when we try to translate turkish lyrics into english, we come across some words or phrases that defy simple translation. this thread will be about them. any help, suggestion, request, contribution or correction would be most welcome.
hani
this word was in a couple of recent lyrics. it has several meanings:
1. the most general meaning is
where? it means the same as
nerede?(*) in this sense with one subtle difference:
hani implies a previous conversation or so about the subject between the speakers,
nerede doesn't. it can be translated as
so where's the ...? or
well, where's the ...?
for example, you enter the kitchen and ask your mother,
tuz nerede? here you don't say,
hani tuz?
when you return from shopping, your mom looks at the bag and asks,
hani tuz? (well, where's the salt?) she implies that
it was on the list but you forgot to buy it, didn't you? she could as well say
tuz nerede? letting the physical context take care of its being on the list.
as in the refrain of the song,
hani verdiğin sözler?
hani ellerin nerde?
hani huzur bulduğum deniz gözlerin nerde?
hani sen hep benimdin?
şimdi nerdesin, nerde?
so where are your promises (literally, the words you promised)
where are your hands?
where are your sea eyes in which i used to find tranquility
(you used to say that) you were always be mine
where are you now? where?
as it is seen in the second and third line,
nerede can be used with
hani in the same sentence as an emphasis since they're not exact synonyms of each other.
the penultimate line brings us the second meaning of
hani, which will be the subject of the next message.
---
(*) also
nerde. in spoken language, the
e in the middle almost always drops.
said in turkish - türkçesi
Linear Mode
