T1G2 in the Ongi Inscription

The word T 1 G 2 occurs three times in the Ongi Inscription. The sentences containing T 1 G 2 have been interpreted in a variety of ways, with no single reading thus far being deemed satisfactory. A notable aspect of the Old Turkic script is the presence of two distinct characters for the majority of consonant sounds, one representing a back-vocalic and the other a front-vocalic sign. Given that T 1 G 2 occurs on three occasions, it is plausible that the individual(s) responsible for inscribing the text may have deliberately employed this format. The author hypothesizes that T 1 G 2 in question represents the Turkic rendering of the Chinese character dí 敵, which translates to “enemy; hostile.”