The Study of Vowel Soundsㅐ[Ɛ] andㅔ[e] in Korean Language Thai Learners

Abstract

           This research is consequential to the research project of Paphonphat Kobsirithiwara (2020) which examined the differentiation between the vowel sounds ㅐ[Ɛ] and ㅔ[e] among Korean representative samples by employing OpenSesame program due to the equivocal pronunciation problem of the vowel sounds ㅐ[Ɛ] and ㅔ[e] which is not related to Korean rules of phonetics among Korean nowadays. This follow-up research aims to study the differentiation between vowel sound ㅐ[Ɛ] and ㅔ[e] among a Thai Korean language learners sample group. The researcher examines the representative samples from 246 Thai Korean language learners who study the Korean language as major and minor subject from 5 Thai universities. This research methodology is conducted through a listening test. The representative samples have to listen to vocabulary sound once per one vocabulary then they have to write down the vocabulary on paper (dictation). The 34 words used in dictation test are composed of ㅐ[Ɛ] and ㅔ[e] vowel sounds. Afterwards, the researcher examines the result by SPSS program.

           The analysis of average accuracy in the differentiation between the vowel sounds ㅐ[Ɛ] and ㅔ[e] reveals that the average accuracy of the vowel sound ㅐ[Ɛ] among the Thai Korean language learners sample group is at 59.95% and the average accuracy of the vowel sound ㅔ[e] among the Thai Korean language learners sample group is at 57.31%. By employing Paired Sample T-Test methodology, the result reveals that the  average accuracy in the differentiation between the vowel sounds ㅐ[Ɛ] and ㅔ[e] among the Thai Korean language learners sample group is higher than the Korean representative sample group significantly. But overall, Thai Korean Language Learners are unable to distinguish between the vowel sounds ㅐ[Ɛ] and ㅔ[e] like native Korean speakers.