Altaic
/alˈteɪɪk
/adjective
1Relating to the Altai Mountains.The difference in algal communities between the Altaic and other glaciers is discussed together with physical and chemical conditions affecting the algae.
2Denoting or belonging to a phylum or superfamily of languages which includes the Turkic, Mongolian, Tungusic, and Manchu languages. They are characterized by agglutination and vowel harmony.Korean is generally thought to belong to the Altaic language family, along with Turkish, Mongolian, Japanese, and other languages....
- The Uighur language belongs to the Turkic group of the Altaic family.
- Hans and Huis speak Chinese (which belongs to the Sino-Tibetan language family), whereas Uygurs, Uzbeks, and Kazaks speak languages belonging to the Turkic language group of the Altaic language family.
noun [mass noun]
The Altaic family of languages.Minorities in China speak more than 80 languages from five language families: Sino-Tibetan, Altaic, Austro-Asiatic, Austronesian, and Indo-European....
- Nostratic, as originally proposed by Vladislav Illich-Svitych, consists of: Indo-European, Uralic, Altaic, Afro-Asiatic, Kartvelian (also known as South Caucasian), and Dravidian.
- These samples include individuals from nine language phyla (Australian, Amerind, Sino-Tibetan, Altaic, Austric, Indo-Pacific, Indo-Hittite, Niger-Kordofanian, and Afro-Asiatic).