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영어

This paper reports research which investigates the processes by which Korean learners of Japanese acquire the perception of long and short vowels. It investigates the progress of seven Japanese-major university students over a period of two years. Perception was measured with a listening test consisting of 32 non-words of 3 to 6 mora long of varying pitch, mora position and rhythm type. The same test was conducted three times, over the two years. Factors explaining variance in the responses were determined using a stepwise multiple regression analysis and then, the data were compared using linear repeated measures ANOVAs. The results demonstrated the following: 1) The test scores of the participants in their third year were higher than those in their first year. 2) Pitch, rhythm type, mora position and vowel length were all factors determining accuracy, but there was individual variation between the participants. 3) The length of vowel determined variance in responses for learners of lower proficiency. 4) For learners of higher proficiency, variance in response was determined by pitch, mora position and rhythm type. 5) Finally, the participants identified the long vowels significantly more accurately in the third year than they did in the first two years.