Linguoetnological observations of the Turkic ethnogroup “Khoton”

Abstract

Khotons are unique group of Turkic ethnic groups living in the Ulangom (Ulaangom)
region of Mongolia, leading a sedentary lifestyle. The khotons are well aware that they are of Turkic
descent and are Muslims.
The khotons have preserved part of their former heritage in the field of material culture, language
and religion, despite their increasingly mongolizing. In this regard, starting with the ethnonymic name
of the khoton people, which is a Turkic ethnic group in Mongolia, with a comprehensive analysis of the
customs, culture, folklore heritage and language that have survived to this day, it becomes important to
systematize and register them as an intangible heritage. To do this, it is necessary to carry out language
documentation and archiving. To this end, the ethnological characteristics of the khoton ulus are initially
being studied. Then the language will be recorded by expeditionary research.
The article provides an overview about the history of the origin, lifestyle, culture and language of
the khoton ethnic group, taking into account the works of foreign and Russian researchers on the history
and ethnological characteristics of the khoton people, whose language is currently under threat of
extinction. However, it should be borne in mind that in these works there are notes in passing, without
going into the depth of the subject.