𐰢𐰤

Old Turkic

Alternative forms

• 𐰋𐰤 (ben)

Etymology

From Proto-Turkic *ben (“I”). An early nasalized form of 𐰋𐰤 (ben), both attested at Orkhon inscriptions. Cognate to Turkish ben (“I”), one of the only modern Turkic forms along with Gagauz preserving initial /b/. Compare also Turkish -im (“first person singular suffix”).

Pronoun

𐰢𐰤 (men)

1. I

Related terms

• 𐰢𐰭𐰀 (maŋa, “to me”)
• 𐰢𐰤𐰭 (meniŋ, “mine”)

Suffix

𐰢𐰤 (-men)

1. Denotes first person singular after simple present or future tense marker.

   :𐰽𐰲𐰺: 𐰢𐰤 ― Sačar men. ― I scatter.

   :𐰴𐰕𐰍𐰣𐰆𐰺𐰢𐰤 ― Qazɣanurmen. ― I conquer.

2. Denotes "to be" for first person singular

   :𐰞𐱃𐰆𐰣: 𐰉𐰽𐰞𐰃𐰍: 𐰖𐰃𐰞𐰣: 𐰢𐰤 ― Altun bašlïɣ yïlan men. ― I am a snake with golden head.

Usage notes

• Often attested separately.

References

• Clauson, Gerard (1972) “ben”, in An Etymological Dictionary of pre-thirteenth-century Turkish, Oxford: Clarendon Press, page 346