"Bir yazar kitap yazar."
Translation:An author writes books.
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Could books be kitaplar and if so which is preferable. Couldn't the sentence as written be taken (out of context) to mean 'a book'?
Books cannot be "kitaplar" in this sentence. It is a nonspecific direct object, which remains in the singular. The sentence can mean both "books" and "a book." If you really want to distinguish, you can can "bir" in front of book to mean "one book."
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Ok, thanks! So if I understand you, 'nonspecific' plural direct objects, remain in the singular? If it were 'these books' -- as in 'she writes these books -- would 'books' then be used in its plural form? Maybe 'bunlar kitaplar'? Sorry to trouble you with these questions.
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I think if they were specific books they would have to be in definite-accusative case: kitapları. However, I would also like to know how you could specify that they write not just one, but several, not specified books, or "some" books.
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- They write books: Onlar kitap yazar. (Here we would usually assume it is more than one book)
- They write a book: Onlar (bir) kitap yazar.
- They write a few books: Onlar birkaç kitap yazar.
- They write several books: Onlar birçok kitap yazar.
- They write the books: Kitapları onlar yazar. (Onlar kitapları yazar is OK too)
- They write these books: Bu kitapları onlar yazar (Onlar bu kitapları yazar is OK too)
etc. Let me know if you have further questions.
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Thanks! That seems quite straightforward: If you want to specify the amount, just do it with a word describing that amount. Is that correct? I.e. "bir / iki / üç / birkaç / birçok kitap" would all specify the amount of the general concept "kitap" without making it definite, and they all work in the same way?
Another question: Do "birkaç" and "birçok" really very literally translate to "one-(how-many)" and "one-much"?
(Oh, by the way, I meant "they" in the singular sense (although I didn't make it clear), but I don't think it really changes things.)
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Can u please explain to me what is meant by nonspecific direct object ...and how can be indirect or specific
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Wait does this not go 'an author, book author' ...? where did the writing come in?
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Yazmak is the verb 'to write', so "yazar" is the conjugated 3rd person form, meaning "s/he writes" . Also 'yazar' is the word for "author". I hope I have that right. If not someone more knowledgable (e.g. Selcen) could correct it. Think of it as "An author authors books".
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yazar (writer) is one of the exceptions to the handy "just add a suffix" to make a profession short-cut. Other exceptions include: avukat (lawyer), mühendis (engineer), and berber (barbar).
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So yazar is also a verb for writing?
If so this would make more sense to me.
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Yes, that's exactly right...
- yazmak = to write (infinitive)
- yazıyor = he/she is writing (present continuous)
- yazar = he/she writes (simple present /aorist)
Things would be easier if they called a writer a "yazcı", but no such luck, haha! :-)
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Is "an author authors books" not accepted for a reason? Is there a difference between "writes" and "authors" in Turkish?
I would see two possible issues with this translation. I view the verb "to author" closer to meaning with "to create" than "to write."
Also, I don't think I have ever seen the noun "author" and the verb "author" in the same sentence...it sounds a little clunky. I don't think it is wrong, but it sounds a little strange :)
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Not for this sentence, but in general yes, it is grammatically correct.
Onlar yazar(lar) = They write
"The author writes a book." Wrong answer. You used the definite "The" here, instead of the indefinite "One". One author writes a book. And yet the correct answer states: An author writes books. I hate switchable plurals? Book - books. Which of these answers is correct? Please can a contributor help with this post?
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Re: Definite/Indefinite Articles
When a noun is in the subject position/nominative case, it is can be translated as either definite (the) or indefinite (a/an). When we want/need to express that the subject is indefinite, the word "bir" is used. This is literally the number "one" but can also be translated as "a/an".
If "bir" is absent, Duo should accept either "the/a(n)" -- take your pick, unless it sounds unnatural in the English translation. In this case however, "bir yazar" = an / one author (it cannot be "the")
Re: Book/Books
I couldn't find an explanation in the Tips and Notes to support my answer, so I'm going to directly quote AlexinNotTurkey (MOD) from another post on this page:
Books cannot be "kitaplar" in this sentence. It is a nonspecific direct object, which remains in the singular. The sentence can mean both "books" and "a book."
And Selcen_Ozturk (former MOD):
They write books: Onlar kitap yazar. (Here we would usually assume it is more than one book)
Seems a little strange to most English speakers, I know, but that's just the way Turkish works. :-)
If we want to be more specific, we could use "bir" again for "one/a(n)". Or we could add a modifier: "birkaç kitap" (a few books), "birçok kitap" (a lot of books), etc. But as long as the books are general/unspecific, we can't add a plural suffix.
Selcen_Ozturk also made a post about it --> Here. If you scroll down a bit, orde90 gave some examples with books instead of apples :-)
"A writer of a book." Wrong answer. "Yazar." OK so, "A writer of books," should now be correct? Please can somebody comment on my corrected answer: "A writer of books." "A writer writes books." This IS now another correct answer.
"A writer writes books." Başka doğru cevap. I corrected my wrong previous answer.
