“한국어능력시험”과 일본 “<한글>능력검정시험” 초급 문제에 대한 비교 연구

A Comparative Study on the Beginner’s Level of the Test of Proficiency in Korean(TOPIK) and the Hangul Language Proficiency Test

The aim of this paper is to analyze the structural differences between the TOPIK and the Hangul Language Proficiency Test, which is administered in Japan. In this paper, we confined our attention to the beginner’s level of these two tests and analyzed their test items in terms of pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and discourse. As a result, although they have the same name “beginner’s level”, these proficiency tests revealed many differences in their distribution of grammatical items. Furthermore, the TOPIK doesn’t have test items concerning pronunciation. Such differences reflect how the two test systems interpret the “beginner’s level”, and how they decide what learners need to study at the beginner’s level. From a contrastive linguistic point of view, these proficiency tests have different characteristics because the Hangul Language Proficiency Test introduced such contrastive viewpoints into their test items, while the TOPIK didn't. We should recognize these differences appropriately for effective use of these two tests.