Southeastern Turkic languages

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Southeastern Turkic languages

Also known as: Chagatai Turkic languages, Chaghatai Turkish languages, Uighur Turkic languages, Uighur-Cagatia language, Uighur-Chagatai languages(Show More)

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July 14, 2026

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The Southeastern Turkic languages are a classification within the larger Turkic language family, which itself is part of the Altaic language group. This classification is somewhat controversial, as the Altaic hypothesis is not universally accepted by linguists. The Turkic languages are spoken across a vast area of Eastern Europe and Central/North Asia.1

The Southeastern Turkic branch, specifically, includes languages like Uzbek and Uyghur. However, it's important to note that Chuvash, while a Turkic language, forms a separate and distinct branch due to significant differences from Common Turkic languages. Chuvash is the sole modern descendant of the extinct Volga-Bolgarian language and is not mutually intelligible with other Turkic languages.21

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history of Central Asia
Timur
…the arts, and architecture, with Chagatai Turkish, a dialect derived partly from Khakani, the language spoken at the Karakhanid court (and a precursor of modern Uzbek), emerging as a flexible vehicle for sophisticated literary expression. These Timurid epigones, however, were locked in unceasing rivalry with each other and were unable…
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…the arts, and architecture, with Chagatai Turkish, a dialect derived partly from Khakani, the language spoken at the Karakhanid court (and a precursor of modern Uzbek), emerging as a flexible vehicle for sophisticated literary expression. These Timurid epigones, however, were locked in unceasing rivalry with each other and were unable…
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Islamic arts
Eclecticism of ʿAbd al-Raḥmān Jāmī
…was the attention given to Chagatai Turkish, which was spoken in the eastern regions of Islam (see Chagatai literature). ʿAlī Shīr Navāʾī, minister at the court (and a close friend of Jāmī), emphasized the beauties of his Turkic mother tongue as compared with Persian in his Muḥākamat al-lughatayn (“Judgment of…
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…was the attention given to Chagatai Turkish, which was spoken in the eastern regions of Islam (see Chagatai literature). ʿAlī Shīr Navāʾī, minister at the court (and a close friend of Jāmī), emphasized the beauties of his Turkic mother tongue as compared with Persian in his Muḥākamat al-lughatayn (“Judgment of…
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Turkic languages
Classification
… (SW), a northwestern (NW), a southeastern (SE), and a northeastern (NE) branch. Chuvash and Khalaj form separate branches.
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… (SW), a northwestern (NW), a southeastern (SE), and a northeastern (NE) branch. Chuvash and Khalaj form separate branches.
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Uzbekistan
Languages
…belonging to the southeastern, or Chagatai (Turki), branch of the Turkic language group. Karakalpak, a distantly related Turkic language, enjoys official status alongside Uzbek in Karakalpakstan, where it is spoken by about half a million people. About one-seventh of the population of Uzbekistan speaks Russian.
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…belonging to the southeastern, or Chagatai (Turki), branch of the Turkic language group. Karakalpak, a distantly related Turkic language, enjoys official status alongside Uzbek in Karakalpakstan, where it is spoken by about half a million people. About one-seventh of the population of Uzbekistan speaks Russian.
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