Number Words and Their Similarities in Turkish and Some Other Languages
Abstract
Number names are one of the most frequently used elements in languages. The commonality or similarity of number names across languages is a fundamental parameter in determining language kinship and language families. Furthermore, the similarity of a language to older languages is an indication that it is also an ancient language. In this study, first, Old Turkish number names were determined, starting from 2500 BC, along with the Modern Turkic and Middle Turkic periods. Then, number names in 32 languages of Modern Turkish, classified by geography, were collected from various sources and compared. Then, the number names from 1 to 10 in Turkish, along with those in 65 languages selected from different language families and geographies, were identified and compared. It has been observed that the number names in Turkish and the Turkic languages examined are completely common. Furthermore, it has been determined that the number names in Turkish are similar to those in some other languages in terms of sound and structure, and that many even share common number names.
Keywords
Ethical Statement
References
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Details
Primary Language
English
Subjects
Turkish Language and Literature (Other)
Journal Section
Research Article
Publication Date
June 25, 2026
Submission Date
February 17, 2026
Acceptance Date
May 26, 2026
Published in Issue
Year 2026 Volume: 7 Number: 1