Turkish: A Comprehensive Grammar

‘Last winter our house was burgled.’ (lit. ‘[a] burglar/burglar[s] got into our
house’)
(44) Tatildeyken beni arı soktu.
‘While on holiday I was stung by a bee.’ (lit. ‘[a] bee/bee[s] stung me’)
Outside the types of context identified in (i)–(v) above, the choice between categorial and
indefinite reference depends on how much importance the speaker attaches to the number
aspect of the entity s/he is talking about.
(45)
Turkish: A comprehensive grammar 330
(a) Dayım bize hediye getirmişti.
‘My uncle had brought us a present/presents.’
(b) Dayım bize bir hediye getirmişti.
‘My uncle had brought us a present
(c) Dayım bize hediyeler getirmişti.
‘My uncle had brought us presents.’
In (a) attention is focused on the uncle’s action rather than on the present(s) brought. (b)
and (c), on the other hand, suggest that the speaker is going to go on to say something
more about the actual present(s).
22.4 GENERIC REFERENCE
A noun phrase is said to have generic reference when it refers not to any specific entity or
entities but to an entire class, or to a typical member of that class. In Turkish, generic
reference can be effected by both singular and plural noun phrases.
22.4.1 GENERIC REFERENCE BY SINGULAR NOUN PHRASES
22.4.1.1 The bare generic
The bare generic is a noun phrase without either bir or plural marking, which is used with
generic reference. Among the different forms of generic reference, the bare generic
evokes most strongly the idea of the ‘class’ as a single whole, as opposed to the class
viewed as a collection of separate individuals. It is the form used for the expression of
laws of nature (46), definitions and classifications (47), and proverbs (48). In general it
produces a more absolute, unqualified axiom than the other forms.
(46) Kuş uçar.
‘Birds fly/A bird flies.’
(47) Balina memeli bir hayvan-dır.
whale mammal an animal-GM
‘The whale is a mammal.’
(48) Dert gitmez, değişir.
‘Problems don’t go away, they change.’