Breakdown of Bu eski mi eski rayların sonsuz kıvrımları var.
bu
this
var
there is / existent
eski
old
mi
question particle (mı/mi/mu/mü)
ray
rail, track
sonsuz
endless / infinite
kıvrım
curve / bend (fold, twist)
Questions & Answers about Bu eski mi eski rayların sonsuz kıvrımları var.
Why is the question particle mi used in the middle of eski mi eski?
This is a special structure for intensified emphasis. By repeating an adjective and placing the question particle mi (or mı, mu, mü depending on vowel harmony) between them, you get a meaning like 'very', 'extremely', or 'incredibly'. Here, eski mi eski means 'very old' and doesn't ask a question at all.
Why do we say rayların ... kıvrımları var instead of using a specific verb for 'to have'?
Turkish doesn't have a direct verb for 'to have'. Instead, it uses the genitive-possessive structure with var (there is / exists). Literally, this sentence translates to 'Of the rails (rayların), their endless curves (sonsuz kıvrımları) exist (var).'
Since the rails are plural, why is it Bu instead of Bunlar?
In Turkish, when a demonstrative word like bu (this), şu (that), or o (that over there) acts as an adjective directly modifying a noun, it always stays singular. Because it modifies the noun phrase eski mi eski rayların, we use bu, even though in English it translates to the plural 'these'.
What is the root of the word kıvrımları?
The base noun is kıvrım (curve, fold, or bend), which comes from the verb kıvırmak (to curl or bend). The suffix -ları is the third-person plural possessive, meaning 'their curves' (belonging to the rails). Notice the vowel drop: the second ı in the verb root kıvır- disappears when the noun-forming suffix -ım is added.
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