SEMANTIC ASPECTS OF LEGAL LEXIS IN TURKIC WRITTEN MONUMENTS OF THE 7th–12th CENTURIES

Abstract

The article examines the semantic aspects of legal lexis in Turkic written monuments of the 7th–12th centuries within the framework of cognitive linguistics and the semantic field approach. The aim of the study is to identify the structure and functions of legal vocabulary and to reconstruct the legal worldview of early Turkic societies. The research material includes the Orkhon-Yenisei inscriptions, Kutadgu Bilig, and Dīwān Lughāt al-Turk, representing different stages in the development of legal thought. The study employs lexical-semantic, contextual, comparative-historical, and cognitive methods. Special attention is paid to the concept of törü as a key element of the legal system, integrating the meanings of law, order, and norm. It is shown that legal lexis forms a system of interconnected semantic fields, including power, justice, responsibility, and governance.