Breakdown of Demek ki onun bu işe kalkışma olasılığı sıfırdı.
bu
this
o
that / he / she / it
iş
work
ki
that (conjunction) / so... that
demek
to say, to mean
sıfır
zero
kalkışmak
to attempt / to undertake
olasılık
probability
Questions & Answers about Demek ki onun bu işe kalkışma olasılığı sıfırdı.
How does the structure for "probability of him attempting" work here? Why isn't there a possessive suffix on kalkışma?
This is the core of our current lesson. We use the short verbal noun -mA (kalkışma) combined with an abstract noun (olasılık) that takes the possessive suffix (-ı). This creates the compound noun kalkışma olasılığı (probability of attempting). The person doing the action is expressed with the genitive pronoun onun (his) modifying the whole compound. We don't say onun kalkışması olasılığı; the short verbal noun stays bare, and the possessive goes on the abstract noun.
Why is the dative case used in bu işe instead of the accusative bu işi?
The verb kalkışmak (to attempt / to undertake) always requires the dative case (-A) for the thing being attempted. You can think of it as launching into a task or rising to an occasion. Therefore, bu iş (this job) becomes bu işe.
Is there a difference in nuance between kalkışmak and denemek?
Yes, a very distinct one. While denemek is a neutral "to try" or "to test," kalkışmak implies attempting something difficult, risky, or presumptuous. It often carries the feeling of biting off more than you can chew, which fits perfectly with a sentence concluding that someone had a "zero probability" of actually doing it.
What is the exact function of demek ki at the start of the sentence?
demek ki translates to "it means that," "so," or "therefore." It is used to state a logical conclusion based on previous evidence or context. The speaker is deducing this "zero probability" from something that was just observed or discussed.
Why does the sentence end with sıfırdı instead of just sıfır?
sıfır means "zero," but the English translation says the probability "was zero." To express "was" attached to a noun or adjective, we use the past tense copula (-dI). Following vowel harmony rules for words ending in an undotted back vowel, it becomes -dı, giving us sıfırdı.
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