Mäkhtumquli avoids the altered syntax so typical of the Chagatay ghazal and in particular the Persian syntactic constructions. The relation of his language to classical Azerbaijani has been noted (Benzing 1964:39), and this is probably a result of the influence of poetic models in that language, seen also in the work of Andalib.

Go thy way vorth be tha vootsteps uv tha vlock.

According to one of his accounts—and his accounts varied with his audience—he was the seventh son of a seventh son, and born with a cowl on his face […]

As a sowe waloweth in the stynkynge gore pytte, or in the puddell.