Definition

1. Proper noun:
   • An extinct branch of the Indo-European language family: Tocharian refers to a group of two closely related languages (Tocharian A and Tocharian B) that were spoken in the Tarim Basin in Central Asia (in what is now western China) approximately from the 6th to the 8th centuries AD. They are documented in manuscripts discovered along the Silk Road.

Usage Examples

• Proper noun:
  • The decipherment of Tocharian in the early 20th century was a major linguistic breakthrough.
  • Scholars study Tocharian manuscripts to understand cultural exchanges along the Silk Road.
  • Tocharian shows significant influence from neighboring non-Indo-European languages.

Advanced Usage

• "Tocharian A" (also called Agnean or East Tocharian): One of the two Tocharian languages, primarily used for religious and monastic purposes.

  • Tocharian A texts are found mainly in the Turfan area.

• "Tocharian B" (also called Kuchean or West Tocharian): The other Tocharian language, which appears to have been a living administrative and literary language.

  • Tocharian B documents include monastery records and commercial texts.

Variants and Related Words

• Tocharianist (noun): A scholar who specializes in the study of the Tocharian languages and cultures.
  • The conference brought together leading Tocharianists from around the world.

Synonyms

• Central Asian Indo-European languages: A descriptive synonym highlighting its geographic and linguistic family classification.

Different Meanings / Contexts

• Linguistic Context: Pertains exclusively to the extinct Indo-European languages of the Tarim Basin. It does not refer to a people or ethnicity in common modern usage, but rather to the languages they spoke.
• Historical Context: Used to describe artifacts (e.g., Tocharian manuscripts), influences, or the linguistic heritage associated with these languages.

Noun

1. a branch of the Indo-European language family that originated in central Asia during the first millennium A.D.