Challenges in Teaching English to Turkic Language Speakers
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.51773/sssh.v4i2.1037Keywords:
cross-linguistic interference, Turkic language speakers, English language learningAbstract
The article analyzes typical difficulties encountered by native speakers of Turkic languages (Turkish, Azerbaijani, Uzbek, Kazakh, Kyrgyz, Turkmen, etc.) when learning English. The aim is to systematize the main areas of cross-linguistic interference at phonetic, grammatical, lexical, and syntactic levels. In phonetics, problems include English front vowels, interdental consonants [, ð], absence of vowel harmony, and fixed stress. Grammatical difficulties involve the lack of article category in Turkic languages, differences in aspectual-temporal systems (especially perfect forms), word order (SOV vs. SVO), and complex sentence construction. Lexical interference manifests through false friends, calquing, and different collocational patterns. Sociocultural and psychological factors are also considered: differences in speech etiquette, politeness strategies, and educational traditions. Based on the analysis, methodological recommendations are proposed: using a contrastive approach, systematic training of problematic phonemes, practicing articles and tenses, developing metalinguistic awareness. The article is intended for English teachers working in Turkic-speaking environments and for researchers in contact linguistics. The results can be applied to create specialized teaching materials and correct typical errors.
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