# Turkish pronunciation



## antoine_vchv

Hello! I’m currently studying Turkish as it’s a beautiful mesmerizing language also spoken in my home country Bulgaria! I have read that normally Turkish is a phonetic language however I noticed quite often that’s not the case. Here are some examples. (left is written, right is spoken)

Hazırlayaca*ğız -* Hazırlayacaz (last part is shortened)
Toparla*n - *Toparla (no N) 
Bakmıyo*r* - Bakmıyo (no R) 
Yap*ı*yo*r*sun - Yapyosun (no r again and no ı)

Can someone please explain why these reductions occur in the spoken language? And are they consistent like let’s say a rule?


----------



## drowsykush

antoine_vchv said:


> why these reductions occur in the spoken language? And are they consistent like let’s say a rule?



To be able to say more with less energy. The human brain always prefers the easy one. These reductions are meant to make speaking more fluid and faster. By the way, yes, it is consistent; in oratory training, proper spoken language is thoroughly explained.


----------



## Rallino

I disagree with Toparlan vs. Toparla. Such a reduction never happens since those two forms already exist independently.


----------



## antoine_vchv

drowsykush said:


> To be able to say more with less energy. The human brain always prefers the easy one. These reductions are meant to make speaking more fluid and faster. By the way, yes, it is consistent; in oratory training, proper spoken language is thoroughly explained.


I looked for a guide online that would mention all the reductions. I couldn’t find it  
I noticed that only Y, I, İ, R and Ğ may get reduced and disappear or make other letters disappear in the spoken language but I just can’t seem to figure out the rule.


----------



## drowsykush

There's no specific guide on Google for these reductions. However, there are videos on Youtube called "Nur Haktan ile Hitâbet - Diksiyon", but you won't be able to understand the content unless you have a good command of Turkish. I've included a few examples below that will help you comprehend the reduction concept.

Gelmeyecek - (gelmicek)
Yapacağız - (yapıcaz)
Konuşmayacağım - (konuşmucam)
Olacağını - (olcağnı)
Olmayacağını - (olmucağnı)
Göreceğim - (görücem)
Bakıyor - (bakıyo)



antoine_vchv said:


> Yap*ı*yo*r*sun - Yapyosun (no r again and no ı)


R is silent but I is not. - (Yapıyosun)


----------



## shawnee

Does this elision also occur in reference to people's names?


----------



## drowsykush

shawnee said:


> Does this elision also occur in reference to people's names?


No, that’s not the case for people’s names. Names are pronounced in the same way as they are written.


----------



## Rallino

Except when the name ends in a K sound and receives a suffix. İpek'i for instance would be pronounced /ipei/.


----------



## drowsykush

Rallino said:


> Except when the name ends in a K sound and receives a suffix. İpek'i for instance would be pronounced /ipei/.



You are right about that my dear Rallino, but isn't that final-obstruent devoicing you're talking about? Elision is something different than that. 

*Ses Düşmesi (Elision)*
a. Önses Düşmesi (Aphaeresis)
b. İç Ses Düşmesi (Synocope)
c. Sonses Düşmesi (Apocope)
d. Hece Düşmesi (Haplology)
e. Kaynaşma (Fusion)
f. Demetçik Daralması (Cluster reduction)

phonology


----------



## Rallino

You're right. I was rather talking about sound changes in general.


----------



## shawnee

Elision was the only word I could think of to describe the phenomenon. I was of course interested in the sound changes in general. Thank you both. I learnt a lot.


----------

