Question 1

What verbs do the adjectives solgun and durgun come from, and how does the suffix change their meaning?

Accepted Answer

They come from the verbs solmak (to fade, to wilt) and durmak (to stop, to stand still). The suffix -gun derives an adjective that describes a state resulting from that action. So, something that has faded is solgun (pale), and someone who has stopped moving or reacting is durgun (still, quiet, or withdrawn).

Question 2

Why do both of these words take the -gun form of the suffix instead of -gin or -kun?

Accepted Answer

This suffix follows both consonant mutation and 4-way vowel harmony. The verb roots sol- and dur- end in voiced consonants (l and r), so the suffix must start with the voiced g instead of the unvoiced k. Furthermore, because the vowels in the roots are o and u, vowel harmony dictates that the suffix vowel must be u, giving us -gun.

Question 3

Why does the sentence use the conditional olmasa to mean "weren't"?

Accepted Answer

In Turkish, the word keşke (I wish / if only) pairs with the conditional mood (-sa / -se). Because this is a wish about a hypothetical present situation ("I wish he weren't right now"), we use the simple negative conditional olmasa. If this were a past regret ("I wish he hadn't been"), you would use the past conditional olmasaydı.

Question 4

Could I use çok instead of bu kadar here?

Accepted Answer

You could say çok solgun to mean "very pale," but bu kadar literally means "this much" or "to this extent." Just like in English, saying "I wish he weren't so pale" (bu kadar) emphasizes the visible, extreme degree of his current state more naturally than "I wish he weren't very pale" (çok).

Keşke o bu kadar solgun ve durgun olmasa.

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