A comparative study on attitudes and perceptions of Korean and Malaysian English learners toward World Englishes

This study aims to analyze and compare the attitudes and perceptions of Korean and Malaysian adult English learners toward World Englishes. A total of 31 Korean and 32 Malaysian participants participated in the study. They listened to 10 English varieties representing World Englishes and completed a questionnaire assessing their attitudes and perceptions. The results revealed notable differences between the two groups. Korean participants exhibited significantly lower positive attitudes toward non-native English varieties, including Malaysian English, Indian English, Philippine English, and Japanese English, compared to their Malaysian counterparts. Additionally, Korean participants expressed less agreement regarding the recognition of Korean English, while Malaysian participants considered Malaysian English equivalent to other English varieties. Furthermore, Korean learners reported less experience in learning World Englishes and lower confidence in their English pronunciations. These findings suggest that secondary English education in Korea should offer students more exposure to various English varieties, enabling them to be well-prepared in the globalized world.