Tucked within the folds of Turkish grammar lies the intriguing reported past tense, also referred to as the gossip tense. This linguistic phenomenon involves appending the -mış suffix to verb roots, offering a way to communicate actions based on indirect sources rather than personal involvement.
The Mechanism
In this grammatical realm, verbs undergo a transformation, yielding forms like yapmış, gelmiş, and görmüş.
A Closer Look at Functionality
Let's take the case of yapmış, originating from the verb yapmak (to do/make). Beyond its temporal shift, the -mış suffix indicates that the action has been reported or heard from external sources—a parallel to the concept of reported speech in other languages.
Diving into Semantics
The reported past tense serves a dual purpose. Besides its grammatical role, it introduces a layer of detachment between the speaker and the recounted event. Imagine narrating a story you've heard from someone else; the use of the gossip tense subtly acknowledges that you're not the direct source of the tale.
First Singular Perspective
Diving further into the intricacies of this tense, let's explore its manifestation in the first singular person. Take for instance the expression gitmişim. This construct encapsulates the idea of "I went but I have not witnessed". It signifies actions undertaken with an absence of personal experience, as if relaying events heard from an external source.
Scenarios of Expression
Consider scenarios where the gossip tense in first singular comes to life. Imagine you've fallen asleep on the subway and awaken to find yourself at the terminal station. The phrase Son istasyona kadar gitmişim elegantly captures the notion of having gone to the last station without conscious awareness.
Similarly, envision being recommended a movie by a friend. As you start watching, you realize you've already seen it but forgotten. Bu filmi izlemişim adeptly communicates the act of having watched the movie, disclosing an unwitting recollection.
Implications for Other Persons
However, this nuanced utilisation is exclusive to the first singular person. In the second singular person, akin to gitmişsin, its translation assumes a different shade—I gather that you have gone. Similarly, when applied to the third singular person, such as gitmiş, it morphs into "I gather that he/she has gone".