Comparative study of cliche words in teaching turkish as a foreign language textbooks

The aim of this study is to analyze cliché words used in Turkish as a foreign language textbooks in terms of their contexts and types of speech acts and to determine in which context and how often they are included in the relevant textbooks. Five Turkish as a foreign language textbooks (Gökkuşağı Türkçe A1-A2, İstanbul A1-A2, İzmir A1-A2, Pratik Türkçe A1-A2 & Türkçe Alıştırma Kitabım & Yeni Hitit A1-A2) were chosen. Cliché words in these books were collected as data then analyzed in terms of their structural, functional, semantic and contextual features. Language and culture elements as one of the most important components of general Turkish vocabulary were mentioned especially for their effect from past to present on the formation of cliché words. Various cliché words were then defined and classified in this purpose. The originality, importance, purpose and limitations of the study were also given in this part. In the second part, related concepts such as language, vocabulary, speech-act and cliché words were explained in their relationship with each other in the light of previous studies on cliché words in the literature. The findings of the study were presented in the third part. Turkish as a foreign language textbooks and workbooks were analyzed in terms of their types of speech acts and cliché words as well as their diversity and frequency. In the last part of the thesis, results regarding speech acts and cliché words in Turkish as a foreign language textbooks and workbooks were summarized. These books were then discussed for their weaknesses and strengths in the context of cliché words. Suggestions for any prospective Turkish as a foreign language textbooks or studies about Turkish cliché words to be taught to foreign learners of Turkish were also made. Keywords: Language, culture, Turkish as a foreign language, speech acts, cliché words