang
* Yei

|

Other|

* Ai-Cham
* Biao
* Buyang
* Cao Miao
* Chadong
* Cun
* Gelao
* Hlai
* Jiamao
* Kam
* Lakkja
* Mak
* Maonan
* Mulam
* Naxi Yao
* Ong Be
* Paha
* Qabiao
* Sui
* Then

Tungusic|

* Evenki
* Manchu
* Nanai
* Oroqen
* Xibe

Turkic|

* Äynu
* Fuyu Kyrgyz
* Ili Turki
* Lop
* Salar
* Western Yugur

Other|

* Sarikoli (Indo-European)
* Tsat (Austronesian)
* Formosan languages (Austronesian)

Minority|

* Kazakh
* Korean
* Kyrgyz
* Russian
* Tatar
* Tuvan
* Uzbek
* Vietnamese (Kinh)
* Wakhi

Varieties of
Chinese|

* Mandarin
* Southwestern
* Dongbei
* Jiang Huai
* Gan
* Hakka
* Hui
* Jin
* Min
* varieties
* Ping
* Wu
* Wenzhounese
* Xiang
* Yue
* Cantonese

Creole/Mixed|

* E
* Hezhou
* Lingling
* Macanese
* Maojia
* Qoqmončaq
* Sanqiao
* Tangwang
* Wutun

Extinct|

* Ba-Shu
* Jie
* Khitan
* Ruan-ruan
* Saka
* Tangut
* Tocharian
* Tuoba
* Tuyuhun
* Xianbei
* Zhang-Zhung

Sign|

* Chinese Sign
* Hong Kong SignHK/MC
* Tibetan SignXZ

* GX = Guangxi
* HK = Hong Kong
* MC = Macau
* NM = Inner Mongolia
* XJ = Xinjiang
* XZ = Tibet

* v
* t
* e

Mongolic languages

Contemporary|

| Central|

* Buryat
* Khamnigan
* Mongolian
* Baarin
* Chakhar
* Khalkha
* Khorchin
* Oirat
* Alasha
* Kalmyk
* Torgut
* Ordos

|

Southern|

* Bonan
* Kangjia
* Santa
* Eastern Yugur
* Monguor

other|

* Dagur
* Moghol

mixed|

* Tangwang
* Wutun

Historical|

* Proto-Mongolic
* Classical Mongolian
* Middle Mongol

Para-Mongolic|

* Khitan
* Tuyuhun

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