Eteläturkkilaisia

Eteläturkkilaisia, often translated as Southern Turkic, is a classification of Turkic languages spoken in Anatolia, the Caucasus, and parts of the Middle East. This group is distinct from Oghuz Turkic languages spoken in Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan, although there are significant overlaps and shared ancestry. The languages within the Southern Turkic family are characterized by certain phonetic and grammatical features that differentiate them from other Turkic branches.

The primary and most widely spoken language within this group is Turkish, the official language of Turkey. Other related languages and dialects include Gagauz, spoken in Moldova, and Khorasani Turkic, spoken in Iran. Historically, Southern Turkic languages have been influenced by Persian and Arabic due to geographical proximity and historical interactions.

Linguistic research into Southern Turkic languages focuses on their phonological developments, such as vowel harmony patterns, and their morphological structures, including case systems and verb conjugations. The genetic classification places them within the Oghuric branch of Turkic languages, though this is a matter of ongoing scholarly debate. The study of these languages is crucial for understanding the broader history of Turkic migrations and linguistic diversification across Eurasia.