Perceptions of 'language difficulty' and their impact on second-language-learning commitment: Findings from Japanese and Korean
Abstract
Learning a foreign language is a cognitively complex and demanding process that requires learners to show longterm commitment in order to acquire a high level of proficiency. This becomes particularly important in the context of migration where acquisition of the national language is a central aspect of integration into the host society.
Language distance, i.e. the degree of relatedness between one's native language and the new (target) language, plays a role for whether linguistic integration (i.e., the learning of the new language) will be successful. Here, the concept of 'language difficulty' is a crucial predictor for language learning motivation.
The present study investigates migrants to Japan and Korea and their perceptions of 'language difficulty' of the Japanese or Korean language. Specifically, the influence of perceptions of difficulty on learning commitment, personal motivation and ultimately learning success, are examined