The Appearance of Imperatives in Çankırı Dialects: -(y)Ale and -sAŋA

Abstract

Imperatives have been analyzed in terms of their status as a subcategory of modality, their occurrence in the first and third person, the impact of accompanying exclamations on meaning, and the origins of imperative markers. Typically, imperatives are used by speakers to direct recipientsto act.Within the framework of modality, however, they are also linked to notions of necessity, desirability, and possibility— reflecting the speaker’s stance toward the realization of the action. Studies relying on standard Turkish and written language often fail to capture the diversity of imperative usage in spontaneous speech. To achieve a more comprehensive understanding, it is necessary to explore imperative markersfound in dialects ofTurkish.Thisstudy examinesthe morphemes -(y)Ale and -sAŋA, which function as imperative modality markers in the Çankırı dialects. The data were collected through field research with native speakers of the dialect. The analysis focuses on the functional and semantic properties of the two morphemes and compares their distinctive features. Additionally, speaker perceptions regarding their use are evaluated. The findings indicate that the speakers of the Çankırı dialects have multiple options to mark the imperatives. These constructions occur in the second person, directing the addressee to perform the action. The morpheme -(y)Ale serves as a softened imperative, generally requiring relational closeness and prompting immediate action. Conversely, -sAŋA conveys a stronger imperative force, with temporal meanings that vary depending on the context. The variation between these forms reflects differences in informal social authority and speaker intention.