Analysis of problems resulting from Pashto-Turkish language differences in the Turkish learning process of Afghans

In today's rapidly changing world of science and technology, in order to advance, to have the qualities expected from individuals in modern societies, and to obtain better opportunities in both business and education, it has become almost mandatory to gain proficiency in a second or even a third language in addition to the mother tongue. Turkish is a language frequently preferred by foreigners due to the constantly evolving structure of the country in which it is spoken, its successes in different fields, and its strong position at the international level. Teaching Turkish as a foreign language, which has been going on for centuries, has become increasingly important, especially in recent years. Turkish stands out as one of the languages spoken and widely used by millions of people around the world as a mother tongue or a foreign language. Having an important position on a global scale, Turkish allows individuals to gain wider opportunities in various areas such as international relations, travel, trade and education by learning or teaching this language. In recent years, interest in Turkish has increased with the increase in Turkey's economic, cultural, commercial, touristic and communicative effects. In this direction, individuals coming from Afghanistan play a critical role in learning Turkish as a foreign language. Afghanistan is among the countries where Turkish is highly popular. There is a constant increase in the number of Afghans who want to learn Turkish. However, the origins and structures between Pashto and Turkish languages contain differences that can make language learning quite difficult and have many potential errors. Many details at these different levels can increase the difficulties that can be encountered in the language learning process. It is thought that understanding these language differences while learning Turkish by Pashto native speakers will support effective language learning. In this study, the views of the instructors who have taught Turkish or are currently teaching Turkish at various Turkish Maarif Foundation Schools and universities in Afghanistan on the difficulties faced by Pashto speakers due to language differences in the process of learning Turkish are compiled and examined using descriptive analysis method, and suggestions that can help Pashtuns in learning Turkish are developed. It is believed that the data, results and suggestions obtained from this study will be useful for Pashtuns who are new to learning Turkish or who are continuing to learn Turkish, as well as individuals whose native language is Turkish and who want to learn Pashto. In the second part of the study, some theoretical information that is thought to be useful for individuals who are learning Turkish or Pashto or are interested in this field is presented. This information includes topics such as Historical Development of Pashto and Turkish, Teaching Turkish as a Foreign Language and Its History, Comparisons of Pashto and Turkish Grammar. In the last two parts of the study, the findings obtained as a result of interviews with teachers who teach Turkish in Turkish Maarif Foundation Schools and universities in Afghanistan; analysis of the difficulties frequently encountered by Pashtuns in the process of learning Turkish, solution suggestions; basic differences between Pashto and Turkish and short explanations on these topics. Keywords: Turkish, Pashto, Similarities, Differences and Difficulties