Questions & Answers about Tekne rıhtıma yanaştı.
Why is there no article before Tekne?
Turkish does not use words like a, an or the. Whether something is definite or indefinite is understood from context or added with words like bir (one/a).
What is the function of the suffix -a in rıhtıma?
The suffix -a marks the dative case, which corresponds to English “to” (i.e. to the pier). It shows the direction or target of the motion.
How do you choose between -a and -e for the dative suffix?
You follow vowel harmony. If the last vowel of the noun is a back vowel (a, ı, o, u), use -a. If it’s a front vowel (e, i, ö, ü), use -e. Rıhtım has ı, a back vowel, so it takes -a.
Why isn’t there a buffer y before -a in rıhtıma (like in köye)?
A buffer consonant y is only needed when the noun ends in a vowel (to avoid a vowel-vowel clash). Rıhtım ends in m (a consonant), so you attach -a directly.
What is the root of , and what does the part represent?