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Identify this Famous Turk... To Jim and Peri's Commercial-free CD for Turkish Learning -- now with triple ebook bonus! Also available in Downloadable Broadband Edition Essential Suffixes Printed Book

Idiomatic Doublets Doubles Troubles I'll have an assonant hendiadys to go, please -- and hold the mayo... Introduction Related Pages: The Turkish Idioms A-Z, Index Turkish Acronyms/Abbreviations Idioms Origin Stories, Index Idioms Illustrated by Cartoons #1 Doubles Troubles Links Introduction Ass on henry's what?! Lewis's doublet categories Category 1 -- both meaningful words Category 2 -- one meaningful word Category 3 -- both meaningless words ikilemeler Category 4 -- according to word order Category 5 -- arising from numbers Category 6 -- arising from repeated words Category 7 -- according to syllable harmony Category 8 -- according to vowel harmony Category 9 -- according to 'b' and 'p' Category 10 -- m-doublets m-doublet surprise! Overheard at the 'Blind Leading the Blind' Institute -- south-side cafeteria... I thought they weren't going to use any of that technical jargon on us, Marvin. That was indeed the promise, Mabel. Then what're those 50-cent words doing up there in the sub-title? It would seem that a woman's word is no longer her bond. And just when I was gettin' the hang of the lingo too. Why...I've been greeting everyone I know with a hearty thump on the back and a cheerful 'Mahoopla' for weeks now. I think that's supposed to be "Merhambone" when you say hello to someone in Turkish, Mabel. Oh... Mebbee that explains the funny looks I've been gettin'... Problee. Gentle rhyming... Have you noticed the gentle rhyming you hear when two Turks really get going in a conversation? How they use double (sometimes triple, even quadruple) word combinations -- that enliven the sound of their speech? (But which leave us English-speaking listeners befuddled?) Or, have you noticed all the double (sometimes triple, even quadruple) word combinations that you find when you scan a Turkish to English dictionary? Each with its own special meaning? Well, our old friend G.L. Lewis, makes the observation that these assonant hendiadyses (G.L. calls them assonant doublets) fall into three categories in Turkish... But before we get into any talk about categories... Assonant Hendiadys? Whaa? An assonant hendiadys is a single idea that is (usually) expressed by a pair of words (instead of one word and a qualifier). The two words may be joined by a conjunction -- and there's often a discernable repetition of sounds within them... Such a hendiadys is used to add 'dramatic effect' to one's language. Examples in English and a few other languages... Language Example Comment English "I will greatly multiply your pain and childbirth" (Genesis 3:16) Instead of "painful childbirth." Owww. English "the blood and baseness of our natures would conduct us to most preposterous conclusions" (Othello 1.03.328). Instead of 'bloody baseness' English "Waving to him white hands and courtesy" (Tennyson) Yes, that's right... Sometimes it takes more than two words (and a conjunction) to make a healthy hendiadys. Instead of "courteous white hands. English He struck with steel and sword... (Readers Digest Encyclopedia) Instead of 'a steel sword'. English It sure is nice and warm in Gümüldür today! (Marvin 7.23.99) Instead of "pleasantly warm." French Par la haine et par la jalousie. (By hatred and jealousy) Instead of: "Par une haine jalouse." (By jealous hatred) German Für König und Vaterland (For the King and Fatherland) Instead of "Royal Fatherland." Latin Metus et timor (Fear and trepidation) Instead of "Fearful trepidation." Latin Perfecti oratoris moderatione et sapientia. (moderation and wisdom) Instead of "moderated wisdom." Tibetan Nga rgyal khengs Dregs (arrogance, haughtiness) Yes, that's right... Sometimes theres no conjunction in a healthy hendiadys. Instead of "arrogant haughtiness." Tibetan Snga 'gras da 'khon (former ill-will, recent spite) Yes, that's right... Sometimes it takes more than two words (and no conjunction) to make a healthy hendiadys. Instead of "longstanding spiteful ill will." OK. Enough of those 'foreign' language examples... Let's get down to the Turkish nitty gritty, and rejoin G. Lewis now... Related Pages: The Turkish Idioms A-Z, Index Turkish Acronyms/Abbreviations Idioms Origin Stories, Index Idioms Illustrated by Cartoons #1 Unrelated fun: Frequently asked questions about Turkey and the Turkish language Tarkan's Metamorphosis Album -- Christmas Day Release Turkish Music -- Tarkan Real-Life Weight Loss a la turc (with booklet) Habibullah and the Great Cannon Caper A simple Turkish 'thing'... Turkish Music -- Kayahan Turkish Belly Dancers Turkish Food and Beverage Turkish Terms Of Endearment Turkish Personal Names Politically Incorrect Turkish Humor Off-Color Turkish Gossipy Turkish Who's Who Turkish Conventional and 'Erotik' Movies, Index

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