Serialization Function of Turkish Converbs: Example of Old Anatolian

Abstract

In many languages; multiple verbs that come one after the other to express a single sentence and that do not contain any conjunctions or connection elements form “serial verb constructions” (SVC). This sorting of more than one verb is called serialization. These constructions act as a single verb in the sentence and do not contain any coordination or subordination relations. The verbs in SVC are usually sequentially in the form of infinitives and do not include any connection elements, but in some languages such as Turkish, Japanese and Korean, two verbs can form SVC with the help of an converb. The inclusion of these formations, which are contrary to the general characteristics of SVC, in the SVC category made it necessary to include the verb serialization function in coordination or subordination and adverbial functions. The phrase frequently used in Turkish is alıp gel- gidip gör, çekip git-, etc. serial verb constructions, more than one verb comes one after the other and emphasizes a single event; more than one verb acts as a single verb in a sentence. Particularly in motion events consisting of more than one stage, the element that provides serialization is an converb. Similar usages are widely used in the historical and contemporary periods of Turkish. Such usages are also frequently encountered in the Old Anatolian Turkish period.