The Gradual Progression Pattern
To express that something changes over time, spreads sequentially, or is passed along, Turkish uses a repetitive adverbial pattern. You take a noun, add the ablative case suffix (-DAn: from), repeat the exact same noun, and add the dative case suffix (-(y)A: to).
- Noun + DAn + Noun + (y)A
Time and Gradual Change
When applied to units of time, this pattern translates to "day by day," "year to year," and so on. It is perfectly suited for describing gradual evolution, strengthening, or deterioration.
- gün (day) -> günden güne (from day to day)
- yıl (year) -> yıldan yıla (from year to year)
| The new rules are becoming widespread from day to day. | Yeni kurallar günden güne yaygınlaşmakta. |
| The solution became distinct from day to day. | Çözüm günden güne belirginleşti. |
| This design is evolving from year to year. | Bu tasarım yıldan yıla evrilmekte. |
Passing and Transferring
This exact same formula is used to describe physical items, rumors, or traditions being passed from one person or group to another.
- el (hand) -> elden ele (from hand to hand)
- kulak (ear) -> kulaktan kulağa (from ear to ear / by word of mouth)
- nesil (generation) -> nesilden nesile (from generation to generation)
| We hope that the document will circulate from hand to hand. | Belgenin elden ele dolaşacağını umuyoruz. |
| We knew that the rumors would spread by word of mouth. | Söylentilerin kulaktan kulağa yayılacağını biliyorduk. |
| We wrote books for this myth to be transferred from generation to generation. | Bu söylencenin nesilden nesile aktarılması için kitaplar yazdık. |
Spreading Across Places
You can also apply this correlative pattern to physical locations to describe geographic movement or spreading.
- şehir (city) -> şehirden şehre (from city to city)
| As the plague spread from city to city, finding a cure became difficult. | Veba şehirden şehre yayıldıkça şifa bulmak zorlaştı. |
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