| The increasing communication in economy and culture between China and South Korea has boosted people’s interest in learning the Korean language in mainland China. Pitifully, though, textbooks for Chinese learners of the Korean language are found seriously lacking, both in terms of user-friendly design and usefulness. Such inadequacy mainly results from the absence of a set of specific and applicable criteria for compilation and assessment of the textbook. Therefore, a working standard for selection and introduction of vocabulary and grammar items is much needed to supply the lacking.Recent development in quantitative linguistics has given rise to better attention paid to scientific research methods and accuracy of data. This research adopts the quantitative methodology in a thorough analysis of the use of semantic markers the popular textbook The Korean Language. The targeted function words are based on the established system of semantic markers in Korean in Contemporary Korean Language. The cases for each usage in the textbooks are identified and calculated manually to minimize potential errors. Each identified case is computerized to generate a frequency list of the function words in use. In addition, a frequency list based on semantics of the semantic markers is also generated to better illustrate and compare the various cases. The comparative study is carried out based on the frequency list in the well-acknowledged A Frequency Dictionary of the Korean Language. Results of the calculation and comparison are proposed indicators for assessing the quality of the textbooks in question, since high-frequency vocabulary and grammatical structures in daily communication are supposed to be of more practical value to learners, hence necessity to be introduced earlier. The various semantics of the semantic markers are listed and analyzed against those identified in the textbook to evaluate its comprehensiveness and validity.The quantitative approach towards assessment of textbooks is both feasible and practical, in the following aspects:1. The specific words and grammar items in the textbook are calculable. Hence the obtained statistics can serve as concrete data for a reliable description. The frequency list generated on basis of the data is therefore indicative of the validity and feasibility of the textbook.2. Due to multiplicity in semantics of grammatical structures in the Korean language, it is necessary to account also for the various meaning potentials of the structure when examining it in context. Full allowance is to be made when assessing the validity of the introduction of a certain structure with a specified meaning in use.This research intends to offer some inspiration to textbook compilers in proper selection and introduction of vocabulary and grammar items. With a thorough analysis of the semantics of altogether 21 semantic markers in cases identified in the textbooks, it will also add to the knowledge of learners in terms of the meaning subtleties of each usage. |
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