Questions & Answers about Adamın kolu uzun.
Why is the suffix on adam just -ın instead of -nın?
The genitive (owner) suffix is generally -(n)ın, -(n)in, -(n)un, or -(n)ün. The 'n' is a buffer letter used only when the root word ends in a vowel. Since adam ends in a consonant ('m'), we do not need the buffer 'n'. Then, because of 4-way vowel harmony, the 'a' in adam makes the suffix -ın.
Why does kol (arm) have a -u at the end?
In English, we just say 'the man's arm'. But in Turkish, possession is a two-part system. You add the 'owner' suffix to the first word (adamın = the man's) AND you must add a 'possessed' suffix to the second word (kolu = his arm). Literally, Turkish says 'The man's his arm'. This double-marking is required for possessive phrases.
Why did kol take -u as its possessive suffix instead of -ı or -i?
This is due to 4-way vowel harmony. The last vowel in kol is 'o'. According to the harmony rules, words whose last vowel is 'o' or 'u' take suffixes containing 'u'. Therefore, the 3rd-person possessive suffix becomes -u.
Where is the word for 'is' in this sentence?
In Turkish, 'to be' (am/is/are) is not a separate verb in the simple present tense. You just place the adjective (uzun) at the end of the sentence. Because the subject ('the man's arm') is a third-person 'it', no extra 'to be' suffix is needed on the adjective. The 'is' is simply understood.
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