Dönerek

Dönerek is a Turkish adverbial participle formed from the verb dönmek, meaning “to turn” or “to rotate.” It expresses the manner in which a subsequent action is carried out, roughly equivalent to “by turning” or “while turning” in English. In Turkish use, it links two clauses and indicates that the turning action occurs concurrently with the main verb.

Formation and function: Dönerek is created by attaching the suffix -erek to the verb stem dön- (from dönmek). The result is an adverbial participle that can modify the main clause and share the subject with it. It is commonly placed at the beginning or before the main verb: Dönerek gitti (He left, turning around). The form can describe how an action is performed rather than the sequence of events.

Usage and nuance: The -erek/-arak forms in Turkish are used to denote manner or method. Dönerek emphasizes that turning is the manner in which the action is carried out, rather than merely indicating that a turning occurred. It can be contrasted with forms like dönüp, which often signals sequential actions (turning and then doing something). Example sentences:

- Dönerek kapıyı açtı. (He opened the door, turning around.)

- O, dönerek bana bakıp gülümsedi. (He looked at me while turning and smiled.)

Relation to related forms: Other -erek/-arak adverbial participles include koşarak (by running), yürüyerek (by walking). These forms are part of Turkish verbals and are common in descriptive or narrative prose to convey action performed with a particular motion.

In summary, dönerek is a concise grammatical tool for describing a concurrent turning action that accompanies another verb, integral to Turkish adverbial participle usage.