On the Sound Values of the Signsandin Some Yenisei Inscriptions


YILDIZ H.

Acta Orientalia, vol.79, no.3, pp.477-494, 2026 (AHCI, Scopus)

  • Publication Type: Article / Article
  • Volume: 79 Issue: 3
  • Publication Date: 2026
  • Doi Number: 10.1556/062.2026.00581
  • Journal Name: Acta Orientalia
  • Journal Indexes: Arts and Humanities Citation Index (AHCI), Scopus, IBZ Online, Periodicals Index Online, L'Année philologique, Historical Abstracts, Index Islamicus, Linguistic Bibliography, MLA - Modern Language Association Database, MLA International Bibliography
  • Page Numbers: pp.477-494
  • Keywords: Bay Bulun, E-41, E-49, E-68, E-98, First Tuvan inscription, Kemčik Čyrgaqy, ligature, Old Turkic runic inscriptions, Yenisei inscriptions
  • Anadolu University Affiliated: Yes

Abstract

This paper is written in order to make a proposal on the sound values of the signs, that occur in E-41, E-49, and according to some sources also in E-68 and E-98, as well as the sign that occurs only once in E-41. The study just focuses on E-41 and E-49 inscriptions due to the reasons explained in the article. Within the scope of this study, the sign is posited to represent the sound values /ẅk/ in E-41, and /wK/ in E-49. Additionally, the sign in E-41 is considered to represent /ẅč ~ čẅ/ sound cluster. Based on these proposed sound values, the sign groups and in E-41 and E-49 inscriptions are transcribed and translated as kögürčüg[ünü]m ‘my pigeon(s)’, toqum ‘my close shaven (men)’ and arquq ‘massive, monolithic’, respectively.