Tocharian B

Tocharian B (also known as Kuchean or West Tocharian) was a Western member of the Tocharian branch of Indo-European languages, extinct from the ninth century. Once spoken in the Tarim Basin in Central Asia, Tocharian B shows an internal chronological development; three linguistic stages have been detected.^[4] The oldest stage is attested only in Kucha. There is also the middle ('classicalʼ), and the late stage.^[5]

Tocharian B
Kuchean
Kuśiññe
Tocharian inscription "This Buddha was painted by the hand of Sanketava"
Native to	Kucha
Region	Tarim Basin
Ethnicity	Tocharians
Extinct	850 AD[1]
Language family	Indo-European Tocharian Tocharian B
Early form	Proto-Tocharian
Writing system	Tocharian script Manichaean script
Language codes
ISO 639-3	txb
Linguist List	xtb Tocharian B
Glottolog	tokh1243
Tocharian languages A (blue), B (red) and C (green) in the Tarim Basin.[2] Tarim oasis towns are given as listed in the Book of Han (c. 2nd century BC), with the areas of the squares proportional to population.[3]
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Nomenclature

According to Peyrot, the self-designation for the language was kuśi 'Kuča'.^[6] In scholarly works, it is known as Tocharian B, sometimes referred to as West Tocharian or Kuchean.^[7]

Overview

According to scholar Michael Peyrot, Tocharian B is dated between the 5th and 10th centuries AD, and was spread from Kuča to Yānqi and Turfan.^[8] Paul Widmer, following Tamai's and Adams's studies, situates Tocharian B roughly between 400 and 1200, its oldest layer dating from ca. 400 to 600, around "Kucha and environs".^[9]

Documentation

According to J. H. W. Penney, Tocharian B is reported to be documented as Buddhist religious literature, and as secular material "pertaining to everyday life".^[10]