"A few good men"

[PeterJaques]

isn't "Birkaç iyi adamlar" also ok?

[orde90]

No, birkaç is used with singular nouns just like other quantifying adjectives. Since this adjective has the sense of plurality within itself, you shouldn't pluralize the noun.

[PeterJaques]

thanks for the response. Is "bazı" an exception, then? I believe I hear "bazı insanlar" etc. in regular speech.

[orde90]

Well some in English has two meanings: 1. (a part of) 2. (a few, a little)

We have bazı for the first meaning, and biraz for the second meaning. Bazı (a part of) isn't really a quantifying adjective although it looks like that.

Bazı insanlar -> Some people -> Some of people -> A part of people

It's similar to the word certain (belirli)

[PeterJaques]

Thanks, very interesting. Good explanation, though I'm still a bit confused. Does it boil down to countable vs. uncountable, or definite/indefinite? Like, "a few"/birkaç means some countable, (potentially) defined number (e.g. "a few carrots" — you could count them), while some/bazı refers to an uncountable, undefined quantity, like "some sand" (you can't count it, though you can measure it; but maybe the quantity is unknowable or unimportant)?

thanks for your help

[orde90]

Your point actually is about the second meaning of some (birkaç)

I ate some biscuits. (Biraz bisküvi yedim)

I drank some milk. (Biraz süt içtim)

In Turkish no matter it's countable or uncountable you don't pluralize it because it's a quantifier adjective.

However, bazı is different. It is not a quantifier adjective. It just refers to a certain amount of something.

Some people are not here. -> Bazı insanlar burada değil.
A part of people are not here. -> İnsanların bir kısmı burada değil.

Here the meanings and functions of some and 'a part of' are really similar. In both cases you need to make the noun plural because you basically say there are people and you talk about a part of THEM. You don't actually say anything about their amount or quantity.

Is it clear? :)

[PeterJaques]

thanks so much for your explanation. i think i get it... So belirli also takes a plural noun?

[NBayaman]

Why "Biraz iyi adamlar" is not viable here?

[eklelanko]

same question ..

[InnaSepp]

See orde90 explanation above, it's good!

[Yomalyn]

[hamed713]

Birkaç iyi kişi is not accepted?

[InnaSepp]

I think it's because kişi = person, not "man"

[SebastianZ214339]

Why isn't it "iyi birkaç adam"?

[orde90]

quantifier adjectives come before descriptive adjectives, just like in english

[SebastianZ214339]

I think it is tough for me to remember since it looks a lot like "bir", but works differently.

[orde90]

Yes, bir is an exception when it means "a/an". Compare:

Buzlu bir kahve alabilir miyim acaba? -> Can I get an iced coffee, please?
Bir buzlu kahve lütfen. -> One iced coffee please.

[SebastianZ214339]

Oh, wow. Hadn't picked up on that.