The role of SASYS in phonological adaptations: a comparative study of Turkic-Chinese lexical elements

Abstract The examination of interaction mechanisms between Turkic and Chinese languages is crucial for identifying word borrowing processes and analysing cultural-historical ties. This study aims to explore the features of mutual influence, assimilation, and development of lexical elements in Turkic and Chinese languages. The research employs linguistic, comparative, and lexical-semantic methods to analyse etymological pairs and phonological adaptation between Kyrgyz and Chinese languages. Single-root lexemes passing between Chinese and Turkic languages undergo systematic phonetic changes, including adaptation of sound combinations and accents to conform to the recipient language’s phonetic rules. Many borrowings from Chinese in Turkic languages obey the SASYS model, characterized by alternating consonants and vowels, allowing easy integration while maintaining basic sound identity. Examples include words like alachyk (hut), altyn (gold), and manty (steamed pies), which demonstrate complex phonological adaptation processes such as assimilation, epenthesis, and vowel synharmonism. These adaptations preserve the basic sound structure of borrowed words while ensuring their integration into Turkic lexical systems. Some Turkic languages show a tendency towards sound structure simplification compared to more persistent forms in Chinese. Phonetic borrowing and adaptation phenomena in both language groups indicate the influence of cultural-historical contexts on the formation of phonetic features. The SASYS phonetic model proves crucial for understanding phonetic evolution and adaptation mechanisms of single-root lexemes, emphasizing deep historical and cultural ties between these language groups.