The acquisition of TAM markers in L2 Turkish

The acquisition of tense, aspect and modality (TAM) poses a major acquisition problem for adult second language (L2) learners. Early interlanguages are reported to be impoverished with respect to the use of TAM markers. In this paper, we investigate the acquisition and the use of TAM morphemes -(I)yor, -A/Ir, -(y)AcAK, -DI and -mIş by providing empirical data from the interlanguage of adult Greek learners of Turkish. More specifically, the purpose of the present study is to identify the most problematic morphology within TAM and to account for the results on the basis of the inherent functional characteristics of the relevant morphology in Turkish as well as first language (L1) Greek influence.

• Affiliations: 1: Ankara University; 2: Kirikkale University; 3: Aristotle University of Thessaloniki