Exploring L2 Mediation in L3 Acquisition: A Case Study on Turkish Learners’ Translation Practices

This study investigates how Turkish learners’ second language (L2), English, mediates their acquisition of a third language (L3), Chinese. Focusing on cross-linguistic interactions, it explores whether L2 functions as a facilitative or interfering factor in L3 learning. To establish a baseline, a pilot study revealed that 85% of Turkish students studying Chinese rely primarily on English-language resources. Based on this finding, four students were selected as a focus group for in-depth analysis. Employing a qualitative case study design, translation and retranslation tasks were used to examine transfer patterns among L1 (Turkish), L2 (English), and L3 (Chinese). Participants’ performance was further analyzed through interviews to collect both qualitative and quantitative data. Results show that prior exposure to L2 positively correlates with L3 production performance. Learners who use English being their first foreign language as a learning medium tend to see it as beneficial means in the form of cognitive and linguistic support system. However, recurrent cross-linguistic influences also give rise to predictable error patterns. Overall, the findings suggest that Turkish learners’ dependence on L2 sources when learning Chinese is shaped by motivational and contextual factors, which, in turn, influence both the quality and depth of their L3 acquisition and translation performance.