Description:
In this book, Ildikó Bellér-Hann presents a transcription, translation, and analysis of the Tārīkh-i Khatā'ī, or, the "History of Cathay." Written in a little-known Turkic language referred to by scholars as "Türk 'Acämī," the Tārīkh-i Khatā'ī serves as an excellent source for linguistic study. Bellér-Hann expertly dissects the language of this manuscript in order to argue that its linguistic features represent a predecessor of modern Azerbaijani Turkic. Beyond the extensive linguistic analysis, Bellér-Hann also provides the reader with succinct historiography of the manuscript. This work is an essential source for any reader interested in Turkic and Persian languages and history.
Review Quotes:
"The linguistic analysis [in this work] is comprehensive and persuasive."--Robert Dankoff, Journal of the American Oriental Society Vol. 119, No. 3