Middle-East Journal of Scientific Research 17 (2): 168-172, 2013 ISSN 1990-9233 © IDOSI Publications, 2013 DOI: 10.5829/idosi.mejsr.2013.17.02.12181 Corresponding Author: Denmukhametova, Kazan Federal University, 18 Kremlyovskaya St., Kazan 420008 Republic of Tatarstan, Russia. 168 Features of the Language of Tatars Living in China Alfiya Shavketovna Yusupova, Ilvira Nikolaevna Denmukhametova, Guzel Amirovna Nabiullina and Gulnaz Rinatovna Mugtasimova Kazan Federal University, Kazan, Russia Abstract: This study is focused on linguistic (phonetic, lexical and grammatical) features of speech of the Tatar diaspora living in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (People’s Republic of China). The language of the Tatars living in this area has undergone certain changes due to its interactions with the contacting Turkic (Uyghur and Kazakh) languages. Due to the historical events, this language has been evolving in isolation from the modern Tatar-speaking population in the Chinese-speaking environment. For this very reason, archaic elements typical of the Old Tatar language have been preserved in it. On the other hand, the close territorial contacts, as well as national and cultural ties with the Uyghurs and Kazakhs have been establishing good conditions for penetration of Chinese words into the language of Tatars living in China. Studying the lexical and grammatical features of the language of the Tatar diaspora in the People’s Republic of China plays a significant role for solving individual problems related to the history and dialectology of the Modern Tatar and other Turkic languages (in particular, Uyghur and Kazakh ones). Key words: Tatar language Diaspora Lexical and grammatical features Borrowings Dialect INTRODUCTION Chinese cities of Kulja, Ürümqi and Tacheng were the Much attention has recently been paid to studying regarded as the focus and the essence of the life of the the linguistic features of immigrants and diasporas of Tatars who had immigrated eastwards. In these cities, the various nationalities [1-12], since they successfully Tatars established a unique cultural environment in the preserved their native language and the main elements of similitude of the one they used to have back at their the traditional national culture to a large extent, as well as homeland: the “Tatar civilization” of its sort. maintained the sense of belonging to their national The material under study demonstrates that the homeland, while being developed within a different social similarity between the speech of immigrants of the same and political system. wave living in different countries (USA, Finland, Japan, This work is focused on the problems of studying the China and Australia) is greater than that between the language in families of the Tatar diaspora living in the speech of immigrants of different waves living in the same Xinjiang Region, since this region has become the center country. We certainly mean the general phenomena rather of eastward migration of the Tatars. than specific borrowings from the language of their new The waves of Tatar immigration to this region of country. This similarity is also related to such an China, which started in late XIX–early XX centuries, were important phenomenon as different degrees of stability superposed on the historical and cultural background and (preservation) of the Tatar language in immigrants of linguistic situation that took place in the multinational different waves. Xinjiang Region during this period. Three waves of Tatar The research into the features of functions of the immigration are typically distinguished: the 1 wave in the Tatar language in this region, in the environment of native st 1830s; the 2 wave started in 1851; and the 3 wave in speakers isolated from the homeland is also important due nd rd 1905–1917 [13]. to the fact that it allows one to reveal the interactions centers of Tatar communities abroad. These cities can be