Relative Clauses II
B1
Clauses
Case-marked relative clauses in Turkish are formed by adding case suffixes to nominalized relative clauses.These structures allow the relative clause to function as a fully inflected noun phrase while modifying a head noun.
1. Function
Case-marked relative clauses specify a noun by embedding a nominalized clause that carries grammatical case.
The case marking reflects the syntactic role of the entire relative clause within the main sentence.
2. Forms
Case-marked relative clauses are built on –DIK nominalization and include:
possessive suffixes marking the subject of the relative clause,
case suffixes marking the syntactic role of the whole structure.
The case suffix attaches to the end of the nominalized clause.
3. Morphology
The verb stem is nominalized with –DIK, followed by possessive suffixes and then case suffixes.
Nominalizer shape:
–DIK → dık / dik / duk / dük
Order of suffixes:
Verb stem → –DIK → possessive suffix → case suffix
Consonant softening (k → ğ) applies when vowel-initial possessive or case suffixes follow.
4. Syntax
The case-marked relative clause precedes the noun it modifies.
The entire case-marked structure functions as an adjective modifying the head noun, while the case ending reflects the role of the entire noun phrase within the main sentence.
The case suffix marks the syntactic role of the clause as a whole, not of the verb stem.
5. Usage
Case-marked relative clauses are used when the relative clause itself has a grammatical role such as:
location (–DA),
direction or recipient (–(y)A),
source (–DAn),
or object relation (–(y)I).
The choice of case suffix is determined by the requirements of the surrounding structure.
Examples
Gittiğimiz yerde bekliyor.
(He/She is waiting in the place where we went.)Tanıştığım kişiye teşekkür ettim.
(I thanked the person that I met.)Yaşadığımız şehirden ayrıldı.
(He/She left the city that we live in.)Konuştuğumuz konuyu hatırlıyorum.
(I remember the topic that we talked about.)Geldiğimiz günden bahsetti.
(He/She talked about the day that we arrived.)
Notes
Case suffixes attach to the end of the nominalized relative clause.
Possessive suffixes mark the subject of the relative clause.
The relative clause precedes the noun it modifies.
Case marking reflects the syntactic role of the entire clause within the sentence.
Relative Clauses II – FAQ (B1)
Q: What is the main difference between Relative Clauses I and II in Turkish?
A: Relative Clauses II focus on clauses where the head noun is not the subject of the relative clause, and different participle suffixes are used.
Q: Which suffixes are commonly used in Relative Clauses II?
A: The most common suffixes are -DIK / -DIĞI, -ECEK / -ECEĞI, and -MIŞ / -MIŞI, combined with possessive endings.
Q: Why do Relative Clauses II require possessive suffixes?
A: Because the action in the relative clause is linked to a specific subject, and the possessive suffix marks who performs the action within the clause.