yonalishida

Yonalishida is a term used in linguistics to describe a directional expression found in some Turkic languages. It denotes a construction that marks the direction toward which an action is directed, often realized as a combination of the noun yo'nalish (direction) with a locative suffix, yielding a phrase that roughly means "in the direction of." The form is discussed in descriptive grammars and field studies of Uzbek, Kazakh, and other Turkic varieties, though its exact realization can vary by language and dialect. In linguistic analyses, yonalishida may function as a bound adverbial complement or as a postpositional phrase attached to a noun, indicating target or orientation rather than mere location. Its usage tends to appear with verbs of motion, gaze, or communicative direction, constraining the possible trajectories or focal targets of the verb.

The term is not universally standardized; some grammars treat the same semantic function with separate case-marking or postpositions, while others incorporate it into broader locative or directional systems. Because of this variation, examples and analyses of yonalishida are often restricted to specific languages or dialect groups, and researchers emphasize cross-dialect comparisons to map its distribution and functional range.

See also: Turkic languages, direction in linguistics, locative case, postpositions.