On the fluidity of bones in Mongolic and beyond

Abstract

This paper examines the fact that the words for ‘bone’ in Mongolic and Tungusic belong to a formal class containing a marker that normally refers to uncountable homogeneous substances, especially liquids. While there may be several factors underlying this curious situation, some possible light is shed on the issue by Turkic data, which suggest a semantic confusion between ‘bone’ and ‘bone marrow.’ Another phenomenon that deserves attention in this context is the use of the concept of ‘bone’ to indicate genetic lineages or ‘tribes’ in the nomadic society.