Ili Turks

Ili Turks
Regions with significant populations
 China 120 (2019)[1]
 Kazakhstan57 (2009)[2]
Languages
Ili Turki, Kazakh, Chinese
Religion
Sunni Islam[1]
Related ethnic groups
Uyghurs, Äynus, Uzbeks, Kazakhs

The Ili Turks (Chinese: 土尔克人; pinyin: Tǔ'ěrkè rén; lit. 'Turk people') are a Turkic ethnic group native to Ili Kazakh Autonomous Prefecture of northern Xinjiang, China.[3] They speak the Ili Turki language, which belongs to the Karluk branch of the Turkic languages.[1] The oral history of the Ili Turks says that they came from the Ferghana Valley of Uzbekistan.[1] The Chinese government does not recognize the Ili Turks as a distinct ethnic group in censuses.

The Ili Turks are nomadic herders. There are many unique animal husbandry words in their language.[4][5]

  1. ^ a b c d "Ili Turki". Ethnologue. Archived from the original on 2019-06-06.
  2. ^ "Perepis naseleniya Respubliki Kazakhstan 2009 goda. Kratkiye itogi" Перепись населения Республики Казахстан 2009 года. Краткие итоги. (in Russian). Archived from the original on 12 December 2010.
  3. ^ Xinjiang Weiwu'er Zizhiqu Minzu Yuyan Wenzi Gongzuo Weiyuanhui 新疆维吾尔自治区民族语言文字工作委员会 (2002). Xīnjiāng mínzú yǔyán fēnbù zhuàngkuàng yǔ fāzhǎn qūshì 新疆民族语言分布状况与发展趋势 (in Chinese). Beijing: Beijing yuyan daxue chubanshe. ISBN 7-5619-1128-9.
  4. ^ Zhao, Xiangru; Aximu 阿西木 (1985). "Xīnjiāng Yīlí dìqū Tǔěrkèhuà de tèdiǎn" 新疆伊犁地区土尔克话的特点. Mínzú yǔwén 民族语文. 1985 (5): 26–35.
  5. ^ Zhào, Xiāngrú; Hahn, Reinhard F. (1989). "The Ili Turk People and Their Language". Central Asiatic Journal. 33 (3/4): 261–285. JSTOR 41927706.