The effects of language transfer in Turkish EFL learners

Authors : Enisa MEDE, Ceren TUTAL, Derya AYAZ, Kaya ÇALIŞIR, Şeyma AKIN

Pages : 70-83

View : 17 | Download : 14

Publication Date : 2014-10-15

Article Type : Research Paper

Abstract :Language transfer is defined as the influence resulting from similarities and differences between the target language and any other language that has been previously insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(and perhaps imperfectly); acquired insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(Odlin, 1989);. The notion of transfer was raised with the Contrastive Analysis Hypothesis insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(CAH); by the behaviorist psychologists. According to this view, native language insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(NL); affects second language and it was the source of error in production and/or reception insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(Gass & Selinker, 2001);.The present study aims to investigate the transfer effects of Turkish insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(L1); learners of English insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(L2);. Specifically, the present study examines the acquisition of word order insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(verb placement); in Turkish EFL learners.  The participants were 19 Turkish EFL learners enrolled in a Language Preparatory Program at a private university in Turkey. Data came from picture description and grammaticality judgment tasks. The results revealed significant evidence for syntactic transfer due to different word order patterns between the two languages. 
Keywords : language transfer, contrastive analysis hypothesis CAH, word order