Breakdown of Burada bu şahıslar adına konuşuyorum.
bu
this
burada
here
konuşmak
to speak / to talk
şahıs
person / individual (formal)
Questions & Answers about Burada bu şahıslar adına konuşuyorum.
The lesson says we can use Noun or Genitive + adına. Why isn't there a genitive suffix on şahıslar here?
When adına means "on behalf of," it often links with a bare noun to form a general compound. You can use the genitive (şahısların adına) to make it sound strictly specific ("on behalf of the individuals"), but leaving the genitive off is extremely common and natural in formal contexts. However, remember that personal pronouns must always take the genitive (e.g., onların adına).
How does the word adına literally translate to "on behalf of"?
It literally means "to the name of." It consists of ad (name) + -ı (the 3rd person possessive suffix, linking it to the previous noun) + -n- (buffer letter) + -a (dative case meaning "to"). So, şahıslar adına literally means "to the name of individuals."
If I wanted to say "He is speaking on my behalf" instead, how does adına change?
You have to change the possessive suffix inside the word to match the person. "My behalf" is literally "to my name": benim adıma (ad + -ım + -a). The sentence would then be Benim adıma konuşuyor.
Why use şahıslar instead of the more common word kişiler for "individuals"?