ON AN ANIMAL NAME OF SCYTHIAN AND ALTAIC ORIGIN IN OLD GREEK
ON AN ANIMAL NAME OF SCYTHIAN AND ALTAIC ORIGIN IN OLD GREEK

Summary/Abstract: Linguistic contact between Old Greek and Turkic-Altaic languages dates back to the pre-Christian era. Contrary to traditional Western scholarship, recent evidence regarding Scythian origins confirms a Turkic presence in Eastern Europe and early cultural exchange with Greeks. This study highlights the lexical transfer from Turkic to Old Greek resulting from these contacts. Specifically, it examines an Old Greek animal name (Gali) that has remained etymologically unexplained. By establishing its kinship with Altaic and Turkic roots, the article demonstrates that this term is of Altaic origin. This research fills a significant etymological gap and underscores the deep-rooted historical and linguistic ties between these language families prior to the Hunnic period.

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