Genitive Suppression & Implicit Relations
B2
Noun Phrases
1. Function
This lesson explains how Turkish omits the genitive (tamlayan) in certain contexts while preserving meaning through implicit ownership and structural markers. The focus is on how ownership and reference are maintained across sentences, not only inside fixed noun compounds.
2. Forms
Genitive suppression occurs when:
• The owner is already known from context
• Repetition is stylistically avoided
• The focus shifts from the owner to the process or object
• Institutional or professional tone requires abstraction
The possessed noun retains its possessive marking, and when case marking follows, the pronominal –n– appears as a structural connector.
3. Morphology
A) Possessive Retention without Genitive
Even when the genitive noun is omitted, the possessed noun keeps its possessive suffix.
• politika-sı
• onaylan-ma-sı
• tamamlan-ma-sı
This signals that an owner exists, even if it is not stated.
B) Pronominal –n– as Structural Evidence
When a possessed form takes a case marker, the pronominal –n– appears even if the genitive is suppressed.
• politika-sı-n-da
• onaylan-ma-sı-n-ı
• tamamlan-ma-sı-n-ın
The -n- functions as a structural marker, proving an implicit genitive relationship.
C) Agency Suppression
Passive nominalization and genitive suppression work together to remove the agent.
This is a deliberate strategy in professional Turkish to maintain a neutral, evidence-based distance, shifting focus from who did something to what process occurred.
4. Structural Guide
A) Cross-Sentence Implicit Ownership
Genitive suppression often operates across sentences, not within a single noun phrase.
The second (and following) sentences rely on a previously introduced owner, now implicit.
B) Matruşka Logic (Nested Reference)
[[rapor-un içerik-i] incelendi]. [onaylan-ma-sı-n-ı] bekliyoruz.
The outer structure depends on an inner, already established unit.
Ownership is not repeated, but nested.
C) Visual Hierarchy with Suppressed Genitive
[(Şirket)] politika-sı-n-da değişiklik yapıldı.
The omitted genitive is still encoded morphologically.
5. Usage
Genitive suppression is common in:
• Reports
• Meeting minutes
• Academic writing
• Institutional announcements
• Legal and administrative texts
It prevents redundancy while maintaining precision.
Examples
A)
Natural Form:
Raporun içeriği incelendi. Onaylanmasını bekliyoruz.
Morphological Form:
Rapor-un içer-ik-i ince-len-di.
(onay-la-n-ma-sı-n-ı) bekli-yor-uz.
English:
The content of the report was reviewed. We are waiting for its approval.
B)
Natural Form:
Politikası-n-da önemli değişiklikler yapıldı.
Morphological Form:
(şirket) politika-sı-n-da önemli değiş-iklik-ler yap-ıl-dı.
English:
Important changes were made to its policy.
C)
Natural Form:
Tamamlanmasının ardından süreç hızlandırıldı.
Morphological Form (Micro-Morphology):
• tamam- (root / adj: complete)
• -la- (verb-maker)
• -n- (passive)
• -ma- (nominalizer)
• -sı (possessive)
• -n- (pronominal joint)
• -ın (genitive bridge)
→ tamam-lan-ma-sı-n-ın
English:
After its completion, the process was accelerated.
D) Paragraph-Level Analysis (Implicit Chain)
Natural Form:
Yeni proje onaylandı. Hazırlanmasına hemen başlandı. Tamamlanmasının ardından sunumuna geçilecek.
Structural Analysis:
• proje → explicitly introduced owner
• hazırlan-ma-sı-n-a → preparation of the project
• tamamlan-ma-sı-n-ın → completion of the same project
• sunum-u-n-a → presentation of the same project
Each sentence omits the genitive noun, but the possessive suffix + pronominal –n– preserves continuity.
Ownership is tracked discursively, not lexically.
English:
The new project was approved. Its preparation was started immediately. After its completion, the presentation will begin.
Notes
• Genitive suppression does not remove ownership; it removes lexical repetition
• The possessive suffix signals an implicit owner
• The pronominal -n- is a structural joint, not optional
• Suppressed genitives are common in professional discourse
• Passive nominalization supports agency suppression
• Meaning is reconstructed through discourse context, not isolated words
Genitive Suppression & Implicit Relations – FAQ (B2)
Q: What is genitive suppression in Turkish?
A: Genitive suppression is the omission of the genitive noun when the owner is already clear from context. Meaning is preserved through the possessive suffix on the noun.
Q: How is ownership still marked when the genitive is omitted?
A: The possessed noun keeps its possessive suffix. If a case marker is added, the pronominal –n– appears, structurally proving an implicit genitive relationship.
Q: Why is genitive suppression common in professional Turkish?
A: It avoids repetition and shifts focus from the actor to the process or outcome. This creates a neutral, abstract, and institutionally appropriate tone.