Лингвофорум

Hello,
I will give you general information about Turkmens, so I don't know if you have any info about them. After this you are free to ask me concreete questions related to Turkmens.
The lands from East Sea (in the East) to Adriatic Sea (in the West), and from Northern froozen Ocean (North) to the Gulf is called TURAN. Turan means homeland of Turks. And Turkmens are considered Turks living in these lands. Turkmens are included into Oguz group of Turkic languages. Oguzes mainly live in Turkmenistan, in Southern Azerbaijan (today belongs to Iran), in Iran (other Oguzes, non - Azerbaijanis) ,Turkey, Azerbaijan, Gagauzia (in Moldova), Crimea, Irag, Georgia, Daghestan, Afghanistan.
Turkmens dialects are very close to ours, Azerbaijani, almost they are the same. I mean we can talk to each other without any interpreter (translator). It is difficult to say the number of Turkmens, exactly. The reason is some some countries hide their number. There live 6 millions Turkmens in Turkmenistan, 3-3.5 millions in Iran (some sources say 5 millions), 1.5 millions in Afghanistan.
Turkmens are consist of some stocks. There are 5 stocks mainly. These are Yomut, Teke, Salur.. (I forgot others, sorry).
There is 5 signs of carpets' design on the flag of Turkmenistan. It is a symbol of unity and indivisible of all Turkmens. The word Turkmen means, "I am a Turk", in Turkic languages.

ok, that's all. If you have concret questions, be free to ask. I will try to answer.

Thanks, qaxman. Unfortunately I don't speak any of the Turkic languages, so I'm just gonna write in English and German, and hopefully someone can translate it between you and me.

I'd like to learn a Turkic language though, and I've sorta set my eye on Türkmen. But since I have to learn another language now, I'm going to have to put this on hold for now, but what more can you tell me about Türkmen?

Danke sehr, qaxman. Leider spreche ich keine von den türkischen Sprachen, so ich schreibe hier auf Englisch und Deutsch, und hoffentlich kann jemand es zwischen uns übersetzen.

Ich wollte sehr eine Türkische Sprache lernen, und ich habe mir Türkmenisch gewählt. Aber wenn ich eine andere Sprache jetzt lernen muss, muss ich mit Türkmen warten. Was kannst du mir aber mehr erzählen über Türkmen?

yes!

Цитата: jpdfo1982 от июля 25, 2006, 01:26
Eh, no, I don't speak Türkmen unfortunately.

I'm planning on learning it though, but not yet.

Do you speak it, qamxan?

sorry but i dont know english...
i am an Azerbaijani Turk.i can understand Turkmen dialect,its a similar to our dialect.
how i can help to you ?

Eh, no, I don't speak Türkmen unfortunately.

I'm planning on learning it though, but not yet.

Do you speak it, qamxan?

Türkmençə bilyən barmı ?

Actually, English was a passion of mine many years ago, and I really, really like German. So, interest.

Цитата: jpdfo1982 от мая  5, 2006, 06:07
But one of my main criteria for choosing a language, is not how many speakers it has, but rather how few, and if it has any better known relatives. Türkmen is grouped along with Turkish and Azeri. My logic tells me, that since Turkish vastly outnumbers the other two, then it'd be better for me to learn the other two, since there are clearly many people who are learning Turkish.

So, that is why you speak both English and German?! 

Цитата: jpdfo1982 от мая  5, 2006, 06:07
like something à la banning video-games, since according to the president, kids in Turkmenistan don't have the need to play them, or something.

Outside of any relation to Turkmenbashy, playing video-games damages health and psyche and has no advantage. 

Thanks for the tip, Dana.

And thanks for the best wishes. I'm not going to learn it yet, but sometime later.

Better to learn Turkish? Well, maybe, Turkish will have more relevance, especially when they once in the future join the EU. But one of my main criteria for choosing a language, is not how many speakers it has, but rather how few, and if it has any better known relatives. Türkmen is grouped along with Turkish and Azeri. My logic tells me, that since Turkish vastly outnumbers the other two, then it'd be better for me to learn the other two, since there are clearly many people who are learning Turkish.

Politicial situations in the country where the language is spoken is completely irrelevant to me, which I also think should be for all people with linguistical interests. And hehe, from what I've heard from Turkmenistan, it's well weird at best. Not to mention completely breaching human rights, of course, it's some of the other stuff I've heard, like something à la banning video-games, since according to the president, kids in Turkmenistan don't have the need to play them, or something.

But anyway, thanks for the tip.