Abstract
A METHOD FOR HISTORICAL TEXT STUDIES: HOW DID THE CODEX CUMANICUS PREPARE FOR PUBLICATION?
Codex Cumanicus, was written in Dešt-i Kipchak towards the end of XIII. century and has a special place in Turkish language history with its contents. The work consists of two parts (Italian and German). The Italian part, is a dictionary of Latin, Persian and Kipchak. This part was written to facilitate the relations between people who is Persian-Kipchak origin and Italian merchants who are speaking Latin-Italian and plying a trade with Golden Horde and Ilkhanid Empire where trade language is Kipchak and Persian, in the social life and commerce. The main target in this part of the work is to help the Italian traders who want to teach Kipchak and Persian. The German part is written to provide Christianity spread among the Cumans/ Kipchaks, to teach them the basic prayers, sermons and sights of this religion. First of all, it in this study, general information about the content of the work, the date and geography where the work was written and who wrote it will be put forth. Secondly, for the purpose of forming a methodological example to a researcher who will do historical text work, the process of preparing Codex Cumanicus for publication will be outlined.
Keywords
Codex Cumanicus, Cuman/Kipchak Turkish, Turkish culture, historical text studies, method.