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Zengin bir adam ama hiç savurgan değil.

Zengin bir adam ama hiç savurgan değil.
He is a rich man but not extravagant at all.
From Lesson 393:Tendency adjectives (-gAn / -kEn)·Turkish

Questions & Answers about Zengin bir adam ama hiç savurgan değil.

How is the word savurgan formed, and what does the root verb mean?
The word savurgan (extravagant/wasteful) is formed by taking the verb root savur-, which means to scatter, toss around, or squander, and adding the tendency suffix -gan. It literally describes someone who has a habit of scattering their money around!
Why is the suffix exactly -gan here, rather than -gen or -kan?
It follows 2-way vowel harmony and consonant mutation rules. The verb root savur- ends with the voiced consonant r, so the suffix starts with g instead of the unvoiced k. The last vowel in the root is u (a back vowel), which dictates that the suffix must take an a, resulting in -gan.
Why is the word order zengin bir adam and not bir zengin adam?
As a quick refresher, when an adjective modifies a noun that is accompanied by the indefinite article bir, the standard and most natural order in Turkish is [Adjective] + bir + [Noun]. Saying bir zengin adam sounds quite unnatural to a native speaker.
How does hiç work with değil in this sentence?
Hiç usually means ever or any, but when it is paired with a negative word like değil (or a negative verb suffix), it translates to not at all. Therefore, hiç savurgan değil specifically means not extravagant at all.

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