𑀳𑁆𑀯𑀢𑀦𑀽
Khotanese
Indo-European (Iranian, Middle, Eastern, Saka) · historical / hidden variety
Khotanese (also Khotanese Saka) is a Middle Iranian language of the Eastern (Saka) group, attested in extensive Buddhist manuscripts from the kingdom of Khotan on the southern Silk Road (5th-10th c. CE). It is closely related to Tumshuqese (also Saka, attested at nearby Tumshuq) and more distantly to Sogdian and other Eastern Iranian languages. Texts include translations of Mahayana sutras (Suvarṇabhāsa, Saṅghāṭa), the indigenous Book of Zambasta, medical treatises, and Khotan-Tibetan-Khotan glossaries. Like Tocharian, Khotanese disappeared as Turkic peoples (Karakhanids, then Uyghurs) occupied the Tarim Basin from the 11th century, with the Khotanese converting to Islam.
Where it is spoken
87 core words in Khotanese
Sources
- Bailey (1979) Dictionary of Khotan Saka
- Emmerick (1992) A Guide to the Literature of Khotan
- Glottolog: khot1251
Words compared
Compared with languages in the same classification: Indo-European (Iranian, Middle, Eastern, Saka)
| Meaning | Khotanese | Old Persian | Parthian | Avestan | Sogdian | Middle Persian | Mycenaean Greek |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | 𑀊𑀤𑀸 /uːdaː/ | 𐎠𐎱 /aːpi/ | āb /aːb/ | 𐬁𐬞 /aːp/ | ʾāp /aːp/ | 𐭠𐭯 /aːb/ | 𐀄𐀈 /hudɔːr/ |
| Fire | 𑀆𑀢𑀭 /aːtar/ | 𐎠𐎫𐎼 /aːtar/ | ādar /aːdar/ | 𐬁𐬙𐬀𐬭 /aːtar/ | ʾātar /aːtar/ | 𐭠𐭲𐭱 /aːtaʃ/ | 𐀢 /pyːr/ |
| Sun | 𑀉𑀭𑁆𑀫 /urma/ | 𐏃𐎢𐎺𐎼 /huwar/ | xwar /xwar/ | 𐬵𐬎𐬎𐬀𐬭𐬆 /huwarə/ | xwr /xwar/ | 𐭧𐭥𐭫𐭱𐭩𐭲 /xwarʃeːd/ | 𐀀𐀸𐀪𐀍 /haːwelios/ |
| Moon | 𑀫𑀸𑀲𑁆𑀢 /maːsta/ | 𐎶𐎠𐏃 /maːha/ | māh /maːh/ | 𐬨𐬁𐬵 /maːh/ | mʾx /maːx/ | 𐭬𐭠𐭧 /maːh/ | 𐀕 /mɛːn/ |
| Star | 𑀲𑁆𑀢𑀸𑀭 /staːra/ | 𐎿𐎫𐎠𐎼 /staːra/ | astārag /asˈtaːraɡ/ | 𐬯𐬙𐬀𐬭 /star/ | stāre /staːre/ | 𐭮𐭲𐭠𐭫𐭪 /staːraɡ/ | 𐀀𐀳𐀫 /astɛːr/ |
| Night | — /—/ | 𐎧𐏁𐎱 /xʃapa/ | ʾxšp /xʃap/ | 𐬑𐬱𐬀𐬞 /xʃap/ | ʾxšp /xʃap/ | 𐭱𐭯 /ʃab/ | — /—/ |
| Snow | 𑀩𑁅𑀭 /baura/ | — | wafr /wafr/ | 𐬬𐬀𐬟𐬭𐬀 /wafra/ | wafrā /wafraː/ | 𐭥𐭯𐭫 /wafr/ | — |
| Wind | 𑀩𑀸𑀢 /baːtæ/ | — | wād /waːd/ | 𐬬𐬁𐬙𐬀 /ˈʋaːta/ | wāt /waːt/ | 𐭥𐭠𐭲 /waːd/ | 𐀀𐀚𐀗 /anemos/ |
| Mountain | 𑀕𑀭 /ɡara/ | 𐎣𐎢𐎳 /kaufa/ | — | 𐬔𐬀𐬌𐬭𐬌 /ɡairi/ | γari /ɣari/ | 𐭢𐭫 /ɡar/ | — |
| Mother | 𑀫𑀸𑀢 /maːta/ | 𐎶𐎠𐎫𐎼 /maːtar/ | mād /maːd/ | 𐬨𐬁𐬙𐬀𐬭 /maːtar/ | mʾtr /maːtar/ | 𐭬𐭠𐭲𐭫 /maːdar/ | 𐀔𐀳 /maːtɛːr/ |
| Father | 𑀧𑀺𑀢 /pita/ | 𐎱𐎡𐎫𐎠 /pitaː/ | pid /pid/ | 𐬞𐬌𐬙𐬀𐬭 /pitar/ | ptr /pitar/ | 𐭯𐭩𐭲𐭫 /pidar/ | 𐀞𐀳 /patɛːr/ |
| Daughter | 𑀤𑀽𑀢 /duːta/ | — | duxt /duxt/ | 𐬛𐬎𐬔𐬆𐬛𐬀𐬭 /duɡədar/ | ẟwγt /ðuɣd/ | 𐭣𐭥𐭧𐭲 /duxt/ | 𐀶𐀏𐀳 /tʰuɡatɛːr/ |
| I | 𑀅𑀬𑁆𑀲𑀼 /azu/ | 𐎠𐎭𐎶 /adam/ | az /az/ | 𐬀𐬰𐬆𐬨 /azəm/ | azu /azu/ | 𐭠𐭭 /an/ | 𐀁𐀒 /eɡɔː/ |
| You | 𑀢𑀽 /tuː/ | 𐎬𐎢𐎺𐎶 /tuvam/ | tu /tuː/ | 𐬙𐬏𐬨 /tuːm/ | tγu /tɣu/ | 𐭲𐭥 /toː/ | 𐀶 /tuː/ |
| We | — /—/ | 𐎺𐎹𐎶 /vajam/ | amāh /amaːh/ | 𐬬𐬀𐬉𐬨 /vaeːm/ | mʾx /maːx/ | 𐭠𐭬𐭠𐭧 /amaːh/ | — /—/ |
| Name | 𑀦𑀸𑀫 /naːma/ | 𐎴𐎠𐎶 /naːma/ | nām /naːm/ | 𐬥𐬁𐬨𐬀𐬥 /naːman/ | nām /naːm/ | 𐭭𐭠𐭬 /naːm/ | 𐀃𐀜𐀔 /onoma/ |
| Head | 𑀓𑀫𑀮 /kamala/ | — | sar /sar/ | 𐬯𐬀𐬭𐬀𐬵 /sarah/ | sari /sari/ | 𐭮𐭫 /sar/ | — |
| Eye | 𑀘𑁂𑀰𑁆𑀫𑀦𑁆 /tʃʰeʃman/ | 𐏂𐏁𐎶𐎴 /tʃaʃman/ | čašm /tʃaʃm/ | 𐬗𐬀𐬱𐬨𐬀𐬥 /tʃaʃman/ | cšm /tʃaʃm/ | 𐭰𐭱𐭬 /tʃaʃm/ | — /—/ |
| Mouth | 𑀢𑁆𑀢𑀼𑀭𑁆𑀭 /tːurːa/ | — | — | 𐬁𐬵 /aːh/ | rγʾh /raɣaː/ | — | — |
| Tooth | — /—/ | — /—/ | dndʾn /dandaːn/ | 𐬛𐬀𐬧𐬙𐬀𐬥 /dantan/ | dntʾ /danda/ | 𐭣𐭭𐭣𐭠𐭭 /dandaːn/ | — /—/ |
| Tongue | — /—/ | 𐏃𐏀𐎠𐎴𐎶 /hizaːnam/ | ʾzbʾn /izβaːn/ | 𐬵𐬌𐬰𐬎𐬎𐬁 /hizuaː/ | ʾzβʾk /əzβaːk/ | 𐭦𐭥𐭠𐭭 /zuwaːn/ | — /—/ |
| Hand | 𑀤𑀲𑁆𑀢 /dasta/ | 𐎭𐎿𐎫 /dasta/ | dast /dast/ | 𐬰𐬀𐬯𐬙𐬀 /zasta/ | dst /dast/ | 𐭣𐭮𐭲 /dast/ | 𐀐𐀁 /kʰɛːr/ |
| Foot | 𑀧𑀸𑀅 /paːa/ | 𐎱𐎠𐎭 /paːda/ | pʾd /paːð/ | 𐬞𐬀𐬛 /pad/ | pʾδ /paːð/ | 𐭯𐭠𐭣𐭩 /paːj/ | 𐀡𐀆 /podei/ |
| Heart | 𑀬𑀲𑀭 /zəra/ | 𐏀𐎼𐎭 /zard/ | zyrd /zird/ | 𐬰𐬆𐬭𐬆𐬛 /zərəd/ | δrzy /ðərʒeː/ | 𐭣𐭩𐭫 /dil/ | — /—/ |
| Bone | — /—/ | — /—/ | ʾstg /astaɡ/ | 𐬀𐬯𐬙 /ast/ | ʾstk /əstak/ | 𐭠𐭮𐭲 /ast/ | — /—/ |
| Blood | — /—/ | — /—/ | gwhn /ɡuxn/ | 𐬬𐬊𐬵𐬎𐬥𐬍 /vohuniː/ | γwrn /xurn/ | 𐭧𐭥𐭭 /xoːn/ | — /—/ |
| Love | 𑀅𑀭𑁆𑀭𑀽 /arːuː/ | 𐎳𐎼𐎡𐎹 /frija/ | friyādan /frijaːdan/ | 𐬟𐬭𐬌𐬌𐬀 /frija/ | frytk /friːtak/ | 𐭲𐭥𐭱𐭩 /doːʃiː/ | 𐀠𐀫 /pʰilos/ |
| Tree | 𑀤𑁆𑀭𑀼 /drːu/ | — /—/ | dār /daːr/ | 𐬬𐬀𐬉𐬯𐬀 /waesa/ | drxt /draxt/ | 𐭣𐭫𐭧𐭲 /draxt/ | 𐀈𐀬 /doru/ |
| Dog | 𑀰𑀼 /ʂu/ | 𐎿𐎱𐎣 /spaka/ | spag /spaɡ/ | 𐬯𐬞𐬁 /spaː/ | ʾkw /aːkuː/ | 𐭮𐭢 /saɡ/ | 𐀓𐀺 /kuwɔːn/ |
| Cat | 𑀲𑀼𑀲𑀺 /susi/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | 𐭢𐭥𐭫𐭡𐭢 /ɡurbaɡ/ | — /—/ |
| Fish | — /—/ | — /—/ | mʾsyg /maːsjaɡ/ | 𐬨𐬀𐬯𐬌𐬌𐬀 /masja/ | mʾšy /maːʃi/ | 𐭬𐭠𐭧𐭩𐭪 /maːhiːɡ/ | — /—/ |
| Bird | 𑀫𑀼𑀭 /mura/ | — | murw /murw/ | 𐬨𐬆𐬭𐬆𐬖𐬀 /mərəɣa/ | mrγ /marɣ/ | 𐭬𐭥𐭫𐭥𐭠 /murw/ | — |
| House | 𑀩𑁆𑀬𑀸𑀳 /bjaːha/ | 𐎶𐎠𐎴𐎡𐎹 /maːnija/ | xānag /xaːnaɡ/ | 𐬥𐬨𐬁𐬥𐬀 /nmaːna/ | kṯʾk /kaθaːk/ | 𐭧𐭠𐭭𐭪 /xaːnaɡ/ | 𐀺𐀂𐀒 /woikos/ |
| Salt | 𑀦𑀫𑁆𑀯 /namva/ | — | — | — | nmʾšk /namaʃk/ | 𐭭𐭬𐭪 /namak/ | — |
| Eat | 𑀧𑀭𑀢 /parætæ/ | 𐎧𐎼 /xar/ | xward- /xward/ | 𐬑𐬬𐬀𐬭 /xwar/ | xwartan /xwartan/ | 𐭧𐭥𐭫𐭲𐭭 /xwardan/ | 𐀁𐀈𐀕𐀙 /edmenai/ |
| Drink | 𑀧𑀻𑀅 /piːa/ | 𐎱𐎠 /paː/ | pī- /piː/ | 𐬞𐬁 /paː/ | pi- /pi/ | 𐭭𐭥𐭱𐭩𐭲𐭭 /noːʃiːdan/ | 𐀡𐀜 /piːnɔː/ |
| One | 𑀰𑁆𑀰𑁅 /ɕau/ | 𐎠𐎡𐎺 /aiwa/ | ēw /eːw/ | 𐬀𐬉𐬬𐬀 /aewa/ | yw /jɛw/ | 𐭠𐭩𐭪 /eːk/ | 𐀁 /hen/ |
| Two | 𑀤𑀼𑀯 /duva/ | 𐎯𐎢𐎺 /duva/ | dō /doː/ | 𐬛𐬬𐬀 /dva/ | aδwa /aðwa/ | 𐭣𐭥 /doː/ | 𐀉𐀺 /duwoː/ |
| Three | 𑀤𑀭𑁂 /drai/ | 𐎨𐎡𐏂 /θraja/ | hry /hreː/ | 𐬚𐬭𐬁𐬌𐬌𐬊 /θraːjoː/ | ʾδry /ðreː/ | 𐭮𐭧 /seː/ | 𐀯𐀪 /tiri/ |
| Five | 𑀧𑀁𑀚𑁆𑀲 /pandza/ | — | panj /pandʒ/ | 𐬞𐬀𐬧𐬗𐬀 /pantʃa/ | pnc /pantʃ/ | 𐭯𐭭𐭰 /pandʒ/ | — |
| Hundred | 𑀲𑀢 /sata/ | — | — | 𐬯𐬀𐬙𐬆𐬨 /satəm/ | st /sat/ | 𐭮𐭣 /sad/ | — |
| Hello | 𑀤𑁆𑀭𑀽𑀤𑀻 /drːuːdiː/ | — /—/ | drōd /droːd/ | — /—/ | drwd /druːd/ | 𐭣𐭫𐭥𐭲 /droːd/ | — /—/ |
| Thank you | 𑀧𑁆𑀬𑀰𑁆𑀢 /pjaʃta/ | — /—/ | spās /spaːs/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | 𐭮𐭯𐭠𐭮 /spaːs/ | — /—/ |
| Good | 𑀯𑀺𑀭𑀢𑁆𑀢 /viratːa/ | 𐎴𐎡𐎲 /naiba/ | nēw /neːw/ | 𐬬𐬊𐬵𐬎 /vohu/ | nyk /neːk/ | 𐭥𐭩𐭧 /weh/ | 𐀀𐀏𐀳 /aɡatʰos/ |
| Red | 𑀭𑁆𑀭𑀼𑀲𑁆𑀢 /rːusta/ | — /—/ | swxr /suxr/ | 𐬯𐬎𐬑𐬭𐬀 /suxra/ | swxr /suxr/ | 𐭮𐭥𐭧𐭫 /suxr/ | 𐀁𐀬𐀲𐀨 /erutʰraː/ |
| White | 𑀰𑁆𑀰𑀻𑀢 /ɕːiːta/ | — | ispēd /ispeːd/ | 𐬯𐬞𐬀𐬉𐬙𐬀 /spaeta/ | ʾspʾyt /ispeːt/ | 𐭮𐭯𐭩𐭲 /speːd/ | 𐀩𐀄𐀒 /leukos/ |
| Black | 𑀳𑀲𑁆𑀯 /hasva/ | — | — | 𐬯𐬁𐬨𐬀 /saːma/ | šāw /ʃaːw/ | 𐭮𐭩𐭣 /sjaː/ | — |
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