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Tatar

Altaic family · Turkic branch · Eurasia

Tatar is an SOV language, like 564 of the 1,376 languages WALS codes for basic word order.

Of its word-order pairings, the one Tatar shares with the fewest languages is Order of Relative Clause and Noun: “Relative clause precedes noun (RelN)”, the value of 141 of the 824 languages coded.

The least common value coded for Tatar is “Marked by suffix” on Distributive Numerals, held by 32 of the 251 languages coded.

Its closest grammar profile in the atlas is that of Evenki: the two agree on 28 of the 40 features both have coded.

Compared with English, Tatar has the same value on 17 of the 40 features both are coded for (42%).

Tatar: order of head and dependent in 9 constructions← beforeafter →verbsubject80%13%Order of Subject and Verb: Subject precedes verb (SV). Of 1,496 languages coded, 1,192 put the subject before the verb and 194 after it.verbobject47%46%Order of Object and Verb: Object precedes verb (OV). Of 1,518 languages coded, 712 put the object before the verb and 705 after it.adpositionnoun phrase49%43%Order of Adposition and Noun Phrase: Postpositions. Of 1,184 languages coded, 577 put the noun phrase before the adposition and 511 after it.noungenitive55%37%Order of Genitive and Noun: Genitive-noun (GenN). Of 1,249 languages coded, 685 put the genitive before the noun and 468 after it.nounadjective27%64%Order of Adjective and Noun: Modifying adjective precedes noun (AdjN). Of 1,367 languages coded, 373 put the adjective before the noun and 879 after it.noundemonstrative45%48%Order of Demonstrative and Noun: Demonstrative word precedes noun (DemN). Of 1,225 languages coded, 551 put the demonstrative before the noun and 590 after it.nounnumeral42%53%Order of Numeral and Noun: Numeral precedes noun (NumN). Of 1,154 languages coded, 479 put the numeral before the noun and 608 after it.nounrelative clause17%70%Order of Relative Clause and Noun: Relative clause precedes noun (RelN). Of 824 languages coded, 141 put the relative clause before the noun and 579 after it.adjectivedegree word47%40%Order of Degree Word and Adjective: Degree word precedes adjective (DegAdj). Of 481 languages coded, 227 put the degree word before the adjective and 192 after it.
The order Tatar uses in 9 pairings of a head word and its dependent. Bars: how all languages coded for each pairing split, before or after.

Contrast Tatar with Evenki or with any other language

Inside the Altaic family

Tatar matches the most frequent Altaic value on 33 of the 40 features where at least three other members of the family are coded (82%). Among the 15 Altaic languages profiled here, that rate ranks seventh from the top.

Closest profiles

Languages that share the most coded values with Tatar; the count is out of the features both languages are coded for.

The rest of the profile

WALS codes Tatar for 40 of the 144 profile features used on this site. The remaining 37 are listed here, grouped by topic; within each group the value Tatar shares with the fewest languages comes first.

Sounds 1

FeatureValueLanguages sharing it
The Velar NasalVelar nasal, but not initially87 of 469

Word structure 1

FeatureValueLanguages sharing it
Prefixing vs. Suffixing in Inflectional MorphologyPredominantly suffixing406 of 969

Nouns and pronouns 10

FeatureValueLanguages sharing it
Ordinal NumeralsOne-th, two-th, three-th41 of 321
Numeral ClassifiersNumeral classifiers are optional62 of 400
The Associative PluralSpecial bound associative plural marker48 of 236
Conjunctions and Universal QuantifiersFormally similar, not involving interrogative expression33 of 116
Definite ArticlesNeither definite nor indefinite article198 of 620
Indefinite ArticlesNeither indefinite nor definite198 of 534
Position of Pronominal Possessive AffixesPossessive suffixes355 of 902
Position of Case AffixesCase suffixes452 of 1,031
Coding of Nominal PluralityPlural suffix513 of 1,066
Indefinite PronounsInterrogative-based indefinites194 of 326

Noun phrases 2

FeatureValueLanguages sharing it
Genitives, Adjectives and Relative ClausesAdjectives and relative clauses collapsed33 of 138
Adjectives without NounsAdjective may occur without noun, and without marking73 of 124

Verbs: tense, mood, evidence 6

FeatureValueLanguages sharing it
The ProhibitiveNormal imperative + normal negative113 of 496
Imperative-Hortative SystemsThe language has a maximal system, but not a minimal one133 of 375
Epistemic PossibilityOther91 of 240
The Morphological ImperativeSecond singular and second plural292 of 548
Position of Tense-Aspect AffixesTense-aspect suffixes667 of 1,131
Situational PossibilityVerbal constructions158 of 234

Word order 9

FeatureValueLanguages sharing it
Order of Adjective and NounModifying adjective precedes noun (AdjN)373 of 1,367
Order of Numeral and NounNumeral precedes noun (NumN)479 of 1,154
Order of Demonstrative and NounDemonstrative word precedes noun (DemN)542 of 1,225
Order of Object and VerbObject precedes verb (OV)712 of 1,518
Order of Degree Word and AdjectiveDegree word precedes adjective (DegAdj)227 of 481
Order of Adposition and Noun PhrasePostpositions577 of 1,184
Order of Genitive and NounGenitive-noun (GenN)685 of 1,249
Order of Adverbial Subordinator and ClauseInitial subordinator word398 of 659
Order of Subject and VerbSubject precedes verb (SV)1,192 of 1,496

Simple clauses 5

FeatureValueLanguages sharing it
Nominal and Locational PredicationIdentical117 of 386
Predicative AdjectivesPredicative adjectives have nonverbal encoding132 of 386
Zero Copula for Predicate NominalsZero copula is impossible211 of 386
Polar QuestionsQuestion particle585 of 955
Expression of Pronominal SubjectsPronominal subjects are expressed by affixes on verbs437 of 711

Vocabulary 3

FeatureValueLanguages sharing it
Hand and ArmIdentity: a single word denotes both 'hand' and 'arm'228 of 617
TeaWords derived from Sinitic cha110 of 230
Finger and HandDifferent521 of 593