Lexical Interference in English Vocabulary

Abstract

Background. This study examines intra-linguistic and inter-linguistic interference in English vocabulary acquisition among Azerbaijani learners. Lexical interference occurs when semantic, structural, or contextual features of the native language are transferred into the target language, leading to errors in comprehension, translation, and usage at both microstructural and macrostructural levels. These challenges are particularly significant in multilingual environments such as Azerbaijan, where learners are exposed to several linguistic systems, increasing the likelihood of cross-linguistic influence and transfer-based misinterpretation.
Purpose. The research aims to describe and classify the main types of lexical interference affecting Azerbaijani learners of English. It focuses on how polysemy, synonymy, antonymy, collocations, and phraseological structures contribute to lexical error formation and discusses pedagogical implications for more effective vocabulary instruction.
Materials and Methods. The study adopts a descriptive and analytical approach, drawing on theoretical and empirical literature in language transfer, bilingualism, and lexical semantics, together with illustrative examples from Azerbaijani and English. Lexical units showing signs of interference were analysed through comparative semantic analysis. Learner errors were categorised according to linguistic source, lexical relation, and the degree of intra-linguistic or inter-linguistic influence.
Results. The analysis shows that lexical interference most frequently results from the misinterpretation of polysemous lexemes, inaccurate synonym and antonym choices, and structural mismatches in collocations and idiomatic expressions. Azerbaijani learners often transfer native-language semantic distinctions, verb–noun patterns, and pragmatic norms into English, producing recurrent errors such as incorrect prepositions, inappropriate verb selection, inaccurate evaluative vocabulary, and literal translation of phraseological units.
Conclusion. The findings confirm that intra-linguistic and inter-linguistic interference significantly shape English vocabulary acquisition among Azerbaijani learners. Emphasising semantic nuance, collocational norms, and contrastive analysis in teaching can help reduce lexical errors. The study offers pedagogical implications for language teachers and curriculum designers and identifies directions for future research on lexical interference in bilingual and multilingual contexts.