Language groups inLanguage groups inNorthern EurasiaNorthern Eurasia

F. JacquessonF. Jacquesson

Lacito-CNRSLacito-CNRS

ProvisoProviso

In order to present here a clear description, In order to present here a clear description, we will exclude two massive components:we will exclude two massive components:

► Indo-European languages in the westIndo-European languages in the west► Chinese languages in the EastChinese languages in the East

and will focus on the lesser known groups and will focus on the lesser known groups whose speakers have had, and often still whose speakers have had, and often still have, a major role in the linguistic have, a major role in the linguistic geography of Northern Eurasia.geography of Northern Eurasia.

►1. The situation now1. The situation now

►2. Documentary evidence2. Documentary evidence

The situation nowThe situation nowFenno-Ugric Samoyedic Tungusic

MongolicTurkic

EasternSiberian Eskaleut

Nivx

Ket Yukagir

Ainu

Japanic

Koreanic

► Finno-ougricFinno-ougric► SamoyedicSamoyedic► TungusicTungusic►MongolicMongolic► TurkicTurkic► Eastern Siberic (Chukchee)Eastern Siberic (Chukchee)► Eskaleut (Eskimo+Aleut)Eskaleut (Eskimo+Aleut)►NivxNivx► KetKet► YukagirYukagir► AinuAinu► JapaneseJapanese► KoreanKorean

Uralic

Altaic ?

Uralo-Altaic ??

???

Looking into the pastLooking into the past

We can:We can:►1. study historical documents1. study historical documents

►2. analyse older linguistic data2. analyse older linguistic data

►3. compare present linguistic data3. compare present linguistic data

We will give here an idea of points 1 and 2.We will give here an idea of points 1 and 2.

Studying historical documentsStudying historical documents

►They give precious indications about They give precious indications about the history of populations.the history of populations.

►But : Do older names indicate the But : Do older names indicate the ‘same people’ as to-day ?‘same people’ as to-day ?

Population ‘layers’ in recent northern Population ‘layers’ in recent northern EurasiaEurasia

► The Russian colonization, since the 17th The Russian colonization, since the 17th century;century;

► The Muslim influence, since the 8th century;The Muslim influence, since the 8th century;► The Chinese influence, since the beg. of CE.The Chinese influence, since the beg. of CE.

All these ‘foreign’ intruders brought languages All these ‘foreign’ intruders brought languages and significantly modified the cultural and significantly modified the cultural landscape.landscape.

Before Russian colonization: the Dolgix Before Russian colonization: the Dolgix mapmap

V. O. Dolgix specialized in Samoyeds.V. O. Dolgix specialized in Samoyeds.►He studied the first Russian documents He studied the first Russian documents

about Siberian populationsabout Siberian populations► in administration reports and merchants’ in administration reports and merchants’

narratives.narratives.►He organized his results in a famous map, He organized his results in a famous map,

that he first published in 1960.that he first published in 1960.

Dolgix’ map : Siberia in the 17th centuryDolgix’ map : Siberia in the 17th century

Blue :Samoyedic

Yellow:Turkic

Green:Uralic

Dark pink: IeniseianLight green: Tungusic

Light pink: Yukagir

EasternSiberianis red

According to Dolgix’ mapAccording to Dolgix’ map

► Yakuts were few in YakutiaYakuts were few in Yakutia►Yukagirs were numerous and far into the Yukagirs were numerous and far into the

easteast►Southern Samoyeds were still alive as Southern Samoyeds were still alive as

suchsuch►Yeniseian people were southernersYeniseian people were southerners

Let us compare the 17th century situation Let us compare the 17th century situation with present time in two striking cases :with present time in two striking cases :

Kets to-day

Ieniseian in the 17th century according to Dolgix

Yukagir in the 17th century acc. to Dolgix

Yukagir to-day

Language changeLanguage change

►Of course, it does not mean that all these Of course, it does not mean that all these people were assassinated.people were assassinated.

► It means they encouraged their children in It means they encouraged their children in learning the language of the more powerful learning the language of the more powerful people,people,and in forgetting their own language.and in forgetting their own language.

In such cases, which have been fairly In such cases, which have been fairly widespread at all times, but have become widespread at all times, but have become more on more frequent recently, the more on more frequent recently, the lineages remain on the spot, while the older lineages remain on the spot, while the older languages disappear.languages disappear.

Muslim and Chinese influence in Central AsiaMuslim and Chinese influence in Central Asia

► The first Turkic The first Turkic documents (inscriptions documents (inscriptions on stone) give a on stone) give a detailed account of the detailed account of the relations with Chinese, relations with Chinese, in the 8th century.in the 8th century.

► Chinese reports and Chinese reports and annals help the annals help the understanding of what understanding of what happened in the steppe happened in the steppe belt.belt.

Muslim – Chinese clash in Talas : 751 CEMuslim – Chinese clash in Talas : 751 CE

► Mediaeval geographers and historians, writing Mediaeval geographers and historians, writing in Chinese, Arabic and later in Persian, make in Chinese, Arabic and later in Persian, make us realize how different the distribution of us realize how different the distribution of power then was,power then was,

► and along which lines local populations were and along which lines local populations were intrumentalized, and sometimes transported.intrumentalized, and sometimes transported.

► For instance, it is important to realize that the For instance, it is important to realize that the famous battle opposing Chinese and Muslim famous battle opposing Chinese and Muslim armies, each with different Turkic allies, was armies, each with different Turkic allies, was fought not so far from present Tashkent.fought not so far from present Tashkent.

Talas: a passage between China and the WestTalas: a passage between China and the West

Talas 751 CETalas 751 CE

Aral Lake

Kashgar

Toshkent

TALAS

Samarkand

The technique for making paper is supposed to have been transmitted from China to the West by Chinese prisonners at Talas.

At that timeAt that time

► Documents in Turkic languages are known Documents in Turkic languages are known only from Mongolia.only from Mongolia.Mongolian speaking peoples were – maybe – Mongolian speaking peoples were – maybe – living in eastern Mongolia and present living in eastern Mongolia and present Manchuria.Manchuria.

► Most (known) people in Central Asia before Most (known) people in Central Asia before the Chinese/Muslim conflict were speaking the Chinese/Muslim conflict were speaking Iranian languages.Iranian languages.Muslim influence introduced Persian, an Muslim influence introduced Persian, an Iranian language from the west. It slowly Iranian language from the west. It slowly superseded the eastern Iranian languages superseded the eastern Iranian languages like Sogdian – the famous language of the like Sogdian – the famous language of the Silk Road merchants.Silk Road merchants.

The other teachingThe other teaching

► Although the historical detail is fairly Although the historical detail is fairly complicated, complicated,

► chronicles also bring to light a number of chronicles also bring to light a number of reasons for the cultural shifts and/or reasons for the cultural shifts and/or population movements.population movements.

► These deeper factors help us understanding These deeper factors help us understanding what forces were shaping the human what forces were shaping the human landscape in a more remote past – before landscape in a more remote past – before the time of our documents.the time of our documents.

Herding and mobilityHerding and mobility

► All pieces of evidence, from the inner All pieces of evidence, from the inner Asian groups themeselves or from their Asian groups themeselves or from their neighbours,neighbours,

► underline the contrast between mobile underline the contrast between mobile herders, mounted on horses, and herders, mounted on horses, and sedentary dwellers.sedentary dwellers.

► This contrast – at first sight – is graphically This contrast – at first sight – is graphically summed up in the Great Walls of China.summed up in the Great Walls of China.

The steppeThe steppe

Although the steppe corridor is not the only Although the steppe corridor is not the only important geographical feature in our zone,important geographical feature in our zone,it played a major role in the population it played a major role in the population movements.movements.

This was reinforced by the asymmetry This was reinforced by the asymmetry between the rich grazing in the west,between the rich grazing in the west,

and the more dangerous climate of the and the more dangerous climate of the eastern steppeeastern steppe

– – provoking the so-called Great Invasions that provoking the so-called Great Invasions that ruined the (western) Roman Empire.ruined the (western) Roman Empire.

Herding and the steppe corridorHerding and the steppe corridor

YetYet

► The nomadic / sedentary contrast does not The nomadic / sedentary contrast does not mean the Wall was always high enough.mean the Wall was always high enough.

► The influence of the cities of the south was The influence of the cities of the south was clearly felt in the north, as we see from the clearly felt in the north, as we see from the graves, or from the ruins in the steppes;graves, or from the ruins in the steppes;

► And the ‘northern barbarians’ have been And the ‘northern barbarians’ have been several times in control of the south, in China several times in control of the south, in China as in Russia.as in Russia.

► This led to episodes of symbiosis.This led to episodes of symbiosis.

Timur’s tombTimur’s tombininSamarcandSamarcand

Older linguistic dataOlder linguistic data

Older linguistic data in Northern EurasiaOlder linguistic data in Northern Eurasia

► [Chinese][Chinese]► [Germanic (runic inscr. since the 3rd c. CE][Germanic (runic inscr. since the 3rd c. CE]► Turkic (c. 5th c., Orkhon inscr. are 8th c.) Turkic (c. 5th c., Orkhon inscr. are 8th c.) ► [Tibetan (since 7th c.)][Tibetan (since 7th c.)]►Hungarian (since c. 1200)Hungarian (since c. 1200)►Mongolian (13th c., the Mongolian (13th c., the Secret HistorySecret History is is

known from a Chinese transcription)known from a Chinese transcription)

Cultural shiftCultural shift

►The development, in time and space, of The development, in time and space, of cultural and/or linguistic factors does not cultural and/or linguistic factors does not always imply population movement.always imply population movement.

► This is exemplified by the borrowing of the This is exemplified by the borrowing of the Semitic writing, which crossed the whole Semitic writing, which crossed the whole continent from the Mediterranean to the continent from the Mediterranean to the Pacific.Pacific.

► And by the yoke and its name, which crossed And by the yoke and its name, which crossed the whole continent from east to west.the whole continent from east to west.

From west to east : the Semitic alphabetFrom west to east : the Semitic alphabet

Syriac script, beginning of CESogdian script Uigur script Mongol script Manchu script

From east to west: the name for the From east to west: the name for the yokeyoke

André Haudricourt : Géographie et ethnologie de la voiture, 1948.

To sum it up in 3 steps : 1st stepTo sum it up in 3 steps : 1st step

► The present day linguistic map is far from The present day linguistic map is far from being a sufficient basis for ‘reconstructing’ being a sufficient basis for ‘reconstructing’ the linguistic past of Northern Eurasia.the linguistic past of Northern Eurasia.

► Even in the 17th c. – a period quite close to Even in the 17th c. – a period quite close to ours – the situation was very different.ours – the situation was very different.

To sum it up : 2nd stepTo sum it up : 2nd step

The history of language distribution in Eurasia is The history of language distribution in Eurasia is heavily dependant on ethnological factors : heavily dependant on ethnological factors :

► herding has been a major factor since the herding has been a major factor since the domestication of the horse;domestication of the horse;

► the grazing areas are not evenly distributed;the grazing areas are not evenly distributed;► relations between the steppe and the cities did relations between the steppe and the cities did

exist, either on a predatory or a trading mode;exist, either on a predatory or a trading mode;► language replacement was a frequent feature, language replacement was a frequent feature,

linked with specific views about mobile linked with specific views about mobile federations.federations.

To sum it up: 3rd stepTo sum it up: 3rd step

► The community of language (for instance the The community of language (for instance the fact that citizens of Turkey speak Turkic, or are fact that citizens of Turkey speak Turkic, or are supposed to) captures only a part of the past supposed to) captures only a part of the past history – sometimes a deceptive part.history – sometimes a deceptive part.

► The political innuendoes, or trumpets, behind The political innuendoes, or trumpets, behind lanuage mapping are certainly not new. lanuage mapping are certainly not new.

► A language community should then be seen A language community should then be seen with some feeling for historical details and, with some feeling for historical details and, when possible, with some tact.when possible, with some tact.

Merci