The Origins of Turkish

The Origins of Turkish



The Turkish Language originated in The Altay Mountain Range in

The Turkish Language originated in The Altay Mountain Range in

Northern Siberia centuries ago. For this reason it is called an Altaic

Northern Siberia centuries ago. For this reason it is called an Altaic

Language. As the nomads expanded further into Asia Minor, they

Language. As the nomads expanded further into Asia Minor, they

brought their language with them to Turkmenistan, Khazakstan,

brought their language with them to Turkmenistan, Khazakstan,

Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan and other countries.Many of these

Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan and other countries.Many of these

languages are multi-intelligible although local usage and

languages are multi-intelligible although local usage and

vocabulary, spelling and alphabet may differ - however they all

vocabulary, spelling and alphabet may differ - however they all

exhibit the same grammatical structure of agglutination and vowel

exhibit the same grammatical structure of agglutination and vowel

harmony.

harmony.



Turkish being a language emanating from Central Asia, is spoken

Turkish being a language emanating from Central Asia, is spoken

from the borders of Greece to the hinterland of Western China,

from the borders of Greece to the hinterland of Western China,

there may also be some affinity with the Hungarian, Finnish,

there may also be some affinity with the Hungarian, Finnish,

Korean and some of the indigenous American Indian languages.

Korean and some of the indigenous American Indian languages.



The Ottoman Empire brought the language to the gates of Vienna

The Ottoman Empire brought the language to the gates of Vienna

and to Arabia, Egypt and Northern Africa as their empire

and to Arabia, Egypt and Northern Africa as their empire

flourished. It is because of this expansion that the language and

flourished. It is because of this expansion that the language and

vocabulary is peppered with words from Arabic, Persian and

vocabulary is peppered with words from Arabic, Persian and

European languages. These imported words mostly (but not

European languages. These imported words mostly (but not

always) follow the basic grammar and vowel harmony of native

always) follow the basic grammar and vowel harmony of native

Turkish.

Turkish.



A mini nushell overview of the turkish

A mini nushell overview of the turkish

language

language

turkish is characterized by vowel harmony,

turkish is characterized by vowel harmony,

consonant mutation and agglutination.

consonant mutation and agglutination.

Postpositions are used instead of

Postpositions are used instead of

prepositions.

prepositions.

Thus suffixes added to the stem of the verb

Thus suffixes added to the stem of the verb

may indicate positive or negative forms of

may indicate positive or negative forms of

the passive, reflexive, causative, potential,

the passive, reflexive, causative, potential,

subjunctive moods plus further additions for

subjunctive moods plus further additions for

tense and person.

tense and person.

Nouns are also suffixed with possessor and

Nouns are also suffixed with possessor and

case (declension). Both the subject definite

case (declension). Both the subject definite

article and grammatical gender are lacking.

article and grammatical gender are lacking.

Adjectives precede their noun and do not

Adjectives precede their noun and do not

have to agree in number or case. The

have to agree in number or case. The

sentence form is sov - subject, object verb.

sentence form is sov - subject, object verb.

A general description of Turkish

A general description of Turkish

Grammar

Grammar



The language differs from the Indo European

The language differs from the Indo European

Group - English, Spanish, etc. in both

Group - English, Spanish, etc. in both

grammatical structure and vocabulary. It is

grammatical structure and vocabulary. It is

also a phonetic language - each letter always

also a phonetic language - each letter always

retains it own sound - not as in English

retains it own sound - not as in English

where the sound of the letters can change,

where the sound of the letters can change,

as the letter a does in

as the letter a does in

fat, fate, fare

fat, fate, fare

etc.

etc.



Also, changes are made to consonants in

Also, changes are made to consonants in

spelling -

spelling -

Consonant Mutation

Consonant Mutation

- in certain

- in certain

circumstances as discussed below.

circumstances as discussed below.



Another all pervading facet of Turkish is the

Another all pervading facet of Turkish is the

Rule of

Rule of

Vowel Harmony

Vowel Harmony

where subsequent

where subsequent

vowels in a word or suffix will follow the

vowels in a word or suffix will follow the

vowel grouping of the previous vowel.

vowel grouping of the previous vowel.

Turkish has six cases

Turkish has six cases



A nominative case which carries

A nominative case which carries

no ending and five cases each

no ending and five cases each

with a typical ending. According

with a typical ending. According

to Vowel Harmony the vowels of

to Vowel Harmony the vowels of

the ending match the base word.

the ending match the base word.

The endings of the cases are:

The endings of the cases are:



Genitive:

Genitive:

-in/-ın/-un/-ün

-in/-ın/-un/-ün

The Genitive is the Case of Ownership

The Genitive is the Case of Ownership



Accusative:

Accusative:

-i/-ı/-u/-ü

-i/-ı/-u/-ü

The Accusative is the Direct Object of a Verb - it equates to - the.. - in

The Accusative is the Direct Object of a Verb - it equates to - the.. - in

English

English



Dative:

Dative:

-a/-e

-a/-e

The Dative is the Case of

The Dative is the Case of

Movement Towards - it equates to - to.,

Movement Towards - it equates to - to.,

towards..

towards..

- in

- in

English.

English.



Locative:

Locative:

-da/-de or -ta/-te

-da/-de or -ta/-te

- according to Consonant Mutation

- according to Consonant Mutation

rules.

rules.

The Locative is the Case of Place - it equates to

The Locative is the Case of Place - it equates to

- in.. on.. at..

- in.. on.. at..

- in

- in

English.

English.



Ablative:

Ablative:

-dan/-den

-dan/-den

or

or

-tan/-ten

-tan/-ten

- according to Consonant

- according to Consonant

Mutation rules.

Mutation rules.

The Ablative is the Case of Movement Away - it equates to

The Ablative is the Case of Movement Away - it equates to

- from

- from

..

..

by

by

..

..

via

via

.. - in English.

.. - in English.

They say Turkish Grammar is

They say Turkish Grammar is

very regular..?

very regular..?



Turkish grammar is perfectly regular but differs in

Turkish grammar is perfectly regular but differs in

that it consists of post-positions which are suffixed

that it consists of post-positions which are suffixed

directly to nouns or other parts of speech to

directly to nouns or other parts of speech to

modify their meaning.

modify their meaning.



This use of suffixes is called agglutination - literally

This use of suffixes is called agglutination - literally

meaning -

meaning -

a gluing on

a gluing on

- this is in contrast to

- this is in contrast to

English which uses individual prepositions for the

English which uses individual prepositions for the

same reasons. Agglutination is discussed below.

same reasons. Agglutination is discussed below.



Another peculiarity of Turkish is the -

Another peculiarity of Turkish is the -

Rule of

Rule of

Vowel Harmony

Vowel Harmony

- where vowels can change in

- where vowels can change in

pronunciation and spelling to mirror the previous

pronunciation and spelling to mirror the previous

vowel in a word - this rule is discussed below.

vowel in a word - this rule is discussed below.

Agglutination - a sticking on

Agglutination - a sticking on

to..

to..



In English we have many words which

In English we have many words which

agglutinate (extend) to form other words. If we

agglutinate (extend) to form other words. If we

take the simple word -

take the simple word -

argue

argue

- then we can

- then we can

agglutinate it to -

agglutinate it to -

argument

argument

- by sticking on a

- by sticking on a

-ment

-ment

suffix.

suffix.

We can further agglutinate this word with other

We can further agglutinate this word with other

suffixes viz.:

suffixes viz.:

-ative

-ative

giving

giving

argumentative

argumentative

-

-

and even further to -

and even further to -

argumentatively

argumentatively

by

by

adding a further

adding a further

-ly

-ly

suffix.

suffix.



This then is the way of Turkish but even the

This then is the way of Turkish but even the

little words like -

little words like -

in.. from.. at..

in.. from.. at..

- are suffixed

- are suffixed

to their noun - thus producing an extended

to their noun - thus producing an extended

word.

word.



Then adding suffix

Then adding suffix

-de

-de

-

-

in.. on..

in.. on..

at..

at..

and suffix

and suffix

-dan

-dan

-

-

from..

from..



ev

ev

- house

- house



evde

evde

- ev-de - in the house

- ev-de - in the house



evden

evden

- ev-den - from the house

- ev-den - from the house



Most suffixes follow the -

Most suffixes follow the -

Rule of

Rule of

Vowel Harmony

Vowel Harmony

- so there can be

- so there can be

both an

both an

A-UnDotted Vowel Form

A-UnDotted Vowel Form

-

-

A I O U

A I O U

- and an

- and an

E-Dotted Vowel

E-Dotted Vowel

Form

Form

-

-

E İ Ö Ü

E İ Ö Ü

- for the same suffix.

- for the same suffix.



Similarly adding suffix

Similarly adding suffix

-da

-da

-

-

in.. on..

in.. on..

at..

at..



oda

oda

- room

- room



oda

oda

da

da

- oda-

- oda-

da

da

-

-

in

in

the room

the room



oda

oda

dan

dan

- oda-

- oda-

dan

dan

-

-

from

from

the room

the room



Ladies and Gentlemen!..

Ladies and Gentlemen!..



There is no subject definite article such

There is no subject definite article such

as -

as -

the

the

- and there is no gender

- and there is no gender

distinction, so no

distinction, so no

le

le

and

and

la

la

problems

problems

like French, Italian etc. This is borne out

like French, Italian etc. This is borne out

by the fact that Turkish only has one

by the fact that Turkish only has one

word for

word for

he

he

,

,

she

she

and

and

it

it

, namely -

, namely -

o

o

.

.

Turkish Gender and

Turkish Gender and

Articles

Articles



There are ways to make a word definitive but

There are ways to make a word definitive but

it is in the form of a suffix and is used for

it is in the form of a suffix and is used for

objects - so there is an objective

objects - so there is an objective

the

the

in

in

Turkish - this is one of the difficulties for

Turkish - this is one of the difficulties for

those learning Turkish as we do not

those learning Turkish as we do not

distinguish between subject and object in

distinguish between subject and object in

English as we use the definite article for both.

English as we use the definite article for both.



The -

The -

(subject "the")

(subject "the")

- cup is on the table. -

- cup is on the table. -

Fincan masada

Fincan masada



Give me the cup -

Give me the cup -

(object "the")

(object "the")

- which is

- which is

on the table. -

on the table. -

Masadaki fincanı bana

Masadaki fincanı bana

verin

verin



Here we see that -

Here we see that -

the cup

the cup

-

-

fıncan

fıncan

- has

- has

been made definitive by the addition of the

been made definitive by the addition of the

objective suffix -

objective suffix -

ı

ı

- the way of saying -

- the way of saying -

the

the

cup

cup

- as an object.

- as an object.