Linguistic Transfer from L1 (Turkish) to L2 (English): A Case Study of EFL Undergraduate Turkish Students at Karabuk University

Pedagogically, the issue of similarities and/or differences between mother tongue and foreign language is one interesting areas second/foreign acquisition learning. Therefore, this study aims at exploring in which way Turkish (L1) influences English (L2) learning through perspectives EFL undergraduate students, whereby main focus on extent possible effects (L2). A qualitative approach was employed, including 15 male female students from Karabuk University studying first year Department whose Turkish. The majority findings showed negative transfer L1 (Turkish) to L2 (English), pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, thinking (Turkish), whereas positive aspects involved only two aspects, namely similar alphabets, vocabulary (cognates). These can be employed pedagogically for second learning/acquisition enhancing overcoming ones.