Have you ever met someone with a “nurturing” spirit, someone who makes you feel safe, supported, and encouraged to grow? What does it mean to be “nurturing“, and where does this word come from? The adjective “nurturing” comes from the verb nurture, which has its roots in the Latin word “nutrire“, meaning to feed or to “nourish“. Over time, it evolved through Old French (norture) and Middle English, expanding to include emotional and intellectual care as well.
In Turkish, “nurturing” is often translated as “şefkatli”, “besleyici“, or “destekleyici”, depending on the context. For example, in English one might say, He has a nurturing personality that comforts everyone around him. In Turkish, this “could be expressed as”: “(Onun) şefkatli kişiliği, etrafındaki herkesi rahatlatıyor.” Or consider, A nurturing environment helps children thrive, which in Turkish becomes: “Destekleyici bir ortam, çocukların gelişmesine yardımcı olur.” The word holds both warmth and strength, a quiet power rooted in care.
Here are some quotes in English.
- “Nurturing yourself is not selfish—it’s essential to your survival and your well-being.”
by Renée Peterson Trudeau - “True leadership is nurturing, not dominating.”
by Robin Sharma - “Love is not just about passion; it’s about nurturing, patience, and presence.”
by Brendon Burchard - “Children don’t need perfect parents. They need nurturing ones who show up.”
by L.R. Knost - “Healing begins in a nurturing space, where kindness outweighs judgment.”
by Anonymous
And here are some examples from Turkish literature.
- Orhan Kemal – Bereketli Topraklar Üzerinde:
“Şefkatli bir kadın sesiyle uyanmak insanın içini ısıtır.”
→ Waking up to a nurturing woman’s voice warms the heart. - Yaşar Kemal – İnce Memed:
“Anası kadar şefkatli birini görmemişti köyde kimse.”
→ No one in the village had seen anyone as nurturing as his mother. - Elif Şafak – Aşk:
“Şems’in sözlerinde hem şefkatli bir kucaklama hem de derin bir öğretmen edası vardı.”
→ There was both a nurturing embrace and a deep, guiding tone in Shams’s words. - Nazım Hikmet (Poetry):
“Ve şefkatli ellerinle okşa yüreğimi.”
→ And with your nurturing hands, soothe my heart. - Halide Edib Adıvar – Ateşten Gömlek:
“Şefkatli bakışları, Zeynep’i bir an için bile olsa unutturmuştu kederini.”
→ Her nurturing gaze made Zeynep forget her sorrow, even for a moment.
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