New Link Found Between Turkic Words 'Boil' and 'Suffer'

What is it about?

This study identifies a new linguistic connection between Chuvash vĕre- ('to boil') and Common Turkic *özä- ('to suffer'). Both words are traced back to a common ancestor in Proto-Turkic: *ör₂ǟ-, which meant 'to burn (intransitive) or be hot'. The shift in meaning from 'to burn' to more figurative senses like 'to grieve' or 'to take pains' is a common change observed across many languages. The research suggests that this Proto-Turkic root *ör₂V- might have been borrowed from an earlier, unrecorded Proto-Tocharian word *u̯ʲər-, which itself originated from the Proto-Indo-European word `*u̯erh₁-` meaning 'to be hot'. This borrowing further supports the idea that Proto-Turkic */r₂/ had a 'rhotic' (r-like) nature and underwent a specific sound change known as 'zetacism'. The Proto-Turkic verb *(p)ör₂ǟ- is considered a derivative of the verbal base *(p)ör(₂)V- 'to burn', which is also linked to Common Turkic (h)ört 'flame' and Chuvash virt 'burning, fire'.

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Photo by Anna Popović on Unsplash

Photo by Anna Popović on Unsplash

Why is it important?

This study is important because it identifies a new, previously unknown linguistic link between Chuvash ('to boil') and Common Turkic ('to suffer'). This discovery helps to fill gaps in Turkological literature by establishing a new Chuvash–Common Turkic cognate. Furthermore, it provides additional support for the rhotic (r-like) nature of Proto-Turkic */r₂/ and its 'zetacism' sound change.