Similarities and (Initiation/Borrowing) phenomena in the concepts, words, and phrases used by foreign students studying higher education in Turkey in their native languages

This study investigates the influence of Arabic-speaking students’ native language on their process of learning Turkish as a foreign language. Employing a quantitative research design, data were collected through online surveys from 620 Arabic-speaking students enrolled at Akdeniz University TÖMER. The study has been exploring the role of the native language in learners’ use of Turkish, the impact of linguistic interference, and the presence of false cognates affecting comprehension and expression. A student questionnaire and a researcher’s diary were used as data collection tools. Quantitative analysis revealed that interference from the native language significantly shaped students’ linguistic performance, particularly through errors and misunderstandings caused by false cognates. The findings emphasize that such cross-linguistic influences can hinder accurate language acquisition. The study boosts the awareness of interference and borrowing phenomena which essential for developing more effective Turkish language teaching strategies for Arabic-speaking learners.