ProtoTocharian

Proto-Tocharian is the reconstructed common ancestor of the Tocharian languages, Tocharian A and Tocharian B. It is a hypothetical stage in the Indo-European family, spoken in the Tarim Basin in what is now Xinjiang, China. Because no direct writings in Proto-Tocharian exist, reconstruction relies on the comparative method, comparing Tocharian A and B to infer shared phonology, vocabulary, and morphology.

Reconstruction identifies regular sound correspondences and cognate words that point to a single ancestral form. Proto-Tocharian is thought to have preserved some features of early Indo-European while developing distinctive Tocharian traits. The inferred phonology would include a basic consonant and vowel inventory capable of supporting the inflectional system seen in Tocharian, along with common word-formation processes such as suffixation.

Dating and geographic context are uncertain; Proto-Tocharian is placed before the split of A and B, likely in the late Bronze Age or early Iron Age, several centuries BCE. The Tocharian languages occupy an unusual position within Indo-European and show innovations that illuminate branches of the family and the linguistic history of Central Asia.

Scholarly consensus on Proto-Tocharian remains provisional. The limited textual record and possible contact influences with neighboring languages introduce ambiguities in reconstructing precise phonology and vocabulary. Ongoing work seeks to refine proposed sound change patterns and expand the reconstructed lexicon.