Object Position & Focus Word Order
A2
Syntax
Turkish word order is guided by pragmatic structure. The canonical ordering is SOV, but focus, contrast, and topicalization may shift constituents. The verb in finite clauses remains clause-final.
1. Neutral Word Order (SOV)
The unmarked pattern places the object immediately before the verb.
Subject – Object – Verb
Examples:
Ali kitabı okuyor. (Ali is reading the book.)
Biz filmi izledik. (We watched the film.)
2. Object Position in Neutral Clauses
In non-focused contexts, the direct object occupies the preverbal position.
Examples:
Ayşe mektubu yazdı. (Ayşe wrote the letter.)
Çocuklar ödevi yapıyor. (The children are doing the homework.)
3. Focus in Turkish
Focus marks new, contrastive, or emphasized information.
The focus position is immediately before the verb.
3.1. Focus on Object
Placing the object in the preverbal focus slot assigns it emphasis.
Correct focus-marked example:
Ali KİTABI okudu. (It was the book that Ali read.)
3.2. Focus on Subject
The subject may occupy the focus slot when contrastive.
Examples:
BEN geldim. (It was I who came.)
ONLAR konuşuyor. (It is they who are speaking.)
3.3. Focus on Adverbials
Other constituents may also occupy the focus slot.
Examples:
Bugün geliyorum. (It is today that I am coming.)
Burada bekliyorum. (It is here that I am waiting.)
4. Topicalization and Fronting
Turkish allows constituents to move to the sentence-initial position for topicalization.
4.1. Topicalization (Sentence-initial Topic)
A topic refers to given or established information.
Example:
Kitabı Ali okudu.
(As for the book, Ali read it.)
Topic–Focus structure:
[Topic] — [Focus] — [Verb]
Here: Kitabı (topic), Ali (focus), okudu (verb).
4.2. Contrastive Fronting
Fronting may contrast two objects.
Example:
Bu filmi beğendim, ama diğerini beğenmedim. (This film I liked, but not the other.)
5. Indefinite vs. Definite Objects
5.1. Indefinite Objects (no accusative)
Indefinite objects must appear immediately before the verb and cannot occupy the focus slot.
Examples:
Ali kitap okuyor. (Ali is reading a book.)
Biz çorba içtik. (We drank soup.)
These objects are part of the verb phrase and cannot be fronted or focused.
5.2. Definite Objects (accusative)
Definite objects take the accusative suffix and may freely participate in focus and topic structures.
Examples:
Ali kitabı okuyor.
Kitabı Ali okudu.
6. Negation and Object Placement
In neutral negative clauses, the object precedes negation.
Examples:
Ali kitabı okumadı. (Ali did not read the book.)
Biz filmi izlemedik. (We did not watch the film.)
When the object is focused, it occupies the preverbal focus slot:
KİTABI okumadı. (It was the book that he did not read.)
7. Wh-Focus and Questions
Wh-words inherently carry focus and appear in the preverbal focus position.
Examples:
Ali ne aldı? (What did Ali buy?)
Sen kimi gördün? (Whom did you see?)
Examples
Ali kitabı okudu. (Neutral.)
Ali KİTABI okudu. (Object focus.)
Kitabı Ali okudu. (Topicalized object + subject focus.)
Biz seni bekliyoruz. (Object focus possible.)
Ben geldim. (Subject focus.)
Bugün geliyorum. (Adverbial focus.)
Filmi izlemedik. (Neutral negation.)
KİTABI okumadım. (Focused object in negation.)
(It was the book that I did not read.)
Notes
The verb is clause-final in finite clauses.
The focus position is the immediately preverbal slot.
Indefinite objects must remain in the preverbal VP-internal position.
Definite objects may be fronted, focused, or topicalized.
Topic and focus may co-occur (Topic–Focus–Verb).
Object Position & Focus – FAQ (B1)
Q: Where is the object placed in a neutral Turkish sentence?
A: In neutral sentences, the object is placed immediately before the verb in the SOV order.
Q: How does focusing the object change word order in Turkish?
A: When the object is focused, it occupies the preverbal focus position to receive emphasis.
Q: Can indefinite objects be fronted or focused?
A: No, indefinite objects must stay immediately before the verb and cannot be fronted or focused.