# kendisine bakıp



## rupertbrooke

In this story about a man in whose garden a little bird sings so sweetly that he traps it & puts it it into a cage. This is the main substance of the story. The man threatens the bird when it refuses to sing now that it is caged. He says that he will cut it up & eat it. The bird replies:-
Kemikle deriden başka bir şey kalmaz. Bu senin için daha iyi olur. Sana gayet bir akıl öğretirim, o zaman 'kuş uçtu' diye pişman olmazsın.
Bahçe sahibi bu söz üzerine kuşu bırakır. Kuş ta ona şu aklı öğretir.
-Her söze inanma!
Kuş bu öğütü verir, sonra yüksek bir dala konup şöyle bir şarkı söyler:
Çok aptalın insanoğlu! Benim karnımın içinde yumruk kadar büyük bir elmas vardı. Hayatta çok zengin olmak fırsatinı kaçırdın. Çok yazık!
Bahçe sahibi kuşun sözleri üzerine sinirlenip öfkesinden ağlar. 
*Kuş daldan kendisine bakıp şöyle der:-*
-Öğütumü ne çabuk unuttun! Sana 'Her söze inanma!' Demedin mi? Benim karnımın içinde, kendimden daha büyük bir elmas olabilir mi?
Does the above phrase mean here:- 'it preens itself'. 'It looks after itself' makes no sense at all. Or does it mean 'it looks at him' but why not 'onu'? Can kendi refer non-reflexively to another person? If so, what is the different nuance between onu & kendisine?


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## Asr

Yes, here "kendisi"  is for him. It is rather a rare usage, but you can indeed use  "kendisi" for the third person pronoun. You use "kendisi" either out of respect or just to place "the person that has just been mentioned"

-Ahmet beyle görüşecektim, kendileri evde yok mu?

- Seni Ayşe hanımla tanıştırayım. Kendisi İngilizce profesörüm olur... gibi


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## adelan

If I haven't read the whole passage I would think so that the bird is looking itself (maybe it is in front of a mirror) and talking. But the bird is talking to garden-owner and "kendisine" means "ona" (bahçe sahibine). There is no difference between them at all.

Sometimes it is used that way when you try to emphasize that you do sth. to him/her. Also "kendisi" is generally used in formal dialogues/writings since "o" is also demonstrative pronoun in Turkish and using "o" may make sb feel insulted.


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## rupertbrooke

There is thus an ınteresting parallel in Scottish Highland English, because the native language in many west & northwestern areas is Gaelic, where 'Himself' is used of one's husband. 'Himself said I should do it'.  Thubairt E Fhein gum bu choir dhomh a dheanamh'. 'Said Himself that was necessity to me its doing.' It's a term of respect, like kendi in this context. Thanks to all for their help.


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## mighty_atlas

For the sake of exercising, I tried and translated the passage as such. I hope it will be useful.


There'd be Nothing left other than skin and bones. This will prove better for you. I'll teach you a fine lesson, then you'll not be penitent that the Bird has flown.

Upon these words, the garden owner sets the bird free. And the bird gives him this piece of thought.

-Don't believe everything you hear !

The bird makes this recommendation, then perching on a high branch, chants a song

You're complete fools, humans ! In my abdomen , I carry a fist-sized diamond. You've lost the chance of being very wealthy in life. What a Pity !

Hearing this, the garden owner weeps of his anger.

Looking from the branch to the garden-owner, the bird utters:

-How fast you've forgotten my recommendation! Did not I say " Don't believe everything you hear ?" Can there be a bigger diamond than me , in my abdomen ?


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## rupertbrooke

Thanks so much, mighty_atlas. Over & above anything I expected. It helps enormously!


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## mighty_atlas

Glad to know that


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