Breakdown of Onun kararsızlığı, toplantıda zaman kaybına yol açtı.
onun
his
zaman
the time
yol açmak
to cause
toplantı
the meeting
-da
in
kararsızlık
the indecision
Elon.io is an online learning platform
We have an entire course teaching Turkish grammar and vocabulary.
Questions & Answers about Onun kararsızlığı, toplantıda zaman kaybına yol açtı.
What does Onun mean in this sentence, and how does it relate to kararsızlığı?
Onun is a possessive pronoun meaning “his” or “her.” It indicates that the quality or condition expressed by kararsızlık (indecisiveness) belongs to that person. In Turkish, when a noun like kararsızlık takes a possessive ending (here shown as -ı in kararsızlığı), it works together with the pronoun onun to clearly mark possession.
How is the word kararsızlığı formed, and what does it mean?
Kararsızlığı comes from the adjective kararsız, which means “indecisive.” By adding the suffix -lık, the adjective is transformed into a noun—kararsızlık—meaning “indecisiveness.” The ending -ı at the end of kararsızlığı is a possessive marker that agrees with onun, reinforcing that the indecisiveness belongs to that person.
What role does toplantıda serve in the sentence, and how is it constructed?
Toplantıda is the noun toplantı (meaning “meeting”) combined with the locative suffix -da. This suffix indicates location, so toplantıda translates to “in the meeting.” It tells us where the resulting effect (the loss of time) occurred.
Can you break down the phrase zaman kaybına yol açtı and explain its grammatical components?
Certainly. The phrase divides into two main parts: • Zaman kaybı: This literally means “loss of time” or “waste of time.” The word kaybı is the noun “loss,” and when combined with zaman (“time”), it forms a compound concept. • Kaybına: Here, the dative case ending -na is added to indicate that the loss is the outcome of the action. • Yol açtı: This is the past tense of the idiomatic expression yol açmak, which means “to lead to” or “to cause.” Together, the phrase means “led to a loss of time” or “caused time to be wasted.”
Why is there a comma after Onun kararsızlığı in the Turkish sentence?
The comma serves to separate the subject or introductory phrase from the rest of the sentence, enhancing clarity. In Turkish, punctuation rules allow for such commas to mark a pause or to emphasize the cause–effect relationship expressed in the sentence—here, separating the cause (Onun kararsızlığı) from the effect (toplantıda zaman kaybına yol açtı).
How does the word order in this Turkish sentence compare to English, and what should English learners keep in mind?
Turkish generally follows a subject–object–verb (SOV) order, unlike English’s subject–verb–object (SVO) order. In the given sentence, the effect (the loss of time during the meeting) comes before the verb (yol açtı), which is typical in Turkish. Additionally, Turkish makes extensive use of suffixes to indicate grammatical roles instead of requiring separate prepositions. English speakers should be prepared for these structural differences when learning Turkish.