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{{Short description|Extinct Oghur Turkic language}}{{Distinguish|text=the Bulgarian language}}{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2022}}

factoids

| familycolor = AltaicTurkic languages>TurkicOghuric languages>Oghuric| iso3 = xbo| glotto = bolg1250| glottorefname = Bolgarian| linglist = xbo}}Bulgar (also known as Bulghar, Bolgar, or Bolghar) is an extinct Oghuric Turkic language spoken by the Bulgars.The name is derived from the Bulgars, a tribal association that established the Bulgar state known as Old Great Bulgaria in the mid-7th century, giving rise to the Danubian Bulgaria by the 680s.Encyclopædia Britannica Online – Bolgar Turkic {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080623115154weblink |date=2008-06-23 }}Campbell, George L. Compendium of the World's Languages. Routledge, 2000. page 274Marcantonio, Angela. The Uralic Language Family: Facts, Myths and Statistics. Blackwell Publishing Limited, 2002. page 25 While the language was extinct in Danubian Bulgaria (in favour of Old Bulgarian), it persisted in Volga Bulgaria, eventually being replaced by the modern Chuvash language.BOOK,weblink The Uralic language family: facts, myths and statistics, Angela, Marcantonio, Wiley-Blackwell, 2002, 0-631-23170-6, 167, BOOK,weblink Encyclopedia of the languages of Europe, Glanville, Price, Wiley-Blackwell, 2000, 0-631-22039-9, 88, BOOK,weblink Studies in Turkic and Mongolic linguistics, Gerard, Clauson, Taylor & Francis, 2002, 0-415-29772-9, 38, Other than Chuvash, Bulgar is the only language to be definitively classified as an Oghur Turkic language. The inclusion of other languages such as Hunnish, Khazar and Sabir within Oghur Turkic remains speculative owing to the paucity of historical records. Some scholars suggest Hunnish had strong ties with Bulgar and to modern ChuvashJOURNAL, Pritsak, Omeljan, Omeljan Pritsak, 1982, The Hunnic Language of the Attila Clan,weblink Harvard Ukrainian Studies, Harvard Ukrainian Research Institute, IV, 4, 470, 0363-5570, 41036005, "The language had strong ties to Bulgar language and to modern Chuvash, but also had some important connections, especially lexical and morphological, to Ottoman Turkish and Yakut", Cambridge, Massachusetts, and refer to this extended grouping as separate Hunno-Bulgar languages.JOURNAL, Archived, Article, "The Hunnic Language of the Attila Clan" (pages 428, ..., 476), author: Omeljan Pritsak,weblink 430, "I was able to establish a Danube- Bulgarian nominative- suffix /A/ from the consonant stems. Recalling that Danube- Bulgarian was a Hunnic language.", JOURNAL, Ramer, Alexis Manaster, Proto-Bulgarian/Danube Bulgar/Hunno-Bulgar Bekven,weblink 1 p, "Granberg's suggestion that we should revive the term Hunno-Bulgar may well became that replacement — once it is clear that Hunnic and Bulgar were closely related and perhaps even the same language.", However, such speculations are not based on proper linguistic evidence, since the language of the Huns is almost unknown except for a few attested words and personal names. Scholars generally consider Hunnish as unclassifiable.WEB, Savelyev, Alexander, Chuvash and the Bulgharic Languages,weblink 2024-03-30, academic.oup.com, 448, 978-0-19-880462-8, BOOK, Golden, Peter B., An introduction to the history of the Turkic peoples: ethnogenesis and state-formation in medieval and early modern Eurasia and the Middle East, 1992, O. Harrassowitz, 978-3-447-03274-2, Turcologica, Wiesbaden, 88 89, BOOK, RÓNA-TAS, ANDRÁS,weblink Hungarians and Europe in the Early Middle Ages, 1999-03-01, Central European University Press, 978-963-386-572-9, 208, BOOK, Sinor, Denis, Studies in medieval inner Asia, 1997, Ashgate, 978-0-86078-632-0, Collected studies series, Aldershot, Hampshire, 336,

Affiliation

Mainstream scholarship places Bulgar among the "Lir" branch of Turkic languages referred to as Oghur Turkic, Lir-Turkic or, indeed, "Bulgar Turkic", as opposed to the "Shaz"-type of Common Turkic. The "Lir" branch is characterized by sound correspondences such as Oghuric /r/ versus Common Turkic (or Shaz-Turkic) /z/ and Oghuric /l/ versus Common Turkic (Shaz-Turkic) /š/.Johanson, Lars. 1998. "The history of Turkic." In: Johanson, Lars & Éva Agnes Csató (ed.). 1998. The Turkic languages. London: Routledge, pp. 81–125.WEB,weblink Turcologica, 2007-09-05, live,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20110408063746weblink">weblink 2011-04-08, ; Johanson, Lars. 2007. Chuvash. Encyclopedia of Language and Linguistics. Oxford: Elsevier. As was stated by Al-Istakhri (Х c. AD), "The language of the Khazars is different than the language of the Turks and the Persians, nor does a tongue of (any) group of humanity have anything in common with it and the language of the Bulgars is like the language of the Khazars, but the Burtas have another language."BOOK, Заходер, Б. Н., Каспийский свод сведений о Восточной Европе : Горган и Поволжье в IX-X вв, Восточная литература, 1962, Беляев, Е.А., I, Москва, 238, ru, The only surviving language from this linguistic group is Chuvash.WEB,weblink Archived copy, 2017-01-02, live,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20161213172602weblink">weblink 2016-12-13, He concludes that the language of the Bulgars was from the family of the Hunnic languages, as he calls the Oghur languages.The Turks: Early ages, Vol. 1 , Cem Oğuz, {{ISBN|9756782552}}, Author Murat Ocak, Redactors: Hasan Celāl Güzel, Cem Oğuz, Osman Karatay, Publisher: Yeni Türkiye, 2002, p. 535. According to the Bulgarian Antoaneta Granberg, the Hunno-Bulgar linguistic situation is further complicated by the extensive migration of nomadic communities of Hunnic and Oghuric peoples from East to West. This migration brought them into contact with a variety of different lands, neighbors, cultures, and languages, including China and Rome. Linguistic individuation of the Hunno-Bulgaric language family has yet to be conclusively established. A Hunno-Bulgar language is believed to have formed on the North-Western borders of China in the 3rd-5th c. BC.The Hunno-Bulgar language, Antoaneta Granberg, WEB, Archived copy,weblink dead,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20151120184254weblink">weblink 2015-11-20, 2015-11-20,

Bulgarian views

On the other hand, some Bulgarian historians, especially in recent decades, link the Bulgar language to the Iranic language group instead (more specifically, the Pamir languages are frequently mentioned), noting the presence of Iranian words in the modern Bulgarian language.WEB,weblink Old Bulgar words from VI-X c. AD sources, www.kroraina.com, 26 April 2018, live,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20170630114722weblink">weblink 30 June 2017, Бакалов, Георги. Малко известни факти от историята на древните българи Част 1 {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924083545weblink |date=2015-09-24 }} част 2 {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071201163333weblink |date=2007-12-01 }}Димитров, Божидар, 2005. 12 мита в българската историяМилчева, Христина. Българите са с древно-ирански произход. Научна конференция "Средновековна Рус, Волжка България и северното Черноморие в контекста на руските източни връзки", Казан, Русия, 15.10.2007{{page needed|date=November 2020}} According to Raymond Detrez, who is a specialist in Bulgarian history and language,Detrez has specialisized Bulgarian philology at Sofia University and is author of several books treating Bulgarian history {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131002150256weblink |date=2013-10-02 }}. such views are based on anti-Turkish sentiments and the presence of Iranian words in the modern Bulgarian is result of Ottoman Turkish linguistic influence.BOOK,weblink Developing cultural identity in the Balkans: convergence vs divergence, Raymond, Detrez, Pieter, Plas, Peter, Lang, 2005, 90-5201-297-0, 29, Peter Lang, Indeed, other Bulgarian historians, especially older ones, only point out certain signs of Iranian influence in the Turkic baseБешевлиев, Веселин. Ирански елементи у първобългарите. Античное Общество, Труды Конференции по изучению проблем античности, стр. 237–247, Издательство "Наука", Москва 1967, АН СССР, Отделение Истории. or indeed support the Turkic theory.Йорданов, Стефан. Славяни, тюрки и индо-иранци в ранното средновековие: езикови проблеми на българския етногенезис. В: Българистични проучвания. 8. Актуални проблеми на българистиката и славистиката. Седма международна научна сесия. Велико Търново, 22–23 август 2001 г. Велико Търново, 2002, 275–295.Съпоставително езикознание, Том 30, Софийски университет "Климент Охридски", 2005, стр. 66–68.Исторически преглед, Том 62, Броеве 3–4, Bŭlgarsko istorichesko druzhestvo, Institut za istoria (Bŭlgarska akademia na naukite) 2006, стр. 14.Palaeobulgarica: Starobŭlgaristika, Том 24, Tsentŭr za bŭlgaristika (Bŭlgarska akademiia na naukite), 2000, стр. 53.WEB,weblink Образуване на българската народност. Димитър Ангелов (Издателство Наука и изкуство, "Векове", София, 1971) стр. 117., kroraina.com, 26 April 2018, live,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20130528064248weblink">weblink 28 May 2013, WEB,weblink Образуване на българската държава, Петър Петров (Издателство Наука и изкуство, София, 1981) стр. 94., kroraina.com, 26 April 2018, live,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20120212183747weblink">weblink 12 February 2012, WEB,weblink V. Zlatarski – Istorija 1A – a 1, Vassil, Karloukovski, www.kroraina.com, 26 April 2018, live,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20130726204047weblink">weblink 26 July 2013, WEB,weblink Медното гумно на прабългарите, Ivan Benedikov, (College "Thrace" publishing house, I edition 1983, II. reworked edition, Stara Zagora 1995, pp. 16–19., kroraina.com, 26 April 2018, live,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20120620185833weblink">weblink 20 June 2012,

Danubian Bulgar

The language of the Danube Bulgars (or Danubian Bulgar) is recorded in a small number of inscriptions, which are found in Pliska, the first capital of First Bulgarian Empire, and in the rock churches near the town of Murfatlar, in present-day Romania. Some of these inscriptions are written in the Greek characters, others in the Kuban alphabet which is a variant of Orkhon script. Most of these appear to have been of a private character (oaths, dedications, inscriptions on grave stones) and some were court inventories. Although attempts at decipherment have been made, none of them has gained wide acceptance. These inscriptions in Danubian Bulgar are found along with other, official ones written in Greek; which was used as the official state language of the First Bulgarian Empire until the end of the ninth century, when it was replaced by Old Bulgarian (also called Old Church Slavonic, later Slavonic).BOOK,weblink The Other Europe in the Middle Ages: Avars, Bulgars, Khazars and Cumans, Florin, Curta, Roman, Kovalev, Brill, 2008, 978-9004163898, 189, The language of the Danubian Bulgars is also known from a small number of loanwords in the Old Bulgarian language, as well as terms occurring in Bulgar Greek-language inscriptions, contemporary Byzantine texts,Rance, Philip,"Photios and the Bulgar Language (τῶγα, tuğ)" Byzantinoslavica 79 (2021) 41–58 and later Slavonic Old Bulgarian texts. Most of these words designate titles and other concepts concerning the affairs of state, including the official 12-year cyclic calendar (as used in the Nominalia of the Bulgarian khans). The language became extinct in Danubian Bulgaria in the ninth century as the Bulgar nobility became gradually Slavicized after the Old Bulgarian tongue was declared as official in 893.{| class="wikitable"weblink Tuna Bulgarları ve Dilleri, Türk Tarih Kurumu Basımevi, 1987, Ankara, Turkish, !!Old Church Slavonic!Chuvash!Hungarian!Common Turkic|token, trace|БЕЛЕГ (beleg), БИЛЕГ (bileg)|палӑк (palăk)|bélyeg|*belgü|bracelet|БЕЛЬЧҮГ (bel'čug)| –| –|*bileçüg|pillow|ДОХЬТОРЬ (dox'tor')|ҫытар (śïtar)| –|*yogtu|image, icon|КАПЬ (kap')|кап (kap)|kép|*kēp|honour|САНЬ (san'), САМЬ (sam')| сум (sum)|szám|*sān

Phonology

Unlike Volga Bulgarian and Chuvash, d'ization is seen in the {{IPA|/j/}} sounds at the beginning of words. Talât Tekin argues that this sound corresponds to the initial gy sound in Hungarian and is pronounced close to it.{| class="wikitable"|+Comparison of initial /j/!!Danube Bulgar / Old Church Slavonic!Volga Bulgar!Chuvash!Common Turkic|snake|ДИЛОМЬ (dilom')| –|ҫӗлен (śílen)|*yï̄lan|pillow|ДОХЬТОРЬ (dox'tor')| –|ҫытар (śytar)|*yogdu (Mongolian зогдор)|horse|ΔΥΑΝ (dwan)| –| –|*yunt|An ethnicity|ΔΟΥΑΡΗⲤ (dovaris)|يوارى (yuwāri)| –| –|seven|ЧИТ (čit)|جىَاتِ (čyeti)|ҫиччӗ (śiččĕ)|*yẹti

Volga Bulgar

The language spoken by the population of Volga Bulgaria is known as Volga-Bulgar. There are a number of surviving inscriptions in Volga-Bulgar, some of which are written with Arabic letters, alongside the continuing use of Orkhon script. These are all largely decipherable. That language persisted until the 13th or the 14th century. In that region, it may have ultimately given rise to the Chuvash language, which is most closely related to itClark, Larry. 1998. "Chuvash." In: Johanson, Lars & Éva Agnes Csató (ed.). 1998. The Turkic languages. London: Routledge, p.434 and which is classified as the only surviving member of a separate "Oghur-Turkic" (or Lir-Turkic) branch of the Turkic languages, to which Bulgar is also considered to have belonged (see above).WEB, Формирование болгарской (древнечувашской) народности,weblinkweblink September 30, 2007, Still, the precise position of Chuvash within the Oghur family of languages is a matter of dispute among linguists. Since the comparative material attributable to the extinct members of Oghuric (Khazar and Bulgar) is scant, little is known about any precise interrelation of these languages and it is a matter of dispute whether Chuvash, the only "Lir"-type language with sufficient extant linguistic material, might be the daughter language of any of these or just a sister branch.{| class="wikitable"weblink.TEKIN, Talât,weblink Volga Bulgar kitabeleri ve Volga Bulgarcası, Türk Tarih Kurumu Basımevi, 1988, 978-9-751600-660, Ankara, 30–38, A Volga Bulgarıan Inscription From 1307 A. Róna-tasUnpublished Volga Bulgarian inscriptions A. H. Khalikov and J. G. MuhametshinWEB, Закиев М. З. Лингвоэтнические особенности волжских булгар — главного этнического корня татар,weblink 2021-08-24, bulgarizdat.ru, WEB, Category:Bulgar numerals – Wiktionary,weblink 2021-08-24, en.wiktionary.org, 31 July 2021, en, WEB, Proto-Turkic/History of Proto-Turkic language – Wikibooks, open books for an open world,weblink 2021-08-24, en.wikibooks.org, en, !!Volga Bulgar – البلغَاڔِى!Chuvash – ЧӑвашлаWEB,weblink Numbers in Chuvash, !Proto-Turkic!!Volga Bulgar – البلغَاڔِى!Chuvash – Чӑвашла!Proto-Turkic|one|بىر (bīr)|пӗр (pĕr)|*bīr|monument|بَلُو (belüv)|палӑк (palăk)|*belig|two|اَكِ (eki)|иккӗ (ikkĕ)|*ẹki|water|شِو (šïv)|шыв (šyv)|*sub|three|وج (več)|виççӗ (viśśĕ)|*üč|son|اَول (avïl)|ывӑл (yvăl)|*ogul|four|تُوات (tüvet)|тăваттă (tăvattă)|*tȫrt|daughter|هِير (hīr)|хӗр (hĕr)|*kï̄ŕ|five|بيال (biyel)|пиллӗк (pillĕk)|*bẹ̄ĺ(k)|day|كُوَان (küven or kön)|кун (kun)|*kün|six|اَلطِ (altï)|улттӑ (ulttă)|*altï|week|ايرنى (ērne)|эрне (erne)|(from Persian آدینه‎ (âdine))|seven|جىَاتِ (čyeti)|ҫиччӗ (śiččĕ)|*yẹti|month|اَيخ (ayïx)|уйӑх (ujăh)|*āń(k)|eight|ڛَكِڔ (sekir)|саккӑр (sakkăr)|*sekiŕ|year|جال (čal)|ҫул (śul)|*yāĺ|nine|طُخِڔ (tuxïr)|тӑххӑр (tăhhăr)|*tokuŕ|history|تَارِيخ (tārix)|истори (istori)|(from Arabic تَارِيخ‎ (tārīḵ))|ten|وان (van)|вуннӑ (vunnă)|*ōn|to become|بَل (bal)|пул (pul)|*bōl-|twenty|جِيِرم (čiyirim)|ҫирӗм (śirĕm)|*yẹgirmi|to do, make|طَن (ta-n)|ту (tu)| -|thirty|وطر (vutur)|вӑтӑр (vătăr)|*otuŕ|to go|بَر (bar)|пыр (pyr)|*bar-|forty|حرح (xïrïx)|хӗрӗх (hĕrĕh)|*kïrk|to love|سَو (sev)|сав (sav)|*seb-|fifty|الو (ellüv), اَلُّ (ellü)|аллӑ (allă)|*ellig|to die|وَل (vel)|вил (vil)|*öl-|hundred|جُور (čǖr)|ҫӗр (śĕr)|*yǖŕ|to migrate|كُوَج (küveč or köč)|куҫ (kuś)|*köč-{| class="wikitable"|+Cases in Volga Bulgar!Case!Volga Bulgar!Examples in words|Genitive| -∅ or -(ı)n|اَغَان (ağā-n), يغقوُتن (yaquut-ın)|Accusative| -ne/na|مَسجِذڛَمنَ (mesčidsem-ne)|Dative-locative| -a/e and -ne/na|اِشنَ (iš-ne), بَجنَ (bač-na), جَالَ (čāl-a)|Ablative| -ran, -ren; -tan, -ten|ڊنيَاڔَان (dönyā-ran)|Third person possessive| -i, -ı; -si, -sı|هِيرِ (hīr-i), اِلغِجِڛِ (ılğıčı-sı){| class="wikitable"|+Definition of verbs in Volga Bulgar!Tenses and moods!Volga Bulgar!Examples in words|Past tense| -ti/tı, -ri/rı|وَلتِ‎ (vel-ti)|Past tense 2| -ruvı/rüvi (