TERMINOLOGY AND ETYMOLOGY OF THE WORD TENGIR

Abstract

Relevance. In this article, the terminological and etymological features of the word “Tengir” are thoroughly analyzed on the basis of the ancient worldview of Turkic peoples. The study examines the Orkhon inscriptions, various dictionaries of Turkic languages, and the works of well-known Turkologists using the comparative-historical method. The article shows that in ancient Turkic languages, the word “Tengir” simultaneously denoted both the sky and a supreme power. The cosmological views of Turkic peoples are also analyzed, particularly the structure of the sky, its movement, and its connection with the concept of “rotation.” Based on various linguistic materials of Turkic peoples, the semantic changes of the word “Tengir” and its transformation into a religious concept are examined. As a result of the study, a scientific hypothesis is proposed that the original meaning of the word “Tengir” was associated with the concept of the sky, and later it may have transformed into a term denoting a creative force. This research contributes to the fields of Turkology, linguistics, and religious studies.