Breakdown of Bu minicik kuzu annesini arıyor.
bu
this
anne
mother
aramak
to look for, to call
minik
tiny
kuzu
lamb
Questions & Answers about Bu minicik kuzu annesini arıyor.
How is the diminutive suffix formed in the word minicik?
The root word is minik (tiny). When we attach the diminutive suffix -cik to a word that ends in k, the k drops out. So minik + -cik becomes minicik (very tiny), instead of "minikçik". This happens with several adjectives, like küçük becoming küçücük.
Why does the word anne take the suffixes -sini?
The lamb isn't looking for just any mother, but its own mother. First, we add the possessive suffix -si to anne to make annesi (its mother). Because the mother is the specific direct object of the verb arıyor, we must add the accusative case suffix -i. Whenever we add a case suffix right after a third-person possessive, we must use the buffer letter -n-, resulting in annesini.
The dictionary form of the verb is aramak (to look for). Why is it spelled arıyor here?
This is a spelling rule called vowel narrowing. When a verb root ends in a or e (like ara-), and you add the continuous suffix -yor, that final vowel narrows to ı, i, u, or ü. Here, the a changes to ı, making it arıyor.
I learned that aramak means "to call on the phone". How do I know which meaning applies here?
The verb aramak is used for both "to look for / search" and "to call by phone". You have to rely on context. Since a tiny lamb doesn't use a phone, "looking for" is the only logical meaning in this sentence!
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