Acquisition of Situational Expressions in Turkish in the Context of Teaching Turkish as a Foreign Language: Between Pragmatics and Cultural Competence

This study examines the role of situational expressions in the process of acquiring Turkish as a foreign language, with a focus on the pragmatic and intercultural competence of learners. The aim is to analyze learners’ perceptions, strategies, and difficulties in using these culturally and socially marked linguistic units, as well as how they are presented in instructional materials. Using a mixed methodology—which includes surveys, recognition and usage tests, discourse analysis, and an analysis of six leading textbooks—it is established that although learners can recognize some frequently used expressions, they face challenges in their appropriate use due to a lack of cultural context, intonational cues, and social orientation. The results indicate that situational expressions are often taught in isolation from the authentic contexts in which they actually function, which limits the development of pragmatic competence. The study emphasizes the need for a more systematic and contextualized introduction of these expressions through role-playing, cultural scenarios, and intercultural comparisons as an integral part of Turkish language instruction.