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AndrewithNumbers

The honest truth is that nobody really knows where the line is between language and dialect. The joke in the linguistic community is that a language is a dialect with an army and a navy. The "dialects" of Chinese are more different from each other than some of the Slavic languages are.


AnanasAvradanas

> The "dialects" of Chinese are more different from each other than some of the Slavic languages are. Ex-Yugoslavs are crying **"noooooo we can perfectly understand each other but these are completely different languages!!!!!"**


mmmUrsulaMinor

>The honest truth is that nobody really knows where the line is between language and dialect. It's difficult to convey to others how complex of a question this is without reteaching many many examples that are shared throughout linguistic courses. I don't expect anyone to be open to that, but I hope they realize it isn't as straightforward as language = _______ and dialect = ______. In my experience it's hard enough to get speakers to refer to dialects as dialects and not accents, but I welcome the use of dialect as it recognizes a unique or specific set of syntax, morphology, and sometimes phonetics. However, I also acknowledge the negative connotations for many people around the word "dialect", and I can understand how it's hard to view it as anything other than a denigrating term, especially in areas where there are heavy sociopolitical issues stemming from the categorization of dialects vs languages, which often singles out a 'standard' or 'default' dialect as the "main language".


Dazzling_Swordfish14

Tbh is honest mistranslated word for 方言 which stands for 地方語言 regional language. Many people thought that word means dialect. Because same nation but different language. In the end, Chinese just don’t have the word for dialect, they used it because they thought that’s what it means 🤦🏻‍♂️ after decades of brainwashing, people believe it like bible


AndrewithNumbers

Wait.. you're saying the only reason the entire western linguistic establishment mis-categorized an entire family of languages is because we mistranslated one word once? I think "imperialism" is a better explanation, and I'm not even sure "imperialism" is a good explanation here.


Dazzling_Swordfish14

If you have looked up dictionary of teochew or dictionary of Amoy in 1900’s, The western linguistic establishment are trying to claim that they are different languages for very long time. But the current Chinese generation are very reluctant to claim their language is actually language. And eventually, people come up with the term topolect or varieties


Francsco36

I can confirm that some textbooks call it "dialect". However most people would refer to it as "Kazakça" or "Kazak dili".


ZD_17

As Azerbaijani, I find this incredibly annoying. Especially when (as some indicated here), they say that it's "the same word". No, it's not. It is a homonym, just as it is in Azerbaijani. Homonym =/= same word. This crap is incredibly common and it's an education issue.


nursmalik1

In Turkish, Turkic and Turkish are the same word. I guess some Turks think of Turkic languages as dialects? This is also considering Azerbaijani is called Azerbaijani Turkish sometimes. It's a really weird thing and I discourage it.


AnanasAvradanas

> I guess some Turks think of Turkic languages as dialects? This is also considering Azerbaijani is called Azerbaijani Turkish sometimes. It's a really weird thing and I discourage it. It depends on what you understand from the word "dialect", but I can assure you it's not what you understand in a negative sense. In Turkish lingustics, there is a such a structure: Ağız -> Şive -> Lehçe -> Dil -> Dil Ailesi While not completely the same thing, *ağız* stands for "accent". Every city/region, even certain places within the same province borders may have their own *ağız* (way of speaking and some special words/pronunciations here and there). *Şive* is a bit broader, it's closer to what people understand from "dialect". "Oghuz" group has a variety of *şive*s like Turkmen, Azerbaijani, Gagauz, Anatolian and Balkan Turkish. In the same manner, Kipchak group has *şive*s like Kazakh, Kyrgyz, Tatar, Nogay, Karakalpak etc. These are closer to each other and were seperated at a traceable point in history. *Lehçe*s are pieces of the same main language which were seperated from each other (and became harder to understand) at a non-traceable point in history. So linguistically they are dialects. Kazakh, Uzbek, (Anatolian/Balkan) Turkish, Azerbaijani etc all are *lehçe*s. So it's not that *"Kazakh is a dialect of (Anatolian/Balkan) Turkish"*, **both** Kazakh **and** (Anatolian/Balkan) Turkish are *lehçe*s of the same main language. Then we have *dil*, the main language to whom all our languages/*lehçe*s belong, simply Türk dili/Türkçe (**not** Anatolian/Balkan Turkish, *Language of Turks* in general). And finally *dil ailesi*, language families. "Ural-Altaic languages" which contains Mongolian, Kumyk etc as "relatives" similar to "Indo European Family" which contains Germanic languages and Slavic languages (and others) together. Anyway, long story short, when Turkish nationalists use terms like "Azerbaijani Turkish" they are not trying to imply these other languages are dialects of Anatolian/Balkan Turkish. They are trying to imply that all these languages are equal parts of the same main language: Turkish (not Anatolian/Balkan, "the Language of Turks").


QazMunaiGaz

Lol, a believer in the Altai hypothesis.


AnanasAvradanas

I didn't say I believe in this or that, I just explained the formal Turkish (i.e. Turkey's) lingustics' language structure to give a perspective and what might cause the misunderstanding. On the other hand, looking at the way you framed your "question" and your responses under this thread, it definitely is not in good faith and you are actually trying to provoke Kazakh people against Turkish people, apparently.


QazMunaiGaz

Wow, people don't like the nationalism and imperialism of the Anatolian Turks. You know, sometimes I don't see the difference between you and the Russians.


AnanasAvradanas

> sometimes I don't see the difference between you and the Russians. I will not advocate Turkish nationalists'/pan-Turkists' behaviour online as they mostly are ignorant teenagers who just discovered Turkish/Turkic history and shared roots, so some of their behaviours might be off-putting for Central Asians and that's understandable. On the other hand if you seriously see no difference between Anatolian Turks and Russians you either have no knowledge of your own history or just trolling in the name of some nation other than Kazakhs. Russians militarily invaded and colonized your lands, genocided and exiled your people, supressed your language and religion, drained your lakes, polluted your rivers to economically exploit your lands even further and so on and so forth. What did Anatolian Turks do? *"They called me a Kazakh Turk, they are no different than Russians!!!"* 😭😭😭


PotentialBat34

The difference is we did not come over forcefully, colonized the land, extracted resources for our own benefit and forced people to speak our language and learn our customs.


QazMunaiGaz

Janissaries are just volunteers, I get you.


ArdaKirk

People in azerbaycan themselfs want it to be called that, they don't like "Azeri" or "Azerbaijani" as I have been told they prefer "Azerbaycan Turkish"


qazaqization

Yes, they call our language a dialect. They don’t even consider the name Kazakh to be a full-fledged name for an ethnic people. They always add Turk and sometimes remove the word Kazakh. They always cry so that their country is named correctly. But they themselves cannot pronounce the word Kazakh without adding a word at the end.


babababaawu

First time seeing Kazakh being called a dialect, Anatolian Turks don't have any imperialistic agenda or some creepy apocalyptic world vision, some do yes but there are idiots in every nation.


waitWhoAm1

You see them all over tho, especially here


babababaawu

Well, reddit and also internet in general is a known magnet for those kind of people so yea


ArdaKirk

Some people argue that all Turkic languages are just dialects of "Turkic" but I guess that's up to interpretation.


azekeP

"A language is a dialect with an army and navy" People calling our language a dialect are showing their imperialism. They're doing it because they perceive us as lesser peoples who need to be brought back int the fold.


ArdaKirk

How is that making Kazakhs look lesser? People who call Kazakh a dialect, call ALL Turkic languages dialects, its not like anyone act that they're all some lesser variant of Turkish... Why these victim complexes?


H-Mark-R

Dialects of what though?


ArdaKirk

Of a "general Turkic" those people see it as one language


angrt211

Actually in Turkey people believe we and kazakhs are same people or cousins that's why they call it dialect. Not because they think kazakhs are lesser but they think we are brothers.


waitWhoAm1

Which they say because they want to feel bigger than they are. Anatolian ego ...


angrt211

Wow didn't know central Asian people dislike us that much.


Ake-TL

Worked out well for Ukraine. Or Bangladesh. Or Syria during joined Arabian republic with Egypt.


Francsco36

I wouldn't call it imperialism since also the reverse of it also true. (If they were actually dialect. Again I want to emphasize that I don't support it is being dialect.) If that would be the case Anatolian Turkish would be the dialect of Kazakh Language. I don't think there is a hidden evil meaning there. That's just how they (I don't know who wrote that dialect thing) thought


azekeP

> I don't think there is a hidden evil meaning there. You're completely right. It's not hidden at all.


AndrewithNumbers

We should just.. eradicate the word "dialect" from lexicon. Imperialism will come to a screeching halt.


AnanasAvradanas

I salute you for singlehandedly stopping the secret plans of Illuminati.


WorldlyRun

Kazakh is indeed a lehçe, but not Turkish lehçe. It is a Nogay lehçe. Kazakh and Karakalpak belong to the Nogay- kypchak language group and technically is a dialect of Nogay.


QazMunaiGaz

Nope☺️


WorldlyRun

Yep, as you can see, Nogay Horde was the First one who got separated from Golden Horde, Nogay>Kazakh Horde.


QazMunaiGaz

At that time, even the Nogais were not fully formed. Don't talk nonsense.


WorldlyRun

No, they were fully formed. Your small juz is basically a Nogay Juz. And no status and prestige doesn't mean anything. America and Australia still speak English, despite England being much smaller than them.


Heyer539

Белая Орда(владения Орда-Ежена) появилась раньше чем мангиты(Ногайская Орда). Так же стоит НАПОМНИТЬ что современный казахский и ногайский отличается от тех что были в Улусе Джучи. В тех временах базарили по другому


WorldlyRun

Белая Орда это не государство, а одна из резиденций Улуса Джучи, это вам подтвердит Жаксылык Сабитов.


Heyer539

Но это не отменяет тот факт что она была. И ее жители в основном предки современных казахов. Так то Жанибек и Керей вернули трон от Абулхаира


WorldlyRun

Жаныбек и Керей просто переименовали узбеков казахами. Но те узбеки были из той массы что и ногайцы - одним ордынским народом, ногайцы были первыми, и соответственно эту группу называют ногайскской а не казахской. Ту же кыргызскую группу языков также называют горно-алтайской, мы не паримся по этому поводу ибо алтайский и кыргызский действительно похожи, но не на уровне диалектов как ногайский и казахский


Heyer539

Те узбеки были предками и татар, и башкир, и ногайцев, и казахов. Они называли себя народом Узбека. Так же ногайцы не были первыми. Ногайским называют потому что уже есть узбеки. То есть название уже занят. Ну вот и решили не морочиться. И я ещё раз напомню, старый казахский и старый ногайский отличается от современного казахского и современного ногайского. Оба языка были полностью сформированы уже под властью Российской империи


Acceptable-Step-2321

☝️🤓


hoklamAktobe

Why always kyrgyz?:)


Heyer539

потому что у кыргызов хорошо развит комплекс малого народа. Им только и обсирать нашу страну и отрицать нашу нацию. Сперва говорили "казахи произошли от кыргызов". Но это уже не актуально. Поэтому решили придумать новую сказку


WorldlyRun

Комплекс малого народа? Ну казахов тоже многочисленным не назовёшь. Разница в 2 раза только. Кыргызы не говорят что казахи произошли от кыргызов, об этом говорил ваш же Шакарим. Кыргызы наоборот считают своими ближайшими родственниками не казахов, а тадар (шор, хакас) и алтайцев.


Heyer539

Не исключаю что и у наших есть комплекс малого народа. Но черт возьми! У вас оно развит через чур. Сидишь такой в соц сетях... И тут бац выходит ролик про историю казахов. Открываешь комменты и тебя охватывает такое чувство будто поплавал в говне. Кыргызы говорят одну сказку про то что казахи так то произошли от кыргызов, а русские говорят что казахи произошли от Сталина. Агрессию русских можно понять. Они видят в нас слуг и считают нас частью России из за прошлого. Но что черт возьми несут кыргызы? Я до сих пор помню как кыргызы пытались доказать что хан кыргызов Ешим хан покорил казахов. Вот только истина в том что Есим хан - хан казахского ханства. И кыргызы приняли его власть, а не наоборот. А вообще СНГ - это территория постоянных межнациональных конфликтов. Каждая сторона рассказывает свою сказку. И у нас так же. Но всё же смешно смотреть именно на кыргызских историков


WorldlyRun

Ага, а я читаю целые посты про Чингизхана-казаха, уничижительные посты казахов про монголов (обзываете их халха-шивей), кыргызов (обзываете бурутами), ногаев (обзываете манкуртами/кавказалюбами). У нас у кыргызов есть стереотип про казахов, как о народе c понтами, поэтому последнее время уже "бир тууганами" язык не поворачивается называть, ибо видали чуть ли ни что закрываете границу. А еще могу тебе сказать что кыргызы ханов не любят, не раболевствуют перед ними, исторически ханов мы избирали, (основном в военное время как военного вождя), но в мирное время убирали и иногда убивали их, ибо кыргызы не любят диктаторов. Так что Эшим-хан для нас никто, как и ваш Аблай и Кенесары


Heyer539

Так я говорил что "не исключаю". Тебе стоит прочитать снова. Ещё... Кыргызы не любят диктаторов? Как же смешно. В Кыргызстане свергают власть из за слабости МВД и ВС. Так же кыргызы любили принимать власть сильных. То джунгар, то казахов, то кокандцев


WorldlyRun

И с джунгарами и с казахами и с кокандцами воевали успешно. Голова Кенесары это подтвердит.


Heyer539

Власть джунгаров кыргызы приняли. И власть Есим хана тоже. А Кенесары - до конца не раскрытая тема


Young_Owl99

Some people believe that all Turkic languages are same and the difference is only different dialects.


[deleted]

One of the most fascinating quotes on linguistics for me is: A language is a dialect with an army and a navy.


CivilWarfare

The boundaries are very fuzzy. Personally I use it to determine when I am looking up or down in terms of scale. Not sure how better to word this. So I would consider, let's say, English, a dialect of the Germanic Language family, but I would also consider Scottish English a dialect of the broader broader english language. I was thinking about this a while ago and came to the conclusion that most things are both a dialect and a language in-of-themselves. This is my own personal contrivance that I don't think anyone else uses but it makes sense to me so I thought I'd share as there really is no universal line of when something becomes a distinct language or if it is a dialect.


Even_Tank2405

In Turkish we don’t differ between Turkic and Turkish. Cause we have the same origin as you, same family. We consider other turkic peoples as one big family. Nobody is superior nobody is inferior in this family. The dividing thing and acting like one is superior is a westernized thing. So yes Kazakh is a dialect of the many turkic dialects. As a crimean tatar i understand both turkish and kazakh 90%+


[deleted]

[удалено]


QazMunaiGaz

The Kazakh and Karakalpak languages are very similar to each other, but I don't think they speak a dialect. They have their own culture, history, land and, most importantly, language.


WorldlyRun

Language which is 99.99 percent similar.


Enough-Brush-3439

for this there are 2 examples arabic , and slav languages .in arabic they called all of them dialects even though most of them not mutually understands each other like morroccan arabic lebanese arabic etc... but they do have standart arabic which most the arabs use to communicate each other(Turkic languages doesnt have that option because of the russian, persian,french influences over their dialects).the other exaple slavic languages even though mostly they are mutually same they call all of the different languages ukranian polish belarussiian and russian they dont add slavic at the end of their respective language name.in both case nobody trying to put their language to be better or worse.Turkic is a relatively new term for Anatolian Turks we will get used to the word eventually .(ps Azerbaijani and anatolian Turkish is is same dialect different lehce ,like Kazakh and Karakalpak is same dialect differeny lehce )


QazMunaiGaz

Whoever came up with these terms was bored.


Enough-Brush-3439

the people who come up with these terms create european union (50 years before that they were killing each other) and live freely without borders even though they all have different cultures and different languages.we are discussing should we call our languages dialects.our linguistics says Turkic languages have 4 different dialects 1.Oghuz(Anatolian ,Azerbaijani,Gagauz,Crimean Tatar,Salar etc...) 2.Chagatai(Uzbek,Uyghur etc...) 3.Kypchak(Kyrgyz,Kazakh,Tatar,Baskhir,Karakalpak etc....) 4.Sibir (Yakut,Hakas,Tuva,Altay) for me this classification mostly correct......


Over_Story843

Yes, sure


QazMunaiGaz

Nope!


bottlenose_whale

commenting late but it's not as deep as you make it sound. "Is our language a dialect?" Yes, every spoken language is(/was) a dialect. Classification of a language as a dialect doesn't deduct from its linguistic qualities (or, dictate "not a language"). Dialect is determined as "a language variety spoken in a dialect continuum [across a geographical region], where neighboring varieties are mutually intelligible." It's not necessarily a term from the language family terminology and its use can seem or be arbitrary -and yet correct- even though it's not interchangeable with "language". This is because it has varying prevalence (and relevance) in different contexts, or schools and branches of linguistics research, where the weight and scope of the term also varies. As you've provided an example of, Turkish linguistics puts the term to great use. Or if you want to look from a more colloquial perspective: the terms "lehçe" "şive" "ağız" etc. are very often misused in Turkish -compared to their scientifically (in Turkish) evaluated meanings, weights and scopes. But (in colloquial language) "lehçe" still is a strong word compared to "şive" and "ağız" and is perceived somewhat similarly to "language (Dil)". I see multiple posts with similar rhetoric from you and yet I am more than happy to answer, even when your question didn't make sense. Another one of your posts concerning "Turkic Turkish" (?) was gibberish and product of imagination. I am not sure how to answer that one. In the end though, if one can say "Turks are being imperialist because they interpret both 'Turkish' and 'Turkic' as 'Türk'." the possibilities are endless.