Turkish: A Comprehensive Grammar

Turkish: A comprehensive grammar 426
27.2.3 -sA
27.2.3.1 -sA used without past copular marking of the main clause
The distribution and the range of meanings of the verbal suffix -sA in conditional clauses
is somewhat complex. (For its main-clause functions see 21.4.4.1 and 21.4.4.4.) The key
to its interpretation in any particular conditional sentence lies in whether or not the main
clause is marked by the past copula -(y)DI. If the main clause does not contain -(y)DI, the
condition expressed in the subordinate clause is understood to be capable of fulfilment,
but is presented more as a hypothetical possibility than as one which the speaker locates
in the ‘real’ future. For this reason the verb in the main clause is almost always in the
aorist form (see also 21.4.1.3).
-sA is often used when talking about action that is being considered in a detached or
abstract way (compare the ‘deliberative’ sense of the conditional interrogative in main
clauses, 21.4.4.4). (37) could represent an early contribution to a discussion about how to
get to the airport in time for a particular flight:
(37) [9-da-ki otobüs-e bin-se-k] uçağ-a yetiş-ir mi-yiz acaba?
9-LOC-ADJ bus-DAT take-COND-1PL plane-DAT catch-AOR INT-1PL
I.wonder
‘Would we, I wonder, catch the plane [if we took the 9 o’clock bus]?’
-sA is also used where the utterance challenges the validity of something that has been
said or assumed, or the appropriateness of an action intended or in progress:
(38) [9’daki otobüse binsek] yetişmez miyiz?
‘Wouldn’t we catch [it] [if we took the 9 o’clock bus]?’
(39) [İğneyi şöyle tut san] dikişler bu kadar göze batmaz.
‘[If you held the needle this way] the stitches wouldn’t be so obvious.’
Another very widespread use of the -sA conditional is to express an evaluation (usually
positive) of a certain possible action, often with the strong implication that the speaker
wants or expects this action to be performed:
(40) [Bugün burada temizlik yap-ıl-sa] iyi ol-ur.
today here cleaning do-PASS-COND good be-AOR
‘It would be good [if some cleaning were done here today].’
This usage is semantically close to the main clause use of -sA to express wishes
(21.4.4.1).
27.2.3.2 -sA used with past copular marking of the main clause
In sentences where the conditional clause is marked by -sA and the verb in the main
clause contains the past copula -(y)DI, the sentence has counterfactual meaning, that is to
say it expresses a situation that is contrary to the actual state of affairs. Note that in this
modal function as a marker of counterfactuality -(y)DI does not necessarily refer to past
time, as shown in the first example below: