On the Structure of the Optative Mood in Sakha Turkish

English (OpenAlex)

Desire (volitional mood) is an expression of intention that refers to an action wished to be realized in the future on a timeline. The fact that the grammatical mood used in this expression is related to the future tense also confirms this. It is possible to observe this both in the historical periods of Turkish and in contemporary dialects. In Old Turkic, examples can be found where the future tense suffix -gay is also used as a marker of desire mood. This situation can also be seen in modern Turkic dialects today. In Sakha (Yakut) Turkish, which separated early from the main Turkic body and is often described as a distant dialect, it is also observed that the future tense suffix is used in the formation of the desiderative mood. In grammatical descriptions written by Sakha researchers, the formation of the desire mood is presented as: “verb + IAx (future tense suffix) + e- (auxiliary verb) + TI (past tense suffix) + possessive-based personal suffix” and “verb + -IA (future tense suffix) + possessive personal suffixes + e- (auxiliary verb) + te (3rd person singular form of the past tense suffix).” The use of auxiliary verbs in expressing desire is also present both in dialects and in Turkey Turkish dialects. For example, in Kazakh “jigim keldi” and in Turkish dialects “yiyesim geldi”, the expression indicates a desire to eat. The past tense marker found in Sakha Turkish structures can also be traced back to Old Turkic usage. As Gabain states: “The future tense, sometimes expressing capability; occasionally, especially when combined with an auxiliary verb in the past tense form, expresses the unrealized or polite request (wish).” This shows that the structure existed in Old Turkic as well. This study will analyze the structural features of the desiderative mood in Sakha Turkish, which shows similarities with both historical and modern forms. Based on grammatical works written on Sakha Turkish, the formation of the desiderative mood will be identified, and its similarities and differences with historical and contemporary Turkic dialects will be examined.