Tuvan

Tuvan is the common language of the nomads. It is comprised of many different dialects, accents and ancenstral tongues, among the most prominent being Central Tuvan, Eastern Tuvan and Western Tuvan. 

 
A popular misconception is that these are different languages, but the spoken and written languages are the same, and any differences can be attributed to the different dialects. In fact, the languages are so similar to one another that they are mutually intelligible.

Writing System

Although rudimentary, the Tuvan alphabet is a way to express sounds in writing. It is comprised of 33 letters. Each letter represents a different phonetic-sound.

Phonology

Tuvan is characterised by a lack of labial consonants and a relatively large consonant inventory. Consonants which are lacking in Tuvan include (w, f, v, p, b and m). There is also no voicing distinction between voiced and voiceless consonants.

Morphology

As nomads in the past, people had no need for written language, only an oral tradition. Today, Tuvan has a writing system. Each letter represents a phonetic sound. The consonant/vowel combinations are usually a symbol for each syllable. The verb is the only part of speech that changes depending on the grammatical role of the noun with which it is being used. The verb is specified as the inner verb or outer verb, depending on the verb's location in the sentence.
There is no definite article in Tuvan, and there are no other articles to specify singular or plural, which can only be determined by the noun's form.

Syntax

Tuvan as a common language among the nomads is not only spoken, but also written and recorded. To express musical thoughts and feelings, the Tuvan language is used.

Vocabulary

Most vocabulary is in the form of compound words. However words can also be independent from one another.