Balkanlardaki Osmanlı Türkçesi Kökenli Kelimelerin Arnavutça Konuşurların Yabancı Dil Olarak Türkçe Öğrenimine Etkisi
The Impact of Ottoman Turkish-Origin Words in the Balkans on Albanian Speakers' Learning of Turkish as a Foreign Language

Summary/Abstract: The aim of this study is to determine the impact of shared words of Ottoman Turkish origin (Turkisms)—present in the languages of individuals living in the Balkans whose native language is Albanian—on their ongoing process of learning Turkish as a foreign language. The study examines in depth, through the data obtained, the roles of positive and negative transfer played by this deep-rooted historical and cultural lexical heritage regarding vocabulary acquisition, reading comprehension skills, and speaking fluency among Albanian speakers. A mixed-methods design, utilizing both quantitative and qualitative data, was adopted for the study. The study group consisted of 56 Albanian speaking participants—selected via a criterion sampling model—representing diverse socio-demographic backgrounds, age groups, and educational levels. Data were collected using a structured digital questionnaire and semi-structured interview forms that allowed for in-depth analysis. Quantitative data were analyzed using the SPSS statistical software package through descriptive analysis, frequency, and percentage methods, while qualitative data were examined using content analysis techniques. The findings indicate that 85.7% of the participants stated that shared words of Ottoman Turkish origin—active in both languages—significantly facilitated the process of developing their Turkish language skills, while 80.4% noted that these words directly enhanced their speed in constructing sentences and their reading comprehension performance in the target language. The findings reveal that the Ottoman Turkish legacy already present in the minds of Albanian speakers facilitates strong, positive transfer by reducing mental processing time in the target language, thereby contributing positively—particularly to speaking fluency. Conversely, it has been determined that certain shared words—which have undergone semantic erosion, narrowing, or shifts over the course of history—cause negative transfer during the learning process by acting as false cognates. It is concluded that, alongside factors such as education, family ties, historical connections, and cultural interest, the existing lexical legacy has accelerated the process for Albanian speakers motivated to improve their Turkish proficiency.

• Details
• Contents