ABSTRACT
Introduction The following is a short outline of the main paths of diachronic development of the Turlcic languages during the 1,200 years of their history which we can follow. The earliest stage clearly documented is the language of the East Old Turlcic inscriptions of the eighth century AD. Attempts to interpret earlier materials as Turkic, e.g. the Hsiung-nu elements found in Chinese sources, have not been successful.
