THE MODERN PROBLEMS OF TURKOLOGY
83
It’s possible to classify or systematize
the modern problems of Turkology as follows:
I. The problems of the origin of the
Turks or the development of the Turkish
ethnos.
II. The problem of the differentiation of
the Turks or the formation of the Turkic peoples.
III. The Modern Turkic World: the
differentiation and integration problems.
A turkologist or a specialist tries to solve
one of the following problems in this or that
degree:
a) to learn the history of the problem
deeply (theories, views put forward in
different periods, levels);
b) to define and systematize the
corresponding
linguistic,
ethnographic,
mythological, folklore, written literature,
historical geography, social and political
history and other materials (here we speak
about the known and unknown materials in
Turkology);
c) to make use of the scientific methods,
comparisons and research ways basing upon
the community (integrity) of the world
(humanity) history.
For example, according to scientific
tradition, in order to solve the problem of the
historical origin of the Turks properly, it’s
possible to begin from the Altai or Ural-Altai
theory… Somebody can object and say that,
on the contrary we should begin not from the
Altai or Ural-Altai theory, but from a new
theory and from different views, positions
which don’t accept it.
But in our opinion, it would be wrong.
Because the Altai or Ural-Altai theory is such
a classic event in Turkology with its rich
material and fact «armoury» that, it’s
impossible to pass through it without refuting
or creating an excellent theory and system in
this level which can be an alternative for it.
In order to solve the problem of the
historical origin of the Turks we need to
investigate the scientific hypothesis about the
creation of the Altai or Ural-Altai theory, i.e.
the Turkic, Mongol, Tungus-Manjur, including
the Hungarian, Finnish, Estonian, Korean,
Japanese and other peoples from the same
origin. It’s possible to look at these from the
point of view of the «Japheth languages»,
Sumerian or Sak-Scythian problems…And this
view has to encompass the whole complex
both the ethnogenetic, glottogenetic, natural
and geographical, social and political, cultural
and other factors. Therefore, the cooperation,
exchange of experience and examination of the
specialists (archeologist, mythologist, ethnographer,
specialist in folklore, philologist, historian…) in
different fields of knowledge are demanded
either to define the urgency or to perceive and
to interpret the content of the turkological
problems. Without this any scientific result,
view could be deprived of the intellectual and
cognitive universality remaining in the
competence only of one science (for example,
Linguistics, Literary critic or Historiography).
One of the most important methodological
problems
in
Turkology,
including
other
ethnological sciences is that, the relation between
«general» and «special» whether has been
defined or not; here the main difficulty shows
itself in the isolation «special» from «general».
For example, the specialist (historian, linguist or
literary critic) thinking over the problem
concerning the beginning of the Kirghiz,
Turkman or Uzbek history tries to go to the
past. In the end the danger on the distribution
and assimilation of the common (all-Turkish
pithy) events appears. It’s paradoxical event.
Notwithstanding that, such initiatives have an
anti-scientific or anti-turkological character
they become difficult canons being accepted as
the national fanaticism in the local scientific and
cultural, social and ideological environment.
The historical experience of Turkology
shows that, the correct statement (and solution)
of the turkological problem depends upon the
6 *
NIZAMI JAFAROV
84
exact determination of the relation, in other
words, the hierarchy between «general» and
«special».
I. The origin of the turks
or the development problem
of the turkish ethnos
A science which helped to gain popularity
for both the theme and the author being the
subject of the academic investigations basing
upon the fact and sources concerning the
exploration of the Turks on the context of the
Altai (and Protoaltai) theory, including the
«theories», views being an alternative for it at
the end of the 19th century and at the
beginning of the 20th century began. This
science was called Turkology.
Though, Turkology was so paradoxical, but
wasn’t famous like that period’s turkologists…
First of all, the ancient history of the Turks didn’t
assume interest like for example, in the history of
the Indians and Europeans in the 18th century.
Finally, Wilhelm Thomson read the
ancient Turkic texts…
Speaking about the origin of the Turks
much attention was paid to the Altai or Ural-
Altai theory. The authority of the same theory
had already showed itself in its transformation
into a perfect ethnological science – i.e. Altai
Philology.
Altai Philology claims that, the Turks
have created from the differentiation of a
common ethnos – i.e. the Altai ethnos,
including the Mongols, Tungus and Manjurs.
This theory – tuition had encompassed the
Ugro-Fins or Fin-Ugroes even the Japanese,
Koreans gradually enlarging the object of the
research as well. Of course, in spite of arising
logical or illogical questions the animation or
reconstruction of the «contours» of the Altai
ethnic unity or Altai ethnos in the idea wasn’t
so difficult. The historical and comparative
researches clearly show that, the genetic
predispositions among the Turkic, Mongol and
Tungus-Manjur languages were enough to prove
the kinship of these peoples. A well-known Altai
specialist, the academician B.Y.Vladimirtsov had
come to such a conclusion at the beginning of the
20th century that, the Mongol language has a
common ancestor together with the Turkic and
Tungus languages. It can be conditionally
called the Altai language. The Altai language
is unknown. However, the Altai languages, i.e.
the Mongol, Turkic and Tungus languages are
known. They’ve created in the development
process of the Altai language. B.Y.Vladimirtsov
true noted that, the phonetic, lexical and
grammatical features (relics) of the ancient Altai
language are observed in the Modern Turkic,
Mongol and Tungus-Manjur languages.
There are the ancient Altai ethnos
(people), language concept together with the
Altai period or the epoch concept in Altai
Philology. The definition of its borders can be
considered to be one of the main problems.
According
to
professor
N.A.Baskakov’s
generalizations, the Altai epoch continues till
the Hun epoch, i.e. approximately the 3rd
century BC. If we take into consideration that,
the Altai period or epoch completes with the
formation of the Altai languages (or people) in
this or that degree, then it’s possible to assume
that, the Altai period continued till the mid of
the 1st millennium BC.
The differentiation of the Altai languages
had been a rather complicated process. So that,
firstly, the Turkish-Mongol and Tungus-Manjur
«dialects» were separated in the all-Altai Unity.
Then the Turkish and Mongol «dialects» had
become the independent languages. According to
phonetic features, N.A.Baskakov considers the
Turkish-Mongol «dialect» the ch-sh (s), but the
Tungus-Manjur «dialect» the t-s languages. As
N.A.Baskakov
notes
though
the
Mongol
language is presented by r and l, but the Turkish
language by z and ∫ consonants, the Mongol
language sign maintains itself in some Turkic
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