kendisi

Kendisi is a pronominal element used in several languages, most notably Turkish and Indonesian/Malay, with reflexive and emphatic functions. It refers to a third-person referent and translates roughly as “himself,” “herself,” or “itself,” depending on context, often adding emphasis or clarification to who is being discussed.

In Turkish, kendisi is a distinct third-person reflexive pronoun that can also serve as an emphasis marker. It points back to a previously mentioned subject or noun phrase and can be used to stress the subject in a sentence. Examples include “O kendisi geldi” meaning “He/She came himself/herself,” or constructions where the pronoun reinforces the subject’s identity or action. The form kendı (self) is related but used in other reflexive patterns without the emphasis that kendisi provides.

In Indonesian and Malay, kendisi functions as a formal third-person pronoun meaning “the person himself/herself” or “the person concerned.” It is commonly used when referring to someone without naming them, with a register suitable for formal writing or official statements. Examples might include “Kendisi tidak hadir” (He/She did not attend) or “Menurut kendisi” (According to him/her). In everyday speech, other pronouns such as dia or dirinya are more common, while kendisi appears more often in news reports, formal documents, and polite discourse.

Etymology and status: Turkish kendisi derives from the self-related root and a pronominal ending, while Indonesian/Malay kendisi is a formal pronominal usage that emphasizes the referent. Across contexts, kendisi provides a way to refer to a person with emphasis or formality without repeating a name.