An Experimental Pragmatic Study on Korean Learners’ Comprehension of Ironical Rhetorical Questions: Focusing on Intermediate and Advanced Chinese Learners

Thisstudy aims to analyze the understanding and response patterns of Chinese learnersregarding the ironic meaning of rhetorical questions in Korean, focusing on the‘interrogative + geureoke’ type. Significant differences were found between nativeKorean speakers and Chinese learners, with advanced learners also struggling tofully grasp the irony. While comprehension varied significantly between intermediateand advanced learners, the duration of stay in Korea did not show a significanteffect. Learners often interpreted rhetorical questions literally or irrelevantly,potentially hindering communication. Their responses did not always align with theirunderstanding, causing communication issues. These findings highlight the need foreducational support in teaching the ironic use of ‘interrogative + geureoke’ rhetoricalquestions. This study underscores the differences in comprehension and responsebetween native speakers and foreign learners, demonstrating the necessity fortargeted educational interventions.