Remarks on the usefulness of different types of transcription, with a particular regard to Turkic comparative studies

The article attempts to determine what kind of transcription is best suited for (Turkic) comparative studies. Five questions are asked: what are the features of an ideal transcription, what level of abstraction is most useful, what notation system is most practical, and is it possible for a single transcription to encompass the entire Turkic family. Ultimately, a set of basic rules is proposed together with a small exemplification.