The Lost Language of Khitan: Uncovering a Forgotten Civilization

🔍The Khitan people, known as the Liao Dynasty in Chinese history, emerged in the 10th century and played a significant role in the region. Their language, Khitan, was lost for centuries.

📜The Khitan script consisted of two systems: large characters that represented syllables, and small characters that focused on sounds and were used for word blocks.

🔍Deciphering the Khitan script has been a challenging process, but progress has been made in understanding the symbols and the grammar of the language.

🌍The Khitan language shows similarities to Mongolic languages, suggesting a possible linguistic connection and a Para-Mongolic branch.

📚The discovery of the Khitan script and ongoing research is shedding light on the history, culture, and language of the Khitan people, enriching our understanding of this forgotten civilization.

Who were the Khitan people?

—The Khitan people were a nomadic group that emerged in the 10th century and established the Liao Dynasty in China. They played a significant role in the region's history.

What happened to the Khitan language?

—The Khitan language was lost for centuries. It vanished from historical records, and only recently have scholars started to decipher the Khitan script and recover the language.

How was the Khitan script deciphered?

—Deciphering the Khitan script has been a challenging process. Scholars started by comparing the symbols with Chinese characters and gradually identified the sounds and grammar of the language through careful analysis.

Is there a connection between the Khitan language and Mongolic languages?

—There are similarities between the Khitan language and Mongolic languages, suggesting a possible linguistic connection. Some researchers propose that Khitan belongs to a Para-Mongolic branch.

What does the discovery of the Khitan script reveal about the Khitan civilization?

—The discovery of the Khitan script and ongoing research provide valuable insights into the history, culture, and language of the Khitan civilization. It enhances our understanding of this forgotten empire and its contributions to the region.

00:00The Khitan people, known as the Liao Dynasty in Chinese history, emerged in the 10th century and played a significant role in the region.

03:27The Khitan script consisted of two systems: large characters that represented syllables, and small characters that focused on sounds and were used for word blocks.

04:47Deciphering the Khitan script has been a challenging process, but progress has been made in understanding the symbols and the grammar of the language.

09:12The Khitan language shows similarities to Mongolic languages, suggesting a possible linguistic connection and a Para-Mongolic branch.

10:14The discovery of the Khitan script and ongoing research is shedding light on the history, culture, and language of the Khitan people, enriching our understanding of this forgotten civilization.