the word 'turning' is a transparent english deverbal noun formed from the verb 'turn' and the nominalizing suffix '-ing'. the verb 'turn' entered english from old french torner, tourner, which itself derived from latin tornare, meaning "to turn on a lathe, round off". this latin term originated from tornus, "lathe", a borrowing from greek tornos, "tool for drawing a circle, lathe". the core semantic thread from the ancient greek concept of circular motion persists in the modern english noun, which denotes both a physical change in direction and the specific craft of shaping material by rotating it on a lathe. the suffix '-ing' is a native germanic element used to form nouns of action or result, solidifying the process or place associated with the act of turning.

Structure: turn (to rotate) + ing (noun suffix) turn (from old english turnian, tyrnan, meaning "to rotate, revolve", of latin origin via old french; functional role: verbal root). ing (from old english -ung, -ing, a suffix forming nouns from verbs; functional role: deverbal noun suffix).