Thank you for bringing forward this important stylistic issue, tunci. The use of customary metaphors often makes sentences very difficult to understand for a learner. Is there a dictionary of Turkish metaphors somewhere?

Do good authors use these old metaphors a lot? I guess in some languages their usage is not recommended while in others they have a certain prestige. How is it in Turkish?

Metaphors have a lifespan. They are born, they live and they are forgotten. Some metaphors become extremely popular and fashionable but don´t live long. Some have always been there so that we hardly notice them. (No wonder, a word itself is a metaphor.) Mother tongue teachers in my country strictly warn students from using both very customary and very fashionable metaphors. If one can´t use fresh metaphors he should better abstain from using them. But I have a feeling there are cultures where mastering old metaphors is a sign of civilization.

gokuyum, I think you have really caught the idea and the spirit of this genre. I´m sure you will be quoted a lot.

I am thinking hectically now how to compete with you.

My Try:

It is not easy to be a candle. In order to scatter light you have to burn first.

I recommend totally-turkish.com for beginners. It makes everything look easy. A big plus for the exercises.

Sometimes using another browser helps for this problem of invisible posts.

Have you read the stories on this site (under "Learn Turkish" headline), jherachel?

You can also try to read in Turkish something that you very well know. Like traditional tales. Try to read Kralın elbisesi (The Emperor´s New Clothes), Kırmızı başlıklı kız (Little Red Riding Hood), Pamuk prenses (Snowwhite), Külkedisi (Cinderella), Gerçek prenses (The Princess and the Pea)... You actually know the story and you just try to follow it in Turkish.

Lots of fairy tales can be found here:

                           http://www.herkesemasal.com/index.asp

In a conversation, is it possible that a –se- clause refers backwards like in English:

- We can go for a walk.

- If you want.

If you translate it into Turkish word by word is it ok or does it sound like something is missing or the second speaker is going to add something?

- Yürümeye gidebiliriz.

- ?İstersen.

The two of us, dear.

The stress discloses that it is the negative marker. If it was ablative of the verbal noun the word stress would be on the last syllable.

If I have done with my hands

what one (in general) can do with his/her hands (I wanted it to be impersonal here)

let them rest.

My Try:

Patience. It is such a rope: when you believe it is going to break it actually gets twisted and becomes stronger, when you believe it is going to end it gradually increases.