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Discourse Connectors in Written Turkish

B2

Discourse

1. Function

In formal Turkish writing, discourse connectors do not simply link sentences. They organize relationships between established facts, ensuring cohesion across sentences and paragraphs while preserving analytical distance.


Their role is to:


  • relate nominalized facts to one another

  • frame evaluations without personal stance

  • guide the reader through structured analysis


Cohesion is achieved through reference, framing, and result orientation, not narrative sequencing.


2. Forms


A) Structural Forms

Professional connectors are realized as:


  • postpositional frames

  • adverbial connectors

  • nominal reference expressions


They attach to facts already introduced and operate at the text level.


B) Categorized Menu of Professional Connectors


Zıtlık (Contrast):


  • buna karşın (by contrast)

  • bununla birlikte (nevertheless)

  • ancak (however)


Nedensellik (Causality / Result):


  • netice itibarıyla (as a result; ultimately)

  • bu nedenle (for this reason)

  • sonuç olarak (consequently)


Referans (Reference / Framing):


  • itibarıyla (in terms of; as of)

  • gereğince (in accordance with)

  • bu çerçevede (within this framework)

  • söz konusu (the matter in question)


Koşul / Kısıtlama (Condition / Limitation):


  • kaydıyla (on the condition that)

  • şartıyla (provided that)

  • koşuluyla (subject to)


These connectors define how facts relate, not who acts.


3. Morphology


Nominal Anchoring

Professional connectors presuppose a nominal anchor.


Structure:

  • [[established fact]] + connector


Examples:


  • [[Mevcut kısıtlılıklar]] itibarıyla

  • [[İlgili düzenlemeler]] gereğince

  • [[Belirlenen koşullar]] kaydıyla


The connector frames a recognized fact and positions the next statement analytically.


4. Structural Guide


A) From Sentence Linking to Text Cohesion


Narrative linkage:

Zaman sınırlıydı. Buna rağmen plan uygulandı.


Analytical cohesion:

[[Zaman kısıtlılığı]] tespit edilmiştir.


Bu kısıtlılık çerçevesinde, [[planın uygulanması]] yeniden değerlendirilmiştir.

The second sentence re-activates the prior fact and advances the analysis.


B) Anaphoric Progression

Previously introduced facts are re-packaged to maintain continuity:


  • Original fact: Kaynakların yetersizliği

  • Anaphoric handles: bu kısıtlılık, bu yetersizlik, söz konusu durum


This mechanism sustains cohesion without repetition and keeps the focus on analysis.


C) Visual Schematic: Matryoshka Logic (Tiered Cohesion)

A single professional sentence often layers framing, process, and judgment.


Tiered schematic:


  • Outer Layer (Frame): [[Mevcut veriler]] itibarıyla

  • Inner Layer (Process): [[sürecin revize edilmesi]]

  • Core (Verdict): uygun görülmüştür


Integrated sentence:


[[Mevcut veriler]] itibarıyla, [[sürecin revize edilmesi]] uygun görülmüştür.

Each layer adds analytical structure while keeping the text impersonal.


5. Usage

These connectors are used to:


  • frame evaluations and conditions

  • relate constraints to decisions

  • contrast findings without personalization

  • signal outcomes with institutional clarity


They are standard in:


  • policy and strategy documents

  • institutional reports

  • academic and technical writing

  • formal assessments


Cohesion relies on reference chains and framing, not on connective variety.

Examples


A) Framing by Conditions


[[Mevcut kaynaklar]] itibarıyla, [[uygulamanın genişletilmesi]] mümkün görülmemektedir.
— In terms of the available resources, expanding the implementation is not considered feasible.


B) Contrast without Personal Stance


[[Planın uygulanması]] öngörülmüştür.
Buna karşın, [[zaman kısıtlılığı]] sürecin yeniden ele alınmasını gerekli kılmıştır.
— The implementation of the plan was envisaged. By contrast, time constraints necessitated a reassessment of the process.


C) Result Orientation


[[Yapılan değerlendirmeler]] tamamlanmıştır.
Netice itibarıyla, [[mevcut yaklaşımın değiştirilmesi]] uygun bulunmuştur.
— The evaluations have been completed. Ultimately, changing the current approach has been deemed appropriate.


D) Procedural Framing


[[İlgili mevzuat]] gereğince, [[sürecin askıya alınması]] zorunlu kabul edilmiştir.
— In accordance with the relevant legislation, suspending the process has been deemed mandatory.


E) Conditional Framing


[[Belirlenen koşullar]] kaydıyla, [[uygulamanın sürdürülmesi]] mümkün görülmektedir.
— Subject to the specified conditions, the continuation of the implementation is considered feasible.

Notes

  • Discourse connectors relate facts to facts, not individuals to actions.

  • Anaphoric reference maintains cohesion while avoiding repetition.

  • Professional connectors contribute to a de-personalized, institutional tone.

  • Analytical clarity emerges from framing relationships between processes, constraints, and outcomes.

  • Effective cohesion is a matter of reference management and strategic framing.

Discourse Connectors in Written Turkish – FAQ (B2)


Q: What is the main role of discourse connectors in formal written Turkish?
A: They organize relationships between established facts rather than simply linking sentences. Their function is to guide analysis while maintaining analytical distance.


Q: Why do professional connectors require a nominal anchor?
A: These connectors attach to already introduced facts packaged as nominal structures. This anchoring keeps cohesion fact-based and avoids narrative sequencing.


Q: How do discourse connectors contribute to an institutional tone?
A: They relate facts to facts instead of actions to people. This supports impersonal, objective, and report-style writing.

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