Questions & Answers about Ben yapmadım ki, bu bir iftira!
Why is ki at the end of the first clause, and why does the English translation start with 'But'?
The trailing particle ki is used here to show exasperation and defense. When attached to the end of a statement like Ben yapmadım ki, it acts as a strong counter to what someone else just said. In English, we often express this exact feeling of defensive frustration by starting the sentence with 'But...'!
Since yapmadım already means 'I didn't do it', why is the pronoun Ben explicitly included?
Including the optional subject pronoun Ben adds strong emphasis. In a highly defensive context like this, the speaker is stressing that they specifically are innocent. It gives the sentence the feeling of 'I didn't do it!' rather than just a flat factual statement.
Why do we say bu bir iftira rather than just bu iftira?
While bu iftira ('this is slander') is grammatically correct, adding the indefinite article bir categorizes the accusation as a specific instance of a lie. Bu bir iftira! sounds more like a dramatic, complete declaration: 'This is a piece of slander!' or 'This is an outrage!'
Can a trailing ki be followed by a comma and another clause like it is here?
Yes. Usually, a trailing ki of exasperation ends the sentence entirely, leaving the obvious unsaid. However, here the speaker chooses to immediately follow up their frustrated denial with the reason for their frustration: the fact that the accusation is slander. The comma directly links the emotional reaction to the logical explanation.