Awareness of Syntactic Variation in English Dialects: A Survey of Turkish Pre-Service EFL Teachers

Awareness of Syntactic Variation in English Dialects: A Survey of Turkish Pre-Service EFL Teachers

Uygun, Dilek

This study investigates Turkish pre-service EFL teachers’ awareness of the syntactic variation between English dialects, mainly between British and American English varieties. Considering the current status of English as a world language, the importance of having a heightened awareness of dialect variation in English both on the part of teachers and learners has been emphasized by several researchers (Adger, 2004; Jenkins, 2006; Matsuda, 2003; Seidlhofer, 2004; Sifakis, 2004). This study focuses particularly on one aspect of variation in English, syntactic variation, and aims at exploring prospective teachers’ awareness of the syntactic differences between British and American English regarding (a) the use of prepositions; (b) the use of articles; and (c) the use of tense and mood. The data is collected through a questionnaire given to 125 students attending the ELT department of a state university. The results of the study are discussed with reference to their implications for teacher training.

Conference or Workshop Item
PeerReviewed

2012-05

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