Equıvalence Of T-, K- In Turkish Language

In some Turkic dialects there are several words beginning with t- which occur as words beginning with k- in other Turkic dialects without difference in their senses. Phonetic values of the interchangeable t and k consonants are different. However, in the words we have identified, they are in equal state since they replace each other without changing the senses of the words. Up to now, the problem of initial t- / k- has not been dealt with in Turkic studies and in phonetic classification of the Turkic dialects. This study, examining modern and historical Turkic dialects, discusses t- / k- correspondence as it is observed in the words such as top / kop “many, much”, kay- / tay- “to slide”. This study tries to answer the question of the source of this correspondence. In this respect, the occurences of the words displaying t- and k- in modern languages are reanalyzed in middle and early Turkic resources. Words having t- and k- forms in the contemporary varieties of Turkish language also have two forms in historical Turkic sources and this traces the problem back to the Pre-Turkic. In order to identify whether t- forms or k- forms are original phonemes, the traces of this words in the Altaic languages are investigated. Hence the study which began with evaluation of the initial t- / k- in modern Turkish, through middle and early Turkic, extended to Pre-Turkic.