Definition

Proper noun A specific eastern dialect of the extinct Tocharian B language, also known as East Tocharian or Turfanian. It is attested in manuscripts discovered in the Turfan oasis region in present-day Xinjiang, China.

Usage

This term is used exclusively in historical linguistics and philology to refer to this particular dialect. It is typically used attributively to modify nouns like "texts," "manuscripts," or "documents."

Examples

• The Turfan dialect provides crucial evidence for the study of the Tocharian language family.
• Scholars are analyzing newly discovered fragments written in the Turfan dialect.
• This grammatical feature is characteristic of the Turfan dialect of Tocharian B.

Advanced Usage

• The term is often used in contrast with the Kuchean dialect (or Tocharian A), which was found in a different geographical area.
• In academic writing, "Turfanian" is a common synonym.

Variants and Related Words

• Turfanian (proper noun/adjective): A direct synonym for the Turfan dialect.
• East Tocharian (proper noun): Another name for the same dialect group.
• Tocharian B (proper noun): The broader language to which the Turfan dialect belongs.

Synonyms

• Turfanian
• East Tocharian

Notes on Meaning

This term refers strictly to a linguistic variety. It does not refer to a modern dialect spoken in the Turfan region today. All known Tocharian languages, including the Turfan dialect, are extinct.

Noun

1. a dialect of Tocharian