Turkic peoples are a group of ethnicities that speak Turkic languages. The correct spelling of this phrase is /ˈtɜːrkɪk ˈpiːpəlz/. It is spelled using the international phonetic alphabet (IPA) to represent the sounds of the English language. The first syllable "turk" is pronounced with an open-mid front unrounded vowel /ɜː/, while the second syllable "ic" has a short i sound /ɪ/. The word "peoples" is pronounced /ˈpiːpəlz/ with a long e sound /iː/ and a silent s at the end.
Turkic peoples refer to a diverse group of ethnicities and cultures spread across a vast area of Eurasia, historically known as Turkestan. They are descendants of the Turkic-speaking tribes and communities originating from Central Asia. The term "Turkic peoples" encompasses various ethnic groups and communities, including the Turks, Uzbeks, Kazakhs, Kyrgyz, Uighurs, Turkmens, and others.
The Turkic peoples share a common linguistic heritage, with the Turkic language family forming their linguistic base. This language family falls under the Altaic language group. While the various Turkic languages exhibit certain similarities, they also display important dialectal differences due to geographic dispersion and historical developments.
Historically, the diverse Turkic peoples have played significant roles in shaping the history, culture, and politics of the regions they inhabit. Their origins can be traced back to the early medieval period, with the establishment of significant Turkic states such as the Göktürks, Uighur Khaganate, and the Seljuks. Later, the Turkic peoples became influential in both the eastern and western regions of the Ottoman Empire.
Today, the Turkic peoples are distributed across countries such as Turkey, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan, and parts of Russia and China. While each ethnic group within the Turkic peoples may possess distinct cultures, traditions, and historical experiences, their shared Turkic language roots provide a unifying factor. These similarities in language, along with common historical ties, contribute to a shared sense of identity among the vast Turkic peoples.
The etymology of the word "Turkic" can be traced back to the root word "turk", which originally referred to a specific group or tribe of people in Central Asia. The origin of the term is unclear, but it is believed to have derived from the Old Turkic word "törk" or "türi" which meant "strength" or "vigour".
Over time, the term "Turk" evolved to encompass a broader group of people who shared common languages, cultural practices, and historical connections across a vast region. Today, the Turkic peoples are a linguistic and ethnic group spread across several Central Asian countries, including Turkey, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan, and others, as well as communities in other parts of the world.