The article is conceived as the first of two articles on problems of Middle Turkic lexicography. The data available from different sources seldom are discussed in a comparative perspective; these contributions are intended to show how problematic cases can be solved by doing just that. In the present first part, the field of research is summarily presented, the works studied are listed and an extensive bibliography on the subject is offered that is meant to cover the follow-up article as well. The lexical items discussed in §4 all bear a connection with the work of Ibn Muhannā, which still contains many problems awaiting solutions. In §5 the listing of items from the sources is continued without focus on a specific work.