Proto-Turkic/Converbs and sentence formation

Welcome to the twelve lesson of the Proto-Turkic!

Sentence formation

Unlike English which has subject–verb–object (SVO), the basic Proto-Turkic word order is SOV, that it is subject–object–verb. The precise order look like this:

Parts of speech by order
Adjective (attributive)	Subject	Adjective (predicative)	Postposition	Object (anything)	Adverb	Verb	Pronoun (certain tenses, see more)

There is no prepositions in Proto-Turkic, postpositions, of which succeeds its objects, serve that role instead. This is a list of some postpositions found in Proto-Turkic:

• *üčün "for, because of"
• *togru "toward"

Examples

Sentence	*Bẹ ebke tǖn kẹltim.
Gloss	"I house-dat night come-past-1sg"
Part of speech	Pronoun (subj.)	Object	Adverb	Verb
Meaning	"I came to the house night."

Sentence	*Anam doŋuŕ eti yēdi.
Gloss	"Mother-1sg.poss pig meal-3sg.poss eat-past.3sg."
Part of speech	Subject	Object (compound)	Verb
Meaning	"My mother ate pork (← pig meal)."

Converbs

Converbs are conjunctions that connect verbs to sentences. In Turkic languages, verbs can be connected to sentences when they turn into verbal.

In English this is mostly done by conjunctions and prepositions. This is how we translate it. But have you noticed that verbs are not connected the way we translate them into sentences. For example, when we say while going, we are actually saying goingly (just like rallingly). The linking of verbs is through being either nouns, adjectives or adverbs. These are connected to a sentence on their own without the need for a conjunction like while, and they even have a meaning on their own. Considering that we count words such as winningly, seethingly, meaningly as words alone, there are verb-based endless adverbs in a Turkic language.

All right, so why is there such a title?

*verb-verbal adjective (as a noun)-possessive-ablative

"Since I came late yesterday, everyone was already asleep." Note that there is no because in Proto-Turkic. So how do we connect this sentence and translate it into Proto-Turkic?

We use adjective verbs and possessives.

"Tǖn kēč kẹldükümten, bārča kiĺi ūdïma(k)da erti."

Let's examine the first part of the sentence.

From my coming late yesterday - Tǖn kēč kẹldükümten

Next up is the second part you know.

Everybody was asleep - bārča kiĺi ūdïma(k)da erti

verb	verbal adjective (as verbal noun)	possesive	ablative
kẹl	dük	üm	ten

"Since (from) I (my) came (coming) late yesterday, everyone was (already) asleep (sleeping)."

"Tǖn kēč kẹl dükümten, bārča kiĺi ūdïma(k)da erti."

*verb-verbal adjective (as a noun)-possessive-locative

When I came late yesterday, everyone was already asleep. - "Tǖn kēč kẹldükümte, bārča kiĺi ūdïma(k)da erti."

Let's examine the first part of the sentence.

At my coming late yesterday - Tǖn kēč kẹldükümte

Next up is the second part you know.

Everybody was asleep - bārča kiĺi ūdïma(k)da erti

verb	verbal adjective (as verbal noun)	possesive	locative
kẹl	dük	üm	te

"When (at) I (my) came (coming) late yesterday, everyone was (already) asleep (sleeping)."

"Tǖn kēč kẹldükümte, bārča kiĺi ūdïma(k)da erti."

*verb-verbal adjective (as a noun)-possessive for

Since I came late yesterday, everyone was already asleep. - "Tǖn kēč kẹldüküm üčün, bārča kiĺi ūdïma(k)da erti."

Let's examine the first part of the sentence.

For my coming late yesterday - Tǖn kēč kẹldüküm üčün

Next up is the second part you know.

Everybody was asleep - bārča kiĺi ūdïma(k)da erti

verb	verbal adjective (as verbal noun)	possesive	for
kẹl	dük	üm	üčün

"Since (for) I (my) came (coming) late yesterday, everyone was (already) asleep (sleeping)."

"Tǖn kēč kẹldüküm üčün, bārča kiĺi ūdïma(k)da erti."

*verb-verbal adjective (as a noun)-possessive-equative

I saw as I came. - "Kẹldükümče, körtüm."

Let's examine the first part of the sentence.

As I came (this much) - Kẹldükümče

Next up is the second part you know.

I saw - körtüm

verb	verbal adjective (as verbal noun)	possesive	equative
kẹl	dük	üm	če

Notes:

1. In many modern Turkic languages there is *-gAn instead of *-dUk. But *-dUk used in Yenisei inscriptions, Köktürk inscriptions and both Volga and Danube Bulgarian inscriptions. So using *-dUk is more realistic to Proto-Turkic language.
2. Today, some Turkic languages use as follows: pronoun verb-verbal adjective-ablative/locative/ for/equative

Next lesson: Abilities, future tense and present continuous