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2014

TENSES

WITH DOUBLE

INFLECTIONAL

ALLOMORPHS

IN TURKISH

Yüksel Göknel

TENSES WITH DOUBLE INFLECTIONAL ALLOMORPHS

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TENSES WITH DOUBLE INFLECTIONAL ALLOMORPHS

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TENSES WITH DOUBLE INFLECTIONAL ALLOMORPHS

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THE PAST CONTINUOUS TENSE

Şimdiki Zaman’ın Hikâyesi This tense is used like The Past Continuous Tense of the English Language.

The time morpheme of this tense is a combination of [İ.YOR] morpheme

followed by the [du] allomorph, which are followed by the usual personal

allomorphs. The allomorphs of these morphemes are simultaneously chosen

by the phonological component of the Turkish language in accordance with

the Turkish harmony rules as usual.

The allomorphs of [İ.YOR] are ♫ [i.yor, ı.yor, ü.yor, u.yor] as they are in

The Present Continuous Tense. As all the allomorphs of [İ.YOR] morpheme

end with “yor” syllables, only the [du] allomorph of the morpheme [Dİ] is

used after the allomorphs of [İ.YOR]. For instance:

i.yor-du, ı.yor-du, ü.yor-du, u.yor-du.

Although the personal morphemes are [İM], [İN], [Ø], [İK], [İN.İZ], and

[LER.Dİ], only their allomorphs [um], [un], [Ø], [uk], [un.uz] and [lar-dı] are

used due to the [du] past time allomorph. As the vowels of the [du] allo-

morphs coincide with the vowels of the personal allomorphs, they combine

and verbalize as single vowels: (ben) [du-um] (dum); (sen) [du-un] (dun); (o) [du] (du); (biz) [du-uk] (duk);

(siz) [du-un.uz] (du*nuz); (onlar) [du] (du) or [lar-dı] (lar*dı).

As all these allomorphs are attached to [i.yor-du] allomorphs, they become

“i.yor-du-um”, “i.yor-du-un”, “i.yor-du”, “i.yor-du-uk”, “i.yor-du-un.uz”, “i.yor-

lar-dı”:

Positive:

(Ben) Ankara’-/y/a git-i.yor-du-um.

(an*ka*ra*ya / gi*di*yor*dum)

I was going to Ankara.

Onlar biz-e yardım et-i.yor-lar-dı.

(on*lar / bi*ze / yar*dım / e*di*yor*lar*dı)

They were helping us. Ben o-/n/u bil-i.yor-du-um.

(ben / o*nu / bi*li*yor*dum)

I knew it. (Biz) arkadaş-lar-ım.ız-ı ara-ı.yor-du-uk.

(ar*ka*daş*la*rı*mı*zı / a*rı*yor*duk)

We were looking for our friends.

TENSES WITH DOUBLE INFLECTIONAL ALLOMORPHS

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Ben bir problem çöz-ü.yor-du-um.

(ben / bir / prob*lem / çö*zü*yor*dum)

I was solving a problem.

Biz onlar-ı bekle-i.yor-du-uk.

(biz / on*la*rı / bek*li*yor*duk)

We were waiting for them.

O ben-i sev-i.yor-du.

(o / be*ni / se*vi*yor*du)

She was in love with me.

Öğrenci-ler öğretmen-ler-i-/n/i dikkat-le dinle-i.yor-lar-dı.

(öğ*ren*ci*ler / öğ*ret*men*le*ri*ni / dik*kat*le / din*li*yor*lar*dı)

The students were listening to their teacher carefully.

(The double underlined /e/ drops and the /l/ attaches to /i/.)

(Biz) uyu-u.yor-du-uk. (The /u/ drops, the /y/ attaches to /u/, and the /u-u/

combine.) (u*yu*yor*duk)

We were sleeping.

Negative:

Although the negation allomorphs of this tense are ♫ [me] and [ma], their

last vowels drop when they are attached to the allomorphs of [İ.YOR]:

(Onlar) gel-me-i.yor-lar-dı. (The /e/ drops, and the /m/ attaches to /i/.)

(gel*mi*yor*lar*dı)

They were not coming.

Onlar-ı bekle-me-i.yor-du-uk.

(on*la*rı / bek*le*mi*yor*duk)

We were not waiting for them.

O ben-i sev-me-i.yor-du.

(o / be*ni / sev*mi*yor*du)

She wasn’t in love with me. O ben-i anla-ma-ı.yor-du. (O beni anlamadı.)

(o / be*ni / an*la*mı*yor*du)

She didn’t understand me.

Ben uyu-ma-u.yor-du-um.

(ben / u*yu*mu*yor*dum)

I wasn't sleeping.

TENSES WITH DOUBLE INFLECTIONAL ALLOMORPHS

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Positive question:

The question allomorphs of this tense are [mi, mı, mü, mu]. Each one of

these allomorphs may be separately used after any stressed word in a

sentence:

Ahmet okul-a otobüs-le mi git-i.yor-du?

(ah*met / o*ku*la / o*to*büs*le*mi / gi*di*yor*du)

Was Ahmet going to school by bus?

Ahmet otobüsle okul-a mı git-i.yor-du?

(ah*met / o*to*büs*le / o*ku*la↝ mı / gi*di*yor*du)

Was Ahmet going to school by bus?

Ahmet okul-a otobüs-le git-i.yor mu/y/-du?

(ah*met / o*ku*la / o*to*büs*le / gi*di*yor / mu/y/-du)

Was Ahmet going to school by bus?

(Siz) uyu-u.yor mu/y/-du-un.uz?

(u*yu*yor / muy*du*nuz)

Were you sleeping?

(Biz) çalış-ı.yor mu/y/du-uk?

(ça*lı*şı*yor / muy*duk)

Were we working?

When the verb is stressed, the question allomorph [mu] attaches to [du]

followed by the personal allomorphs:

"Gidiyor mu/y/-du-um?" "Bekliyor mu/y/-dun?" "Çalışıyor mu/y/-du" "Uyuyor

mu/y/-du-uk?" "Koşuyor mu/y/-du-un-uz?" "Gülüyorlar mı/y/-dı?"

Negative question:

The [me, ma] negation allomorphs are used in negative questions as usual:

Onlar otobüs-le git-me-i.yor mu/y/-du-lar?

(on*lar / o*to*büs*le / git*mi*yor / muy*du*lar)

Weren’t they going by bus?

The double underlined /e/ drops, the /m/ attaches to /i/ and the /y/ glide is

inserted between [mu] and [du]. Instead of “Gitmiyor muydular?”, “Gitmiyor-

lar mıydı?” is often heard.

TENSES WITH DOUBLE INFLECTIONAL ALLOMORPHS

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When the question words are involved, the [mi, mı, mü, mu] allomorphs are

not used, and the verbs are in positive form:

(Sen) ne yap-ı.yor-du-un?

(ne↝ / ya*pı*yor*dun↝)

What were you doing?

Sana kim yardım et-i.yor-du?

(sa*na / kim ↝/ yar*dım / e*di*yor*du↝)

Who was helping you? (The /t/ changes into the voiced /d/.)

(Sen) nere-/y/e git-i.yor-du-un?

(ne↝re*ye / gi*di*yor*dun↝)

Where were you going?

The /t/ changes into the voiced /d/, and the /u-u/ vowels combine.

Cadde-de bir kadın niçin koş-u.yor-du?

(cad*de*de / bir / ka*dın / ni↝çin / ko*şu*yor*du↝)

Why was a woman running along the street?

THE PAST PERFECT CONTINUOUS TENSE

Şimdiki Zaman’ın Hikâyesi

The past continuous verb structure of the Turkish language is also used in

place of the Past Perfect Continuous Tense of the English language. Con-

sider and compare the following sentences:

Ahmet gel-dik-i/n/-de ben onu bir saat-tir otobüs durak-ı/n/-da bekle-i.yor-du-um.

(ah*met / gel*di*ğin*de~/ ben / o*nu / i*ki / sa*at*tir / o*to*büs / du*ra*ğın*da /bek*li*yor*dum)

I had been waiting for Ahmet at the bus stop for an hour when he arrived.

Sınav son-a er-dik-i/n/-de iki saattir soru-lar-a cevap ver-me-/y/e çalış-ı.yor-

du-um. I had been trying to answer the questions for two hours when the

exam ended.

Işıklar sön-dük-ün-de iki saat-tir ev ödev-im-i yap-ı.yor-du-um.

(ı*şık*lar / sön*dü*ğün*de~/ i*ki / sa*at*tir / ev / ö*de*vi*mi / ya*pı*yor*dum)

When the lights went off, I had been doing my homework for two hours. Otobüs durak-ı/n/-da bekle-i.yor-du-um.

(o*to*büs / du*ra*ğın*da / bek*li*yor*dum)

I was waiting at the bus stop. (Past Continuous)

TENSES WITH DOUBLE INFLECTIONAL ALLOMORPHS

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Otobüs durak-ı/n/-da iki saat-tir bekle-i.yor-du-um.

(o*to*büs / du*ra*ğın*da / i*ki / sa*at*tir / bek*li*yor*dum)

I had been waiting at the bus stop for two hours. (Past Perfect Continuous)

Sabah-le.yin kalk-tık-ım-da saat-ler-dir yağmur yağ-ı.yor-du.

(sa*bah*le*yin / kalk*tı*ğım*da / sa*at*ler*dir / yağ*mur / ya*ğı*yor*du)

It had been raining for hours when I got up in the morning.

As it is seen in the examples above, only The Past Continuous Tense is

used in Turkish to express both The Past Continuous and The Past Perfect

continuous Tenses of the English Language.

WAS (WERE) GOING TO

Gelecek Zaman’ın Hikâyesi

This tense expresses an action that was going to be done in the past, but

was interrupted for some reason. The same tense exists in the English

language, as well.

To form this tense in Turkish, the ♫ [e.cek] or [a.cak] allomorphs are

attached to verb roots, stems or frames first, and then they are followed by ♫

[ti, tı] past allomorphs, and finally personal allomorphs (ben) ♫ [im, ım];

(sen) ♫ [in, ın]; (o) [Ø]; (biz) ♫ [ik, ık]; (siz) ♫ [in.iz, ın.ız]; (onlar) ♫ [ler-di,

lar-dı] are added:

Ev ödev.im-i yap-a.cak-tı-ım, ama birden elektrik-ler sön-dü.

(ev / ö*de*vi*mi / ya*pa*cak*tım / a*ma ~/ bir*den / e*lek*trik*ler / sön*dü)

I was going to do my homework, but suddenly the lights went out.

Tam öğretmen-in soru-/s/u-/n/a cevap ver-e.cek-ti-im, ama zil çaldı.

(tam / öğ*ret*me*nin / so*ru*su*na / ce*vap / ve*re*cek*tim / a*ma / zil / çal*dı)

I was just going to answer the teacher’s question, but the bell rang.

Tam uyku-/y/a dal-a.cak-tı-ım, telefon çal-dı.

(tam / uy*ku*ya / da*la*cak*tım / te*le*fon / çal*dı)

Just as I was going to sleep, the telephone rang.

This tense is also used in conditional unreal past tenses in Turkish:

Bilet bul-sa/y/-dı-ım, tiyatro-/y/a git-e.cek-ti-im.

(bi*let / bul*say*dım / ti*yat*ro*/y/a / gi*de*cek*tim)

If I had found a ticket, I would have gone to the theatre.

TENSES WITH DOUBLE INFLECTIONAL ALLOMORPHS

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Öğretmen ben-i kopya çek-er-ken yakala-ma-sa/y/-dı, tüm soru-lar-a cevap

ver-e.cek-ti-im.

I would have answered all the questions if the teacher hadn’t caught me

cheating.

USED TO

Geniş Zaman’ın Hikâyesi

The equivalent of the expression of “used to” is used in Turkish as it is used

in English. To form this expression, the simple present tense allomorphs of

[İR], ♫ [ir, ır, ür, ur, er, ar], are used followed by ♫ [di, dı, dü, du] past

allomorphs; and finally, (ben) ♫ [im, ım, üm, um]; (sen) ♫ [in, ın, ün, un];

(o) [Ø]; (biz) ♫ [ik, ık, ük, uk]; (siz) ♫ [in.iz, ın.ız, ün.üz, un.uz]; (onlar) ♫

[ler-di, lar-dı] personal allomorphs are added. The identical “i-i”, “ı-ı”, “ü-ü”,

“u-u” vowels combine and verbalize as single vowels.

Positive: Onsekiz yaş-ım-da/y/-ken futbol oyna-ar-dı-ım.

(on*se*kiz / ya*şım*day*ken / fut*bol / oy*nar*dım)

I used to play football when I was eighteen.

Biz her akşam televizyon seyret-er-di-ik.

(biz / her / ak*şam / te*le*viz*yon / sey*re*der*dik)

We used to watch television every evening.

Negative:

The negation allomorph, which is used without the /z/ consonant for the first

person in The Simple Present Tense (Geniş Zaman) negative, is used with

the phoneme /z/ in negative “used to” tenses, such as “git-mez”, “oku-maz”.

After this, the allomorphs of the morpheme [Dİ] and the personal allomorphs

follow:

Genç-ken basketbol oyna-maz-dı-ım.

(genç*ken / bas*ket*bol / oy*na*maz*dım)

I didn’t use to play basketball when I was young.

Okul-a otobüs-le git-mez-di-ik.

(o*ku*la / o*to*büs*le / git*mez*dik)

We didn’t use to go to school by bus.

Babam gözlük-ler-i-/n/i tak-ma-am-a izin ver-mez-di.

(ba*bam / göz*lük*le*ri*ni / tak*ma*ma / i*zin / ver*mez*di)

My father didn’t use to let me wear his eyeglasses.

TENSES WITH DOUBLE INFLECTIONAL ALLOMORPHS

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Positive question:

To produce a positive question, one of the Simple Present Tense allo-

morphs is attached to a verb root, stem or frame, and then, as a separate

word, one of the question allomorphs ♫ [mi, mı, mü, mu], and one of the

Simple Past Tense allomorphs ♫ [di, dı, dü, du] is linked to the question

allomorphs by the /y/ glide, and finally a suitable personal allomorph follows

them:

Siz her gün İngilizce çalış-ır mı/y/-dı-ın.ız?, or (çalışıyor muydunuz?)

(siz / her*gün / in*gi*liz*ce / ça*lı*şır / mıy*dı*nız)

Did you use to study English every day?

(The /y/ glide is inserted between [mı] and [dı].)

Mutfak-ta anne-en-e her gün yardım et-er mi/y/-di-in?

(mut*fak*ta / an*ne*ne / her / gün / yar*dım / e*der / miy*din)

Did you use to help your mother in the kitchen every day? Sen genç-ken kız-lar futbol oyna-ar mı/y/-dı?

(sen / genç*ken / kız*lar / fut*bol / oy*nar / mı/y/*dı)

Did girls use to play football when you were young? This verbal composition is also used in conditional sentences: Sen-in yer-in-de ol-sa-am baba-am-ın öğüt-ü-/n/ü dinle-er-di-im.

(se*nin / ye*rin*de / ol*sam / ba*ba*mın / ö*ğü*dü*nü / din*ler*dim)

If I were you, I would listen to my father’s advice. (advice)

Jack burda ol-sa biz-e yardım et-er-di.

(Jack / bur*da / ol*sa / bi*ze / yar*dım / e*der*di)

If Jack were here, he would help us.

Negative question: Siz her gün İngilizce çalış-maz mı/y/-dı-ın.ız?

(siz / her / gün / in*gi*liz*ce / ça*lış*maz / mıy*dı*nız)

Didn’t you use to study English every day? Okul-a koş-a.rak git-mez mi/y/-di-ik?

(o*ku*la / ko*şa*rak / git*mez / miy*dik)

Didn’t we run to school? Bulaşık-lar-ı yıka-maz mı/y/-dı-ın?

(bu*la*şık*la*rı / yı*ka*maz / mıy*dın)

Didn’t you use to wash the dishes?

Yüksel Göknel

TENSES WITH DOUBLE INFLECTIONAL ALLOMORPHS

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