The Book of Leviticus of the Gözleve Bible (1841): A Comprehensive Analysis

This dissertation undertakes a comprehensive analysis of the linguistic features evident in a biblical Book found in the so-called Gözleve Bible, published in 1841 in what is now known as Eupatoria. This printed edition encompasses translations of the entire Tanakh, with the exception of the Chronicles, and is divided into four volumes, all written in Hebrew script. The language of the edition is generally recognized as Crimean Karaim. Nevertheless, the precise language of this edition, and even the very existence of the Crimean Karaim language itself, has provoked substantial scholarly debates. Therefore, this dissertation aims to carry out a thorough examination of an unstudied book from this edition, specifically the Book of Leviticus, which includes its transcription, translation, and a faithful facsimile reproduction of the original text. The study involves a detailed linguistic analysis that covers phonology, morphology, morphophonology, syntax, morphosyntax, and lexicon. It will also draw comparisons between the equivalent features found in the text and those identified in Crimean Tatar, Crimean Turkish, Ottoman Turkish, and all three Karaim dialects. This comparison is crucial due to the need to differentiate between Ottoman Turkish and Kipchak Turkic features when discerning the variants of Crimean Karaim. Our analyses reveal that the text displays the expected influence of Biblical Hebrew at the syntactic level, a common feature in Karaim translations. Furthermore, the text exhibits evidence of Ottoman Turkish influence, which is not typically found in Karaim Bible translations. Notably, our investigation counters the assertions made by some scholars that the edition demonstrates superficial Tatarization. Rather, the text reflects recent adaptations from the era, including influences from Ottoman Turkish, while still retaining the predominant Kipchak features common in Crimean Bible translation