Codex Cumanicus

The Codex Cumanicus is a linguistic manual of the Middle Ages, designed to help Catholic missionaries communicate with the Cumans, a nomadic Turkic people. It is currently housed in the Library of St. Mark, in Venice (BNM ms Lat. Z. 549 (=1597)).

A page with a parrot from "Codex Cumanicus"

Origin and content

It consist of two parts. The first part consists of a dictionary in Latin, Persian and Cuman written in the Latin alphabet, and a column with Cuman verbs, names and pronouns with its meaning in Latin. The second part consists, Cuman-German dictionary, information about the Cuman grammar, and poems belonging to Petrarch.[1]

The first part of Codex Cumanicus was written for practical purposes, which aims to learn languages. The second part was written to spread the Christianity among the Cumans and different quotes from the religious books were given with its Cuman translation. In the same section, there are words, phrases, sentences and about 50 riddles, stories about the life and work of religious leaders.[1]

The Codex likely developed over time. Mercantile, political, and religious leaders, particularly in Hungary, sought effective communication with the Cumans as early as the mid-11th century. As Italian city-states, such as Genoa, began to establish trade posts and colonies along the Black Sea coastline, the need for tools to learn the Kipchak language sharply increased.

The earliest parts of the Codex are believed to have originated in the 12th or 13th century. Substantial additions were likely made over time. The copy preserved in Venice is dated 11 July 1330 on fol. 1r (see Drimba, p. 35 and Schmieder in Schmieder/Schreiner, p. XIII). The Codex consists of a number of independent works combined into one.

Riddles

The "Cuman Riddles" (CC, 119-120; 143-148) are a crucial source for the study of early Turkic folklore. Andreas Tietze referred to them as "the earliest variants of riddle types that constitute a common heritage of the Turkic nations." Some of these riddles reached our days practically unchanged in Kazakh language. See examples below.

Among the riddles in the Codex are the following excerpts:

  • Aq küymengin avuzı yoq. Ol yumurtqa.
In Kazakh: Aq küymeniñ awızı joq. Ol jumırtqa / Ak küymeniń awızı jok. Ol jumırtka
"The white yurt has no mouth (opening). That is the egg."
  • Kökçä ulahım kögende semirir. Ol huvun.
In Kazakh: Kökşe lağım kögende semirer. Ol qawın / Kökce lagım kögende semirer. Ol kawın
"my bluish kid at the tethering rope grows fat, The melon."
  • Oturğanım oba yer basqanım baqır canaq. Ol zengi.
In Kazakh: Otırğanım oba jer basqanım baqır şanaq. Ol uzengi / Otırganım oba jer baskanım bakır canak. Ol uzengi
"Where I sit is a hilly place. Where I tread is a copper bowl. The stirrup."

Example

The Codex's Pater Noster reads:

Cuman

Atamız kim köktesiñ. Alğışlı bolsun seniñ atıñ, kelsin seniñ xanlığıñ, bolsun seniñ tilemekiñ – neçik kim kökte, alay [da] yerde. Kündeki ötmegimizni bizge bugün bergil. Dağı yazuqlarımıznı bizge boşatqıl – neçik biz boşatırbız bizge yaman etkenlerge. Dağı yekniñ sınamaqına bizni quurmağıl. Basa barça yamandan bizni qutxarğıl. Amen!

English

Our Father which art in heaven. Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our sins as we forgive those who have done us evil. And lead us not into temptation, But deliver us from evil. Amen.

Kazakh

Atamiz kim köktesin. Alğıstı bolsin seniñ atiñ, kelsin seniñ xandığıñ, bolsın seniñ tilegeniñ - qalai kim kokte, solai da jerde. Kündelikti nanimizdi bizge bugin ber. Tağı jazıqtarimizdi bizge bosat - qalai biz bosatarimiz bizge jaman etkenderge. Tağı şaitannıñ sınağına bizdi qaldırma. Barşa jamannan bizdi qutqar. Aumin!

Turkish

Atamız ki göktesin. Alkış olsun senin adın, gelsin senin hanlığın, olsun senin dilediğin – nice ki gökte, öyle de yerde. Bugün, gündelik ekmeğimizi bize ver. Günahlarımızı bağışla – nice ki bağışlarız biz, bize yamanlık edenleri. Ve bizi kötülüğün sınamasından kurtar. Tüm yamandan bizi kurtar. Amin!

Codex Cumanicus Sources

References
  1. Codex Cumanicus (Kumanlar Kitabı)
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