This study aims to identify patterns and causes of errors in the use of Korean personal pronouns by Kyrgyz learners and to explore more effective directions for pronoun instruction. To this end, a contrastive analysis of the Korean and Kyrgyz personal...
This study aims to identify patterns and causes of errors in the use of Korean personal pronouns by Kyrgyz learners and to explore more effective directions for pronoun instruction. To this end, a contrastive analysis of the Korean and Kyrgyz personal pronoun systems was conducted to identify similarities and differences, and a grammar judgment test was designed focusing on areas where cross-linguistic differences are particularly salient. Rather than examining all pronouns comprehensively, the scope of the study was limited to pronouns with person reference. Specifically, the analysis focused on first-, second-, and third-person pronouns as core categories, as well as the reflexive pronouns ‘자기 and ‘자신, the interrogative pronoun ‘누구’and the negative pronoun ‘아무.
A review of previous studies revealed that while research on personal pronouns has been relatively active in the field of Korean linguistics, studies in Korean language education have largely focused on learners from Chinese- and Vietnamese-speaking backgrounds, with very limited attention given to Kyrgyz learners. Based on the contrastive analysis, a grammar judgment test was administered to 87 Kyrgyz learners at the beginner, intermediate, and advanced levels, and the data were analyzed by pronoun type.
The results showed that learners’ error patterns differed according to proficiency level. These errors were mainly attributed to first language transfer, the complexity of the Korean honorific system, and instructional factors in the learning environment. Based on the levelspecific analysis,
this study proposes pedagogical directions for Korean personal pronoun instruction tailored to Kyrgyz learners.
This study is significant in that it represents the first comparative investigation of Korean personal pronouns focusing on Kyrgyz learners, providing foundational data for future research. Furthermore, by clarifying the difficulties Kyrgyz learners experience in using Korean personal pronouns and by comparing the concepts and systems of pronouns in Korean and Kyrgyz, the study offers empirical evidence that can inform the design of future instructional approaches for Korean personal pronoun education. Despite these contributions, the study is limited by its reliance on written surveys, the difficulty of clearly identifying some error causes, and the lack of data on nonverbal aspects of pronoun use. Future research
should address these limitations by incorporating interviews, discourse completion tests (DCT), and textbook analysis, and by examining nonverbal behavior related to pronoun use. Such follow-up studies are expected to contribute to the systematic development of Korean personal pronoun education and to the enhancement of learners’ pragmatic competence.