Anaphoric Temporal Expressions in Turkish

This work will focus on non-deictic temporal expressions in Turkish, which are not convenient to be analyzed in deictic system. Deictic tenses comparise of temporal expressions, which can be analyzed in relation to the basic deictic centre, the present moment, here and now, or another reference point which represents the first one. In deictic system, time of the event can be specified as past, present or future in relation to the deictic centre. But, some tenses in Turkish cannot be analyzed as to the basic deictic centre ‘here and now’ or the secondary, which represents the first one. These tenses are compelling the borders of deictic system, and imply its inapplicability as to deictic centre, with being named such fuzzy terminologies in Turkish as anlam kayması (semantic slipping) or zaman kayması (temporal slipping). In this work, non-deictic usage of the Turkish present tense markers –(X)yor, –A/(X)r and –mAktA, which especially seen in their marking of historical present, will be analyzed. Their usage as a past tense marker will be discussed in the frame of anaphoric system. Furthermore, the basic semantic values of these morphemes that support the capability of their usage for past tense will also be discussed.

Keywords

deictic tenses, anaphoric tenses, the morphemes –(X)yor, –A/(X)r and –mAktA, semantic