avlanmak

Avlanmak is a Turkish verb meaning to be hunted or to be pursued. It is formed as the passive/mediopassive derivative of avlamak (to hunt), built with the root av (hunt, prey) plus the derivational suffix -lan- and the infinitive ending -mak. The basic sense centers on the prey undergoing the action of being hunted, typically by a hunter or a predator. The term is commonly used in wildlife descriptions, historical or literary narratives, and conservation contexts to describe animals that fall under hunt or pursuit. It can also appear in metaphorical or figurative language to indicate being targeted or pursued in a non-l literal sense, though this is less frequent in everyday speech.

Usage and nuance: Avlanmak focuses on the subject that experiences the hunting action rather than the actor performing it. In sentences, the agent (the hunter or predator) is often implicit or expressed with by-phrases, while the subject remains the hunted. The form is employed across tenses through standard Turkish verb conjugation, using avlan- as the stem with appropriate tense and aspect endings. For example, present use can be seen in avlanır or avlanıyor for “is hunted” or “is being hunted,” and past use in avlandı for “was hunted.”

Examples:

- Bu bölgede tilkiler sık sık avlanır. (In this region, foxes are frequently hunted.)

- Geçen yaz geyikler avlandı. (The deer were hunted last summer.)

- Şehirler, belirli türleri koruma programlarıyla avlanma risk altına alabilir. (Cities may put certain species at risk of hunting through protection programs, in context.)

Related terms include av (hunt, prey), avcı (hunter), avcılık (hunting), and avlamak (to hunt).