The Old Turkic title for 'king' may have a foreign origin

What is it about?

This study examines the etymology of the Old Turkic title elig, meaning ‘king’. It challenges the common belief that the title comes from the Turkic word eːl ('realm' or 'people'). Instead, the author argues for a non-Turkic, foreign origin for the title, based on evidence from Chinese transcriptions and related forms in other languages.

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Photo by Markus Spiske on Unsplash

Photo by Markus Spiske on Unsplash

Why is it important?

This study is important because it challenges a long-held consensus about the origin of the fundamental Old Turkic title for ‘king’ (elig). By arguing for a foreign origin instead of a native Turkic one, it suggests that neighbouring cultures influenced early Turks in their core administrative and political structures. This reframes our understanding of cultural and linguistic contacts on the ancient steppe.