Typological Constraints on Motion Event Encoding: Path Satellite Usages and the Perspectives of Turkish EFL Learners

Abstract

This study aims to investigate how Turkish EFL learners encode motion events in English, with a particular focus on path satellites. As Turkish is a verb-framed language and English satellite-framed, Turkish learners of English often struggle with adopting the canonical verbalization patterns of motion event descriptions in English. With an explanatory, sequential mixed-methods design, this study first quantitatively identifies patterns of motion event descriptions produced by Turkish EFL learners and their use or omission of path satellites. Quantitative data were collected from 25 senior students studying at an ELT department of a state university in Türkiye. Secondly, to deepen the understanding of the underlying linguistic and cognitive factors of these tendencies, it uses qualitative data collected from 6 of the participants through semi-structured interviews. The findings provide valuable insights into cross-linguistic influences in second language acquisition, enlightening how typological differences between L1 and L2 affect learners’ descriptions in their L2. Furthermore, instructional strategies such as “visual aids and dynamic video materials, role-play and kinesthetic practice of motion verbs”, and “explicit instruction on cross-linguistic differences” are proposed to help Turkish EFL learners enhance their motion event descriptions in English.