Correlation between the original word knowledge and the strategy of connecting with the original words in the acquisition of loanword in Korean by Chinese speakers

The current study aimed to examine the correlation between knowledge of original words and strategy of connecting loanwords with original words in Chinese students at an intermediate/advanced level of proficiency in Korean language. A total of 47 participants were selected for the study and underwent testing with 29 English loanwords in Korean selected from advanced vocabularies and paired with their origins in English to assess their knowledge and recognition of original words and loanwords and ability to associate loanwords with the corresponding original words. The data were used to determine the correlation between these variables. Correlation analyses revealed a strong significant correlation between original word knowledge and loanword knowledge across participants. However, no significant correlation was observed for original word knowledge with loanword recognition and the ability to connect loanwords and original words. In terms of the English loanwords tested, a significant correlation was found for original word knowledge with loanword knowledge, loanword recognition, and loanword-original word connection. In short, knowledge level of original words was not positively correlated with the abilities to recognize and associate them with the corresponding loanwords. However, knowledge of original words was helpful when learning a loanword that is cognate with the original words. Hence, the current study underscores the need for teaching strategies that allow students who learn Korean as a second language to utilize their knowledge of original words as a means of identifying the loanwords in Korean derived from the original language and uncovering their meaning as well. (Wonkwang Digital University)