Breakdown of Şablon cümleler dikkat çekmiyor.
cümle
the sentence
dikkat çekmek
to attract attention
şablon
template
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Questions & Answers about Şablon cümleler dikkat çekmiyor.
Is şablon an adjective here? Does it change for plural?
Yes. şablon functions as an adjective meaning “template/formulaic.” Turkish adjectives don’t change for number or gender, so it stays şablon whether the noun is singular or plural. The plural is marked only on the noun: cümle → cümleler (“sentence(s)” → “sentences”).
Why is the verb singular (çekmiyor) even though the subject (şablon cümleler) is plural?
In Turkish, when making a general statement about a plural subject, the verb typically stays in 3rd person singular. So Şablon cümleler dikkat çekmiyor is normal and natural. If you say çekmiyorlar, you’re usually talking about a specific, known set of sentences and treating them as individual items.
Can I say Şablon cümleler dikkat çekmiyorlar?
Grammatically yes, but it implies a specific group (those particular template sentences) and sounds more “list-like” or emphatic. For broad, generic statements, prefer the singular agreement: çekmiyor.
Why is negation done with -mıyor and not with değil?
- -mıyor is the verbal negation suffix used with verbs (here: çekmiyor, “is not attracting”).
- değil negates nouns and adjectives. If you turn the idea into an adjective, you can say: Şablon cümleler dikkat çekici değil (“Template sentences are not attention-grabbing”).
What exactly is the idiom dikkat çekmek?
Literally “to pull attention,” it idiomatically means “to attract attention.” The sentence says that template sentences don’t attract attention.
Why is there no accusative on dikkat? Should it be dikkati?
As a fixed idiom, dikkat çekmek usually leaves dikkat unmarked. You add accusative or possessive when you specify whose attention:
- General: dikkat çekmiyor (“doesn’t attract attention”).
- Specific person: dikkatini çekmiyor (“doesn’t attract his/her attention”).
- No one’s attention: kimsenin dikkatini çekmiyor.
What’s the difference between çekmiyor and çekmez?
- çekmiyor (present continuous, negative): “is not attracting (now / these days / in this context).”
- çekmez (aorist/habitual, negative): “doesn’t attract (as a general rule).” So for timeless generalizations, Şablon cümleler dikkat çekmez is very natural; for the current situation or ongoing tendency, çekmiyor fits.
How is çekmiyor formed morphologically?
Root çek- + negative -me- + present continuous -(I)yor. In negated present continuous, -me + (I)yor contracts to -mIyor by vowel harmony:
- çek-me-(i)yor → çekmiyor (the A in -mA is replaced by the harmonizing high vowel I).
Can I change the word order?
Yes, Turkish is flexible. Default neutral is Subject–Object–Verb:
- Neutral: Şablon cümleler dikkat çekmiyor. To emphasize the lack of attention, you might front the object:
- Focus on the result: Dikkat çekmiyor şablon cümleler. For a yes/no question, add the question particle:
- Şablon cümleler dikkat çekmiyor mu?
Why is it -ler (not -lar) in cümleler?
Plural suffix obeys vowel harmony: after front vowels (e, i, ö, ü), use -ler; after back vowels (a, ı, o, u), use -lar. cümle has front vowel e, so cümleler.
How do I pronounce the tricky letters?
- ş = “sh” in “shoe.”
- ç = “ch” in “church.”
- ü = French “u”/German “ü.”
- ı (dotless ı) = a central “uh,” not like English “i.” Stress is typically near the end of words; in çekmiyor, the main stress is on çek or the syllable before -yor; -yor itself is usually unstressed.
How would I say “a template sentence doesn’t attract attention” vs “some template sentences don’t attract attention”?
- Singular, indefinite: Bir şablon cümle dikkat çekmiyor.
- Plural with “some”: Bazı şablon cümleler dikkat çekmiyor. Turkish has no article “the”; definiteness is inferred from context.
How can I say “They don’t attract anyone’s attention” more explicitly?
Use a possessive + genitive:
- Şablon cümleler kimsenin dikkatini çekmiyor.
Is there an adjectival alternative?
Yes: dikkat çekici means “attention-grabbing.” Negate with değil:
- Şablon cümleler dikkat çekici değil.
Any near-synonyms to vary the expression?
- ilgi çekmiyor = “doesn’t attract interest.”
- göze çarpmıyor = “doesn’t stand out / isn’t noticeable.”
- fark edilmiyor = “isn’t noticed.”
How do I put this in past or future?
- Past: Şablon cümleler dikkat çekmedi. (“didn’t attract attention.”)
- Past continuous: … dikkat çekmiyordu. (“weren’t attracting…”)
- Future: … dikkat çekmeyecek. (“won’t attract…”)
- Habitual (general truth): … dikkat çekmez. (“don’t attract…”)