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{{Infobox language

|image = Xobchyk.jpg

|name = Xobchyk

|nativename = Xobchyk

|pronunciation = 'çɤ.bʱɨk 

|region = China

|states = Xinjiang

|setting = North Xinjiang

|speakers = ~1.2 million

|date = 2018

|fam1 = Altaic?

|fam2 = Xobchykan?

|fam3 = Proto-Xobchyk

|fam4 = Old Xobchyk

|script = [[w:Cyrillic script|Cyrillic]]

}}



'''Xobchyk''' (pronounced ['çɤ.bʱɨk]) is a linguistic isolate spoken by approximately 1.2 million people in the secluded valleys of the Altun Mountains in Northwest China, near the borders of Kazakhstan and Mongolia. Despite its geographical proximity to Turkic and Mongolic languages, Xobchyk exhibits no genetic affiliation with them, making it a unique subject of linguistic study. The language has been preserved through centuries of relative isolation, and it remains a vital part of the cultural identity of the Xobchyk people.



Xobchyk employs the Cyrillic script for its written form, a legacy of historical interactions with neighboring regions. To facilitate communication with non-native speakers and for use in international contexts, a standardized romanization system is also utilized. This dual-script approach ensures both the preservation of traditional writing practices and accessibility for a global audience.



Linguistically, Xobchyk is distinguished by its '''direct-inverse alignment system''', in which the direction of action between participants is marked based on a person hierarchy rather than traditional subject-object roles. It also features '''obligatory mirativity marking''', requiring speakers to indicate whether information is expected or surprising. Additionally, Xobchyk employs '''non-concatenative morphology''' in its verb system, using internal vowel alternations and reduplication rather than affix stacking. The language's complex evidential system, along with its rare '''split-predicate constructions''', makes it a fascinating case for typologists and syntacticians alike.