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Questions & Answers about Herkesin fikri önemlidir.
What does herkesin mean in this sentence, and how is it formed?
Herkes means everyone in Turkish. When the genitive suffix -in is added, it turns into herkesin, which expresses possession (i.e., everyone’s). This shows that the opinion belongs to everyone.
How is possession indicated in the phrase herkesin fikri?
In Turkish, possession is shown by a two-part construction. First, the possessor (here, herkes) takes the genitive suffix (-in, making herkesin). Then, the possessed noun (fikir, meaning opinion) receives a possessive suffix that agrees with the possessor, turning it into fikri. Together, herkesin fikri literally means everyone's opinion.
What does önemlidir mean, and how is it constructed?
Önemlidir is made up of the adjective önemli (meaning important) and the copular suffix -dir, which functions similarly to the verb to be in English. Thus, önemlidir translates as is important, stating a general truth.
Why is the noun fikri in singular form even though it refers to everyone?
Even though herkes refers to all people, the noun fikri remains singular because Turkish often uses the singular form to express a collective idea. The sentence implies that each person’s individual opinion is important without needing to list multiple opinions.
Why isn’t an explicit subject pronoun used in this sentence?
Turkish is a pro-drop language, meaning that subject pronouns can be omitted when their meaning is clear from context. In Herkesin fikri önemlidir, the structure of the possessed noun phrase already makes it clear whose opinion is being discussed, so an extra subject pronoun is unnecessary.