betimlenir

Betimlenir is a Turkish verb form meaning “is described” or “is being described.” It is the present passive form of betimlemek, the verb that means to describe or depict.

Morphology and grammar: In Turkish, the present passive is formed by adding the passive marker -n- to the verb stem and the present-tense ending. For betimlemek, the stem is betimle-, and the present passive third-person singular becomes betimlenir. The agent performing the description is often omitted, but can be specified with a phrase such as tarafindan (by).

Usage and nuance: Betimlenir is used to indicate that something is described, without naming who describes it. It is common in descriptive writing, academic analysis, summaries, and encyclopedia-style passages. The form can be plural as well (betimlenirler = “are described”). The agent may be introduced with a sentence such as “Bir yazar tarafından betimlenir” (It is described by a writer).

Examples:

- Olay betimlenir. (The event is described.)

- Kavram romanın ikinci bölümünde betimlenir. (The concept is described in the second chapter of the novel.)

- Bu karakter, bu paragrafta betimlenir. (This character is described in this paragraph.)

- Bu durum bir yazar tarafından betimlenir. (This situation is described by a writer.)

See also: betimlemek, tasvir etmek; Turkish grammar and the passive voice.