An Important Problem in Teaching Turkish as a Second Language: -mXş Indirectivity Marker

Abstract

Abstract “-mXs” morpheme (suffix) has been used as the “learned past tense” as a past tense coder in traditional grammar works. However, the main function of this suffix is not to indicate time. In the course books that are published both in Turkey and abroad, this suffix is referred to as “narrative modal”, “heard past tense” or “past tense with –mis”. In these materials, one gets the assumption that the primary function of this suffix is to indicate past tense. As an international language category, indirectivity has been expressed in different syntactic structures or with different coders according to the typology of the language. As a subgroup of evidential modal, the indirectivity has been marked with “–mXs” morpheme together with other modal indications. In Turkish “–DX” is the past tense marker morpheme. However, in the books given to the Erasmus Intensive Language Program students who are studying in Turkey, -mXs is also given as a past tense marker which is lmeading to many mistakes. The main aim of this study is to identify the functions of this morpheme and propose suggestions to clarify the issues about its usage.