Published in: PIAC Newsletter 8 (1973), pp. 5–6
Japanese Altaistic Lexicon
Our friend and colleague Professor Tōru Saguchi of the Kanazawa University in Japan was kind enough to send for publication the following:
The Altaistic Lexicon project was originally planned and initiated by Professor T. Saguchi in cooperation with his colleagues a few years ago, and it has recently been adopted as one of the Coordinate Research Projects of the Institute for the Study of Languages and Cultures of Asia and Africa, Tokyo Gaikokugo Daigaku. Selection and checking of entries for this lexicon are now being worked on by the editorial committee.
As is well known, only very little is known in the Western academic world about the results of the Altaic studies carried out by Japanese scholars in the fields of history, linguistics, ethnology, etc. It would seem that our colleagues in Western countries desire to get this Information, as may be understood from one of the projects proposed at the Fifth Meeting of the PIAC (D. Sinor, Editor, Aspects of Altaic Civilization, The Hague, 1963, p. 10). This project is, therefore, expected to be of help in getting Western scholars acquainted with the present state of Altaic studies in Japan, Korea, and China, and it also aims to contribute to furthering international Cooperation in Altaic studies. Generally speaking, the Altaistic Lexicon in preparation would contain in short items the results of research up to the present about the ethnic, social, and cultural aspects of the Altaic peoples that have been distributed in Inner Asia. The Altaistic Lexicon shall not be a dictionary but an ethno-historical lexicon or glossary on the Altaic peoples.
Editorial policy:
- It is intended to make use not only of source material written in Chinese, Mongolian, Persian, Turkic, and Manchu, but also of research papers written on those in respective languages.
- The writers are in principle to be selected among specialists from Japan, Korea, and China, but Cooperation with some of the other countries may be possible as the occasions arise.
- Peoples such as Turkic, Mongolian, Manchu and Tungus in Inner Asia are treated here in the Lexicon. It can be said that from a geographical point of view, the area east of Iran is our present concern. East Turkistan, before its Turcization, is excluded from the present survey.
- Concerning such dynasties as Liao, Ch’in, Yüan, and Ch’ing, only the aspects characteristic for Altaic peoples and their cultures are taken up.
- Entries which are planned to be recorded are as follows:
a) Race, nation, tribe, clan, and other ethnic groups of importance, dynasties and States.
b) Terms (titles; social, cultural, and ethnographical subjects).
c) Personal names of importance.
d) Place names concerning historical geography. - Appendices are: 1. Historical sources; 2. Genealogical tables; 3. Indices.
Editorial Committee:
M. Honda, N. Kanda, J. Matsumura , M. Mori, H. Okada (Secretary-General), T. Saguchi (Editor-in-Chief), N. Yamada.