Araştırma Makalesi
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İngilizce Belirli Tanımlık “The”nin Türsel Anlamda Kullanımı: Türk EFL Öğrencileri ve Anadili İngilizce Olan Konuşmacılar Üzerine Karşılaştırmalı Bir Derlem Çalışması

Yıl 2025, Cilt: 11 Sayı: 3, 1009 - 1028, 30.11.2025
https://doi.org/10.31592/aeusbed.1681606

Öz

İngilizce'deki tanımlık sistemi, özellikle İngilizce öğrenicileri ve anadili İngilizce olan bireyler tarafından tanımlıkların kullanımı, uzun süredir araştırmacılar arasında tartışma konusu olmuştur. Bu konu farklı açılardan ele alınmış olmakla birlikte, çalışmaların büyük bir kısmı genellikle belirli tanımlık the’nin türsel olmayan (non-generic) kullanımı üzerine odaklanmıştır. Ancak, the’nin türsel (generic) anlamda kullanımına dair literatürde dikkat çekici bir boşluk bulunmaktadır. Bu boşluğu doldurmayı amaçlayan mevcut çalışma, the tanımlığının türsel anlamda kullanımını, anadili İngilizce olan bireylerin blog yazıları ile yabancı dil olarak İngilizce öğrenen Türk öğrencilerin akademik yazıları arasında karşılaştırmalı olarak incelemiştir. Aynı konu üzerinde yazılmış metinlerde the’nin türsel kullanımlarına ilişkin örnekler belirlenmiş, kategorize edilmiş ve iki farklı konkordans programı aracılığıyla nicel olarak analiz edilmiştir. Elde edilen bulgular, önceden belirlenen araştırma hipotezleri doğrultusunda tartışılmıştır. Son olarak, çalışmanın sınırlılıkları belirtilmiş ve daha geniş bir örneklemle genel geçer sonuçlara ulaşmak ve farklı türlerde, çeşitli yeterlilik seviyelerinde yazılmış metinleri kapsamak amacıyla gelecek araştırmalara yönelik öneriler sunulmuştur.

Kaynakça

  • Alenizi, A. (2013). The Acquisition of the Nongeneric Uses of the English Definite Article the by Arabic Speakers of English. Yüksek lisans tezi. Southern Illinois University Carbondale, Illinois. ProQuest Dissertations and Theses veri tabanından erişildi. (UMI No. 1541913).
  • Anthony, L. (2020). AntConc (Version 3.5.9) [Computer software]. Waseda University. Available from https://www.laurenceanthony.net/software
  • Barton, D., Kolb, N., and Kupisch, T. (2015). Definite article use with generic reference in German: An emprical study. Zeitschrift für Sprachwissenschaft, 34(2), 147–173.
  • Biber, D., Conrad, S., and Reppen, R. (1998). Corpus linguistics: Investigating language structure and use. Cambridge University Press.
  • Bickerton, D. (2016). Roots of language. Berlin: Language Science Press.
  • Burton-Roberts, N. (1976). On the generic indefinite article. Language, 52, 427–448.
  • Butt, J., and Benjamin, C. (1988). A new reference grammar of modern Spanish. London: Arnold.
  • Can, C. (2017). A learner corpus-based study on verb errors of Turkish EFL learners. Journal of Education and Training Studies, 5(9), 167-175.
  • Carlson, G. (1982). Generic Terms and Generic Sentences. Journal of Philosophical Logic, 11(1), 145-181.
  • Celce-Murcia, M., and Larsen-Freeman, D. (1999). The grammar book: An ESL teacher’s course (2nd Ed). Boston: Heinle and Heinle.
  • Chan, A. Y. W. (2023). Hong Kong Cantonese ESL Learners’ Interpretation of the Use of Articles for Generic Reference: a Bilingual Perspective. English Teaching and Learning, 47(4), 469-492.
  • Chrabaszcz, A., and Jiang, N. (2014). The role of the native language in the use of the English nongeneric definite article by L2 learners: A cross-linguistic comparison. Second Language Research, 30(3), 351–379.
  • Davies, M. (2008). The Corpus of Contemporary American English (COCA). Retrieved from: https://www.english-corpora.org/coca/.
  • Dede, M. (1986). Studies in Turkish Linguistics. Amsterdam: John Benjamins.
  • Derkach, K., and Alexopoulou, T. (2024). Definite and indefinite article accuracy in learner English: A multifactorial analysis. Studies in Second Language Acquisition, 46(3), 710-740.
  • Dikilitaş, K., and Altay, M. (2011). Acquisition sequence of four categories of non-generic use of the English definite article the by Turkish speakers. Novitas-ROYAL, 5(2), 183–198.
  • Ekiert, M. (2004). Acquisition of the English article system by speakers of Polish in ESL and EFL settings. Teachers College, Columbia University Working Papers in TESOL and Applied Linguistics, 4, 1-23.
  • English-Corpora.org. (n.d.). Corpus of Contemporary American English. Retrieved November 25, 2020, from https://www.english-corpora.org/corpora.asp
  • Epstein, R. (2002). The definite article, accessibility, and the construction of discourse referents. Cognitive Linguistics, 12(4), 333–378.
  • Erguvanlı, E.E. (1984). The function of word order in Turkish grammar. Berkeley: University of California Press.
  • Garcia Mayo, M. D. P. (2008). The acquisition of four non-generic uses of the article the by Spanish EFL learners. System, 36, 550-565. doi: 10.1016/j.system.2008.08.001
  • Gelman, S., and Raman, L. (2003). Preschool children use linguistic form class and pragmatic cues to interpret generics. Child Development, 74(1), 308–325.
  • Geng, J. (2010). The semantic analysis of the definite article misuse by Chinese learners of English. Asian Social Science, 6(7), 180–184.
  • Giles, D. (2019). The L2 English non-generic definite article use of L1 Azerbaijani speakers. Yüksek lisans tezi. St. Cloud State University, St. Cloud, Minnesota.
  • Göksel, A. and Kerslake, C. (2005). Turkish: A comprehensive grammar. London: Routledge.
  • Granger, S. (2015). Contrastive interlanguage analysis: A reappraisal. International Journal of Learner Corpus Research, 1(1), 7–24. doi: 10.1075/ijlcr.1.1.01gra
  • Ionin, T., and Montrul, S. (2010). The role of L1 transfer in the interpretation of articles with definite plurals in L2 English. Language Learning, 60(4), 877–925.
  • Koç, D. K. (2015). The non-generic use of the definite article the in writing by Turkish learners of English. Hacettepe Üniversitesi Eğitim Fakültesi Dergisi, 30(2), 56-68.
  • Kovács, É. (2023). On the use of articles in English and in Hungarian. Acta Academiae Beregsasiensis, Philologica, 2(2), 81-91.
  • Krifka, M. (2012). Definitional generics. In Genericity, (pp. 372-389).
  • Langacker, R. W. (1991). Foundations of cognitive grammar: Vol. II. Descriptive application. Stanford CA: Stanford University Press.
  • Lee, J., Park, S., and Heinz, M. (2018). Exploring patterns of article use by advanced Korean learners of English and Spanish. International Review of Applied Linguistics in Language Teaching, 41(1), 79-101.
  • Liu, D., and Gleason, J. (2002). Acquisition of the Article the by Non-native Speakers of English: An Analysis of Four Non-generic Uses. Studies in Second Language Acquisition, 24(1), 1-26.
  • Lyons, J. (1977). Semantics: Vol. 1. New York: Cambridge University Press.
  • Maratsos, M. (1974). Preschool Children's Use of Definite and Indefinite Articles. Child Development, 45(2), 446-455.
  • Marinas, L. T. (2011). Definite Article use in the Ll of Spanish Speakers: A multi-dimensional problem. Miscelánea: A Journal of English and American studies, 43, 87-105.
  • Mason , J., and Pimm, D. (1984). Generic Examples: Seeing the General in the Particular. Educational Studies in Mathematics, 15, 277-289.
  • Master, P. (1997). The English Article System: Acquisition, Function, and Pedagogy. System, 25(2), 215-232.
  • Miller, J. (2005). Most ESL students have trouble with articles. International Education Journal, 5, 80-88.
  • Nickel, B. (2005). On semantics for characterizing sentences. Retrieved from https://philpapers.org/rec/NICOSF.
  • Ojeda, A. (1991). Definite descriptions and definite generics. Linguistics and Philosophy, 14, 367-397.
  • Park, S. (2021). The necessity of minimal representation of genericity in a newly developed language, Unish. Journal of Universal Language, 22(2), 87-104. doi: 10.22425/jul.2021.22.2.87
  • Prior, S., Fujise, K., and Fenwick, K. (2014). Acquisition of the non-generic definite article in English: The influence of cognitive style. International Journal of Linguistics, 6(3), 217-230.
  • Radden, G. (2009). Generic reference in English: A metonymic and conceptual blending analysis. In Metonymy and metaphor in grammar (pp. 199-228). John Benjamins Publishing Company.
  • Sinclair, J. M. (Ed.) (1991) Corpus, concordance, collocation. Oxford University Press, Oxford.
  • Snape, N. (2008). Resetting the nominal mapping parameter in L2 English: definite article use and the count–mass distinction. Bilingualism: Language and Cognition, 11(1), 63–79.
  • Taylor, J. R. (1995). Linguistic categorization: Prototypes in linguistic theory. In Cognitive grammar Oxford: Oxford University Press.
  • Thanh, T. M. (2022). Generic sentences in Vietnamese and English: Similarities and Differences. International Journal of Language and Linguistics, 10(2), 166-175. doi: 10.11648/j.ijll.20221002.25
  • Thomas, M. (1989). The acquisition of English articles by first-and second-language learners. Applied psycholinguistics, 10(3), 335-355.doi: 10.1017/S0142716400008663
  • Yang, Y. J. (2024). A study on the understanding of English articles among university students in an EFL. The Journal of Mirae English Language and Literature, 29(1), 223-243. doi: 10.46449/MJELL.2024.02.29.1.223
  • Yıldırım, B. (2015). Turkish ELT students’ acquisition of the definite article: An analysis of four non-generic uses. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 748–755.

The Use of English Definite Article “The” with Generic Reference: A Comparative Corpus-Based Study of Turkish EFL Learners and Native English Speakers

Yıl 2025, Cilt: 11 Sayı: 3, 1009 - 1028, 30.11.2025
https://doi.org/10.31592/aeusbed.1681606

Öz

The English article system, particularly the utilization of articles by both learners and native speakers of English language, has long been a subject of debate among researchers. Although numerous studies have examined this issue from various perspectives, most commonly focusing on the non-generic use of the definite article the, there remains a notable gap in the literature concerning its use with generic reference. Addressing this gap, the current study aimed to investigate the definite article the use with generic reference by analyzing and comparing its usage in blog writings of native English speakers and in academic writings of Turkish EFL learners with an identical topic of writing. The instances of the with generic reference were identified, categorized, and quantified using two different concordance programs. The results were then discussed in relation to the pre-established research hypotheses. Finally, the study ends by acknowledging its limitations and providing recommendations for future research to expand the participant pool to enhance generalizability and incorporate more diverse writing samples across various genres and proficiency levels.

Etik Beyan

Etik kurul raporu gerektirmemektedir.

Kaynakça

  • Alenizi, A. (2013). The Acquisition of the Nongeneric Uses of the English Definite Article the by Arabic Speakers of English. Yüksek lisans tezi. Southern Illinois University Carbondale, Illinois. ProQuest Dissertations and Theses veri tabanından erişildi. (UMI No. 1541913).
  • Anthony, L. (2020). AntConc (Version 3.5.9) [Computer software]. Waseda University. Available from https://www.laurenceanthony.net/software
  • Barton, D., Kolb, N., and Kupisch, T. (2015). Definite article use with generic reference in German: An emprical study. Zeitschrift für Sprachwissenschaft, 34(2), 147–173.
  • Biber, D., Conrad, S., and Reppen, R. (1998). Corpus linguistics: Investigating language structure and use. Cambridge University Press.
  • Bickerton, D. (2016). Roots of language. Berlin: Language Science Press.
  • Burton-Roberts, N. (1976). On the generic indefinite article. Language, 52, 427–448.
  • Butt, J., and Benjamin, C. (1988). A new reference grammar of modern Spanish. London: Arnold.
  • Can, C. (2017). A learner corpus-based study on verb errors of Turkish EFL learners. Journal of Education and Training Studies, 5(9), 167-175.
  • Carlson, G. (1982). Generic Terms and Generic Sentences. Journal of Philosophical Logic, 11(1), 145-181.
  • Celce-Murcia, M., and Larsen-Freeman, D. (1999). The grammar book: An ESL teacher’s course (2nd Ed). Boston: Heinle and Heinle.
  • Chan, A. Y. W. (2023). Hong Kong Cantonese ESL Learners’ Interpretation of the Use of Articles for Generic Reference: a Bilingual Perspective. English Teaching and Learning, 47(4), 469-492.
  • Chrabaszcz, A., and Jiang, N. (2014). The role of the native language in the use of the English nongeneric definite article by L2 learners: A cross-linguistic comparison. Second Language Research, 30(3), 351–379.
  • Davies, M. (2008). The Corpus of Contemporary American English (COCA). Retrieved from: https://www.english-corpora.org/coca/.
  • Dede, M. (1986). Studies in Turkish Linguistics. Amsterdam: John Benjamins.
  • Derkach, K., and Alexopoulou, T. (2024). Definite and indefinite article accuracy in learner English: A multifactorial analysis. Studies in Second Language Acquisition, 46(3), 710-740.
  • Dikilitaş, K., and Altay, M. (2011). Acquisition sequence of four categories of non-generic use of the English definite article the by Turkish speakers. Novitas-ROYAL, 5(2), 183–198.
  • Ekiert, M. (2004). Acquisition of the English article system by speakers of Polish in ESL and EFL settings. Teachers College, Columbia University Working Papers in TESOL and Applied Linguistics, 4, 1-23.
  • English-Corpora.org. (n.d.). Corpus of Contemporary American English. Retrieved November 25, 2020, from https://www.english-corpora.org/corpora.asp
  • Epstein, R. (2002). The definite article, accessibility, and the construction of discourse referents. Cognitive Linguistics, 12(4), 333–378.
  • Erguvanlı, E.E. (1984). The function of word order in Turkish grammar. Berkeley: University of California Press.
  • Garcia Mayo, M. D. P. (2008). The acquisition of four non-generic uses of the article the by Spanish EFL learners. System, 36, 550-565. doi: 10.1016/j.system.2008.08.001
  • Gelman, S., and Raman, L. (2003). Preschool children use linguistic form class and pragmatic cues to interpret generics. Child Development, 74(1), 308–325.
  • Geng, J. (2010). The semantic analysis of the definite article misuse by Chinese learners of English. Asian Social Science, 6(7), 180–184.
  • Giles, D. (2019). The L2 English non-generic definite article use of L1 Azerbaijani speakers. Yüksek lisans tezi. St. Cloud State University, St. Cloud, Minnesota.
  • Göksel, A. and Kerslake, C. (2005). Turkish: A comprehensive grammar. London: Routledge.
  • Granger, S. (2015). Contrastive interlanguage analysis: A reappraisal. International Journal of Learner Corpus Research, 1(1), 7–24. doi: 10.1075/ijlcr.1.1.01gra
  • Ionin, T., and Montrul, S. (2010). The role of L1 transfer in the interpretation of articles with definite plurals in L2 English. Language Learning, 60(4), 877–925.
  • Koç, D. K. (2015). The non-generic use of the definite article the in writing by Turkish learners of English. Hacettepe Üniversitesi Eğitim Fakültesi Dergisi, 30(2), 56-68.
  • Kovács, É. (2023). On the use of articles in English and in Hungarian. Acta Academiae Beregsasiensis, Philologica, 2(2), 81-91.
  • Krifka, M. (2012). Definitional generics. In Genericity, (pp. 372-389).
  • Langacker, R. W. (1991). Foundations of cognitive grammar: Vol. II. Descriptive application. Stanford CA: Stanford University Press.
  • Lee, J., Park, S., and Heinz, M. (2018). Exploring patterns of article use by advanced Korean learners of English and Spanish. International Review of Applied Linguistics in Language Teaching, 41(1), 79-101.
  • Liu, D., and Gleason, J. (2002). Acquisition of the Article the by Non-native Speakers of English: An Analysis of Four Non-generic Uses. Studies in Second Language Acquisition, 24(1), 1-26.
  • Lyons, J. (1977). Semantics: Vol. 1. New York: Cambridge University Press.
  • Maratsos, M. (1974). Preschool Children's Use of Definite and Indefinite Articles. Child Development, 45(2), 446-455.
  • Marinas, L. T. (2011). Definite Article use in the Ll of Spanish Speakers: A multi-dimensional problem. Miscelánea: A Journal of English and American studies, 43, 87-105.
  • Mason , J., and Pimm, D. (1984). Generic Examples: Seeing the General in the Particular. Educational Studies in Mathematics, 15, 277-289.
  • Master, P. (1997). The English Article System: Acquisition, Function, and Pedagogy. System, 25(2), 215-232.
  • Miller, J. (2005). Most ESL students have trouble with articles. International Education Journal, 5, 80-88.
  • Nickel, B. (2005). On semantics for characterizing sentences. Retrieved from https://philpapers.org/rec/NICOSF.
  • Ojeda, A. (1991). Definite descriptions and definite generics. Linguistics and Philosophy, 14, 367-397.
  • Park, S. (2021). The necessity of minimal representation of genericity in a newly developed language, Unish. Journal of Universal Language, 22(2), 87-104. doi: 10.22425/jul.2021.22.2.87
  • Prior, S., Fujise, K., and Fenwick, K. (2014). Acquisition of the non-generic definite article in English: The influence of cognitive style. International Journal of Linguistics, 6(3), 217-230.
  • Radden, G. (2009). Generic reference in English: A metonymic and conceptual blending analysis. In Metonymy and metaphor in grammar (pp. 199-228). John Benjamins Publishing Company.
  • Sinclair, J. M. (Ed.) (1991) Corpus, concordance, collocation. Oxford University Press, Oxford.
  • Snape, N. (2008). Resetting the nominal mapping parameter in L2 English: definite article use and the count–mass distinction. Bilingualism: Language and Cognition, 11(1), 63–79.
  • Taylor, J. R. (1995). Linguistic categorization: Prototypes in linguistic theory. In Cognitive grammar Oxford: Oxford University Press.
  • Thanh, T. M. (2022). Generic sentences in Vietnamese and English: Similarities and Differences. International Journal of Language and Linguistics, 10(2), 166-175. doi: 10.11648/j.ijll.20221002.25
  • Thomas, M. (1989). The acquisition of English articles by first-and second-language learners. Applied psycholinguistics, 10(3), 335-355.doi: 10.1017/S0142716400008663
  • Yang, Y. J. (2024). A study on the understanding of English articles among university students in an EFL. The Journal of Mirae English Language and Literature, 29(1), 223-243. doi: 10.46449/MJELL.2024.02.29.1.223
  • Yıldırım, B. (2015). Turkish ELT students’ acquisition of the definite article: An analysis of four non-generic uses. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 748–755.
Toplam 51 adet kaynakça vardır.

Ayrıntılar

Birincil Dil İngilizce
Konular Dilbilim (Diğer)
Bölüm Araştırma Makalesi
Yazarlar

Songül Taş 0000-0003-2590-6063

Gönderilme Tarihi 22 Nisan 2025
Kabul Tarihi 30 Kasım 2025
Yayımlanma Tarihi 30 Kasım 2025
Yayımlandığı Sayı Yıl 2025 Cilt: 11 Sayı: 3

Kaynak Göster

APA Taş, S. (2025). The Use of English Definite Article “The” with Generic Reference: A Comparative Corpus-Based Study of Turkish EFL Learners and Native English Speakers. Ahi Evran Üniversitesi Sosyal Bilimler Enstitüsü Dergisi, 11(3), 1009-1028. https://doi.org/10.31592/aeusbed.1681606