1. [E], [DE], [DEN]
MORPHEMES
and
POSTPOSITIONS
in
TURKISH
YÜKSEL GÖKNEL
01.01.2013

2. [E], [DE], [DEN] MORPHEMES and POSTPOSITIONS in TURKISH
2
[E], [DE], [DEN] MORPHEMES and POSTPOSITIONS
in TURKISH
The postpositions and the [E], [DE] and [DEN] morphemes follow nouns and
noun compounds in Turkish contrary to English prepositions that precede
nouns. In Turkish, when these morphemes and postpositions follow nouns
and noun compounds they produce adverbials or postpositional phrases that
function in sentences as either determiners (adjectival phrases) or adverbial
phrases. In the following example sentences, the functions of these
language units are showed below the lines to clarify their functions. As some
of the postpositions follow nouns and noun compounds that end with certain
morphemes, we have to approach them one by one.
adverbials: [e,a], [de, da, te,ta] and [den, dan, ten, tan]
Jack okul-da. Jack is at school.
adverbial (prep phrs) adverbial
Jack okul-a gitti. Jack went to school.
adverbial (prep phrs) adverbial
jack deniz-e düştü. Jack fell into the sea.
adverbial (prep phrs) adverbial
Biz bulutlar-a baktık. We looked at the clouds.
adverbial (prep phrs) adverbial
Jack okul-dan geldi. Jack came from school.
adverbial (prep phrs) adverbial
Top masa-/n/ın alt-ı-/n/a gitti. The ball went under the table.
noun compound -/n/a prep phrs
adverbial adverbial
Köpek çit-in üst-ü/n/-den atladı. The dog jumped over the fence.
noun comp/n/- den prep phrs
adverbial adverbial
Tren tünel-den geçiyor. The train is going through the tunnel.
adverbial (prep phrs) adverbial
Jack anahtar delik-i/n/-den bakıyor. Jack is looking through the key hole.
noun compound /n/-den prep phrs
adverbial adverbial

3. [E], [DE], [DEN] MORPHEMES and POSTPOSITIONS in TURKISH
3
Büyük kamyon köprü-/n/ün alt-ı/n/-dan geçemedi.
noun compound /n/-dan]
adverbial
The huge lorry could not pass under the bridge.
prep phrs
adverbial
Dolap-ın iç-i-/n/e bak. Look into the cupboard. (do*la*bın / i*çi*ne)
noun compound-/n/e (prep phrs)
adverbial adverbial
In the examples above, the underlined English parts of the sentences are
structurally prepositional phrases, but they are syntactically adverbials as
they are in the Turkish sentences.
başka, gayrı (except): noun or noun compound-[den, dan, ten, tan] +
başka (determiner)
Sen-den başka kimse ben-i anlayamaz.
determiner noun NP V
NP VP
(sen*den / baş*ka / kim*se / be*ni / an*la*ya*maz ↷)
No one can understand me but you (except you).
beri (since): noun or noun compound-[den, dan, ten, tan]+beri (adverbial)
(Ben) sabah-tan beri çalışıyorum.
NP postp adverbial phrs V
VP
I have been working since morning.
(Ben) sen-i (ben-im) ilk gör-dük-üm-den beri seviyorum.
NP NP (noun comp) nominal phrs-den postp V
postpositional adverbial phrs of time
(se*ni / ilk / gör*dü*ğüm*den / be*ri / se*vi*yo*rum ↷)
I have been in love with you since I saw you first.
boyunca (along): noun + boyunca (adverbial phrase)
(Biz) nehir boyunca yürüdük.
NP postp adverbial phrs V
VP
(ne*hir / bo*yun*ca / yü*rü*dük ↷) We walked along the river.
bu yana (since): noun or noun compound-[den, dan, ten, tan] + bu yana
(adverbial phrase)

4. [E], [DE], [DEN] MORPHEMES and POSTPOSITIONS in TURKISH
4
Fiyat-lar geçen ay-dan bu yana yükseliyor.
NP postp adverbial phrs V
VP
(fi*yat*lar / ge*çen / ay*dan / bu / ya*na / yük*se*li*yor ↷)
The prices have been going up since last month.
Ayak-ı-/n/ı incit-tik-i/n/-den bu yana Jack okul-a gidemiyor
noun comp-den postp NP adverbial V
postpositional adverbial phrase
(a*ya*ğı*nı / in*cit*ti*ğin*den / bu / ya*na / cek / o*ku*la / gi*de*mi*yor ↷)
Jack hasn’t been able to go to school since he injured his foot.
dair (about): noun or noun compoumd-[e, a] + dair (adjectival)
(Ben) geçen hafta dinazor-lar-a dair bir makale okudum.
NP adverbial prep phrs adjectival noun V
NP
(ge*çen / haf*ta / di*na*zor*la*ra / da:*ir / bir / ki*tap / o*ku*dum ↷)
I read an article about dinosaurs last week.
dek, kadar (until): noun or nound comp-[e,a] + dek (adverbial phrase)
(Ben) sabah-a dek uyu-/y/a.ma-dı-ım.
NP postp adv phrs V
VP
(sa*ba*ha / dek / u*yu*ya*ma*dım ↷)
I couldn’t sleep until morning.
Koca-/s/ı-/n/ın ev-e dön-me-/s/i-/n/e dek kaynana-/s/ı/y/-la tartıştı
nominal phrs (noun comp)-/n/e postp adverbial V
postpositional adverbial phrase of time
(ko*ca*sı*nın / e*ve / dön*me*si*ne / dek~ / kay*na*na*sıy*la / tar*tış*tı ↷)
She had a row with her mother in law until her husband came back home.
diye (thinking, hoping that): sentence + diye (postp adverbial phrase)
(O) ev-de-dir diye kapı-/y/ı çaldım.
nominal sent postp NP V
postp adverbial phrase
(ev*de*dir / di*ye / ka*pı*yı / çal*dım ↷)
I knocked at the door thinking that he was at home.
Ayşe telefon et-er diye (ben) ev-den ayrılmadım.
sentence used as a NP postp NP adverbial V
postpositional adverbial phrase sentence
(ay*şe / te*le*fon / e*der / di*ye / ev*den / ay*rıl*ma*dım ↷)
I didn’t leave home hoping that Ayşe might telephone.

5. [E], [DE], [DEN] MORPHEMES and POSTPOSITIONS in TURKISH
5
dışarı (out, out of): noun-[den, dan, ten, tan] + dışarı (adverb)
(O), para-/y/ı öde-me-den lokanta-dan (dışarı) çıktı.
NP infinitive- den | | |
adverbial adverbial adverb V
VP
(pa*ra*yı / ö*de*me*den / lo*kan*ta*dan / çık*tı ↷)
He went out of the restauraunt without paying.
Dışarı çık! (dı*şa*rı / çık ↷)
order
Go out!
doğru (towards): noun or noun comp-[e, a] + doğru (adverbial)
(Biz) ada-/y/a doğru kürek çektik.
NP adverbial phrase indef obj V
We rowed towards the island.
Baba-am-ın ev-e gel-me-/s/i-/n/e doğru anne-em sofra-/y/ı hazırladı.
noun compound-/n/e postp subj def obj V
postpositional adverbial phrase
(ba*ba*mın / gel*me*si*ne / doğ*ru~ / an*nem / sof*ra*yı / ha*zır*la*dı ↷)
Mother laid the table about the time father came back home.
dolayı (because of): noun or noun comp-[den. dan, ten, tan] + dolayı
Yoğun trafik-ten dolayı okul-a geç kaldım.
adj + noun-den postp adverbial V
postp adverbial phrs
(yo*ğun / tra*fik*ten / do*la*yı / o*ku*la / geç / kal*dım ↷)
I was late for school because of the heavy traffic.
(Ben-im) okul-a geç gel-me-em-den dolayı müdür ben-i cezalandırdı.
possessor adverbial adv possessed-den | NP(subj) NP(obj) V
noun compound-den postp
postpositional adverbial phrase of cause
(o*ku*la / geç / gel*mem*den / do*la*yı~ / mü*dür / be*ni / ce*za:*lan*dır*dı↷)
The principal punished me because of my coming to school late.
geçe (past): noun-[i, ı, ü, u] + noun + geçe (adverbial phrse)
(Ben) saat dokuz-u beş geçe hava alan-ı-/n/a vardım.
NP adverbial phrase adverbial V
(sa*at / do*ku*zu / beş / ge*çe~ / ha*va / a*la*nı*na / var*dım ↷)
I got to the airport at five minutes past nine.

6. [E], [DE], [DEN] MORPHEMES and POSTPOSITIONS in TURKISH
6
geri (back from): noun-[den, dan, ten, tan] + geri
Annem süpermarket-ten (geri) döndü.
NP adverbial adv V
(an*nem / sü*per*mar*ket*ten / dön*dü ↷)
Mother came back from the supermarket.
gibi (like): noun + gibi (adjectival)
(Onlar) biz-im ev-in ön-ü-/n/e kule gibi bir bina dikiyorlar.
NP chain noun comp -/n/e noun posp NP(indef obj V
adverbial phrs adjectival
(bi*zim / e*vin / ö*nü*ne~ / ku*le / gi*bi / bir / bi*na: / di*ki*yor*lar ↷)
They are erecting a buiding like a tower in front of our house.
(Sen) bir centilmen gibi davranmalısın.
NP postp adverbial phrs V
(bir / cen*til*men / gi*bi / dav*ran*ma*lı*sın ↷)
You should behave like a gentleman.
göre (according to): noun or noun comp-[e, a] + göre (adverbial)
Kız kardeş-im-e göre kadın-lar erkek-ler-den (daha) yeteneklidir.
noun-e postp NP advebial phrs adv V
postp adverbial phrs adverbial phrs of comparison
(kız / kar*de*şi*me / gö*re~ / ka*dın*lar / er*kek*ler*den / da*ha / ye*te*nek*li*dir ↷)
According to my sister, women are more talented than men.
Bana göre o çok iyimser.
postp adv phrs NP intens pred adj
(ba*na / gö*re / o / çok / i*yim*ser ↷)
In my opinion, she is very optimistic.
hakkında (about): noun + hakkında (adjectival)
Jack futbol hakkında bir kompozisyon yazıyor.
NP noun + postp NP V
adjectival
(cek / fut*bol / hak*kın*da / bir / kom*po*zis*yon / ya*zı*yor ↷)
Jack is writing a composition about football.
halde (although): verb-[dik-i, dık-ı, dük-ü, duk-u] + halde (infin-[İ] + halde
Biz-im voleybol takım-ı(mız) çok iyi oyna-dık-ı halde maç-ı kazan-a.ma-dı.
chain noun compound noun (infinitive) postp NP V
NP postp phrase of contrast

7. [E], [DE], [DEN] MORPHEMES and POSTPOSITIONS in TURKISH
7
(bi*zim / vo*ley*bol / ta*kı*mı*mız~ / i*yi / oy*na*dı*ğı / hal*de / ma*çı / ka*-
za*na*ma*dı↷)
Although our volleyball team played well, they couldn’t win the game.
içeri (in): içeri-(/y/e) + V (adverb)
İçeri gir. (i*çe*ri / gir ↷) Come in.
Çocuk-lar içeri gir-di. (ço*cuk*lar / i*çe*ri / gir*di ↷) The boys came in.
için (for, to): ben-im, sen-in, o-/n/un + için; verb-[mek, mak] + için
Baba-am ben-im için bir bilgisayar al-dı.
NP postp phrase NP V
adverbial
(ba*bam / be*nim / i*çin / bir / bil*gi*sa*yar / al*dı ↷)
My father bought a computer for me.
Herkes kraliçe-/y/i gör-mek için ayak-a kalk-tı.
NP infinitive postp adverbial V
postp adverbial phrs
(her*kes~ / kı*ra*li*çe*yi / gör*mek / i*çin / a*ya*ğa / kalk*tı ↷)
Everybody stood up to see the queen.
kadar (as…as): noun + kadar (adjectival); noun-[e, a] kadar (adverbial)
Dev kadar bir adam gökgürültüsü gibi gürle-di.
noun postp D + noun noun postp |
adjectival noun postp adverbial phrs V
NP VP
(dev / ka*dar / bir / a*dam~ / gök*gü*rül*tü*sü / gi*bi / gür*le*di ↷)
A man as big as a giant roared like thunder.
kala (to): noun-[e, a) + noun + kala (adverbial)
Maç dokuz-a çeyrek kala başla-dı.
NP noun comp postp V
postp adverbial phrase
(maç~ / do*ku*za / çey*rek / ka*la / baş*la*dı ↷)
The game started at a qarter to nine.
karşı (against): noun or noun comp-[e, a] (adverbial)
Biz onlar-ın teklif-i-/n/e karşı-/y/ız.
NP noun compound -[E] postp phrs.
adverbial phrs prep predicate
VP

8. [E], [DE], [DEN] MORPHEMES and POSTPOSITIONS in TURKISH
8
(biz / on*la*rın / tek*li:*fi*ne / kar*şı*yız ↷)
We are against their proposal.
karşın, rağmen (in spite of): noun comp-[e,a] + karşın (adverbial)
(Biz) (Biz-im) çalış-ma-am.ız-a karşın başar-a.ma-dı-ık.
NP noun compound-a postp V
postp adverbial phrase of contrast
(ça*lış*ma*mı*za / kar*şın / ba*şa*ra*ma*dık ↷)
We couldn’t succeed in spite of our working.
nazaran (compared to): noun or noun comp-[e,a] + nazaran (adverbial)
Sen öteki kız-lar-a nazaran daha güzel-sin.
NP nominal phrs-a postp adverb adjective
postp adverb phrs of comparison predicate VP
(sen / ö*te*ki / kız*la*ra / na*za*ran / da*ha / gü*zel*sin ↷)
You are more beautiful compared to other girls.
nedeniyle, yüzünden (because of): noun compound + nedeniyle
öğrenci-ler-in çok-u yoğun kar yağış-ı nedeniyle okul-a geç gel-di.
noun compound adj noun comp adverbial adverbial adv |
NP postpositional adverbial phrase of cause V
VP
(yo*ğun / kar / ya*ğı*şı / ne*de*niy*le / öğ*ren*ci*le*rin / ço*ğu / o*ku*la / geç / gel*di ↷)
Most of the students came to school late because of the heavy snow fall.
önce, evvel (before): noun or infinitive)-[den, dan, ten, tan] + önce
(Ben) yat-ma-dan önce (ben-im) ev ödev-im-i bitir-miş-ti-im.
NP inf (noun)-dan postp noun compound-i V
postp adverbial phrase NP
(yat*ma*dan / ön*ce / e*vö*de*vi*mi / bi*tir*miş*tim ↷) (liaison)
I had finished my homework before I went to bed.
rağmen (although): noun or noun comp-[e, a] + rağmen
(Biz) yorgun olma-am.ız-a rağmen çalış-ma-/y/a devam et-me.li-/y/iz.
NP noun compound-a postp adverbial indef obj V
postpositional adverbial phrase
(yor*gun / ol*ma*mı*za / rağ*men~ / ça*lış*ma*ya / de*vam / et*me*li*yiz ↷)
We have to go on working although we are tired.
sürece (as long as): noun comp + sürece (adverbial)

9. [E], [DE], [DEN] MORPHEMES and POSTPOSITIONS in TURKISH
9
(sen-in) çalış-tık-ın sürece (sen) başar-a.bil-ir-sin.
noun compound postp NP V
postpositional adverbial phrs
(ça*lış*tı*ğın / sü*re*ce / ba*şa*ra*bi*lir*sin ↷)
You can succeed as long as you work.
üzere (abot to): [mak, mak] infinitive + üzere (adverbial)
Misafir-ler gel-mek üzere.
NP infinitive postp
postp predicate VP
(mi*sa:*fir*ler / gel*mek / ü*ze*re ↷)
The visitors are about to arrive.
Note: If you wish to download free the full version of the book that contains
this section, you should look for "TURKISH GRAMMAR UPDATED ACA-
DEMIC EDITION YUKSEL GOKNEL May 2013" in your browser.
Yüksel Göknel