Breakdown of Dalgıçlar denizin dibindeki mercan resifleri üzerinde parametre ve varyasyon ölçümleri yaptı.
ve
and
yapmak
to do
ölçüm
the measurement
varyasyon
the variation
parametre
the parameter
dalgıç
the diver
denizin dibindeki mercan resifleri üzerinde
on the coral reefs at the bottom of the sea
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Questions & Answers about Dalgıçlar denizin dibindeki mercan resifleri üzerinde parametre ve varyasyon ölçümleri yaptı.
What does denizin dibindeki mean and how is it formed?
denizin dibindeki means “at the bottom of the sea” used as an adjective (“the … which is at the bottom of the sea”). It breaks down as:
- deniz (“sea”) + genitive -in → denizin (“of the sea”)
- dip (“bottom”) + locative -de → dibinde (“in/on the bottom”)
- relative suffix -ki turns the location into a descriptor → dibindeki
Combined: “which is in the sea’s bottom.”
What is the role of the suffix -ki in dibindeki?
The suffix -ki creates a relative clause from a locative expression. It links the phrase “in the bottom” to the noun it modifies (“mercan resifleri”), functioning like “which is at …” in English.
Why is the verb yaptı in third person singular when dalgıçlar (divers) is clearly plural?
Standard agreement would be yaptılar for a plural subject. However, Turkish allows using singular verb forms with plural subjects when the focus is on the action itself rather than on the doers. Both yaptı and yaptılar can occur, though yaptılar is more common with an explicit plural subject.
Why does the sentence use ölçümleri yaptı instead of simply ölçtü?
- ölçtü = “he/she measured.”
- ölçüm yapmak = “to perform/carry out a measurement.”
In scientific or technical contexts, ölçüm yapmak emphasizes the systematic act of measuring. So parametre ve varyasyon ölçümleri yaptı means “they performed parameter and variation measurements.”
How is the direct object marked in parametre ve varyasyon ölçümleri?
The head noun ölçüm takes plural -ler → ölçümler, then accusative -i → ölçümleri. Since these are specific measurements actually conducted, they get the accusative suffix -i. The modifiers parametre and varyasyon don’t take additional case endings because in Turkish only the main noun in a noun phrase wears the case suffix.
Why is üzerinde used instead of üstünde or üzerine?
- üzerinde (locative) = “on, on top of” (static location).
- üstünde is similar but often implies a simpler concrete surface (“on the table”).
- üzerine (allative) = “onto,” implying movement toward the surface.
Here the divers conducted measurements on already existing reefs, so a static locative (üzerinde) is correct.
Why does resifleri have the -i suffix even though it’s not the direct object of the verb?
In Turkish, adding accusative -i to a noun in a postpositional phrase (like resifleri üzerinde) marks that noun as specific. resifleri with -i means “those specific reefs” rather than “reefs in general.”
What does parametre ve varyasyon mean? Are these English borrowings?
Yes, they are loanwords commonly used in scientific Turkish:
- parametre = “parameter”
- varyasyon = “variation”
Both come from French/English and are standard in technical vocabulary.
Why is the plural suffix -lar used (not -ler) in dalgıçlar?
Turkish plural suffix follows vowel harmony:
- After a back vowel (a, ı, o, u) you use -lar.
- After a front vowel (e, i, ö, ü) you use -ler.
dalgıç has the back vowel a, so it takes -lar → dalgıçlar (“divers”).
Why doesn’t Turkish use a word for “the,” as in “the divers” or “the coral reefs”?
Turkish has no definite article. Definiteness is understood from context or marked by case endings on objects (accusative -i) and sometimes by word order or modifiers. Here, dalgıçlar and mercan resifleri rely on context to mean “the divers” and “the coral reefs.”