Analysis of errors among Chinese learners of Korean: Adding extra consonants after a final /ㄴ/ sound

This study investigates the common liaison errors made by Chinese learners of Korean, specifically focusing on the tendency to add redundant consonants, as identified in previous research. The primary aim is to verify prior findings that such errors, especially involving the addition of the same consonant, are particularly prevalent after the final /ㄴ/ consonant. The study uses both quantitative and qualitative methods to explore the influence of gender, region of origin, Korean proficiency, native language interference, and learners’ understanding of Korean phonological rules. Findings confirm that the addition of identical consonants in / ㄴ/ final consonant is indeed frequent and largely unaffected by learners’ region of origin or Korean proficiency level. However, female learners show a slightly higher error rate compared to male learners. Key contributing factors include differences in syllable structure and phonemic characteristics between Korean and Chinese, the impact of null consonants, and learners’ limited understanding of Korean syllable and consonant rules. These insights are valuable for Korean language educators in addressing phonological errors among Chinese-speaking learners.