English Language Ideologies in Korea: Interpreting the Past and Present

ISBN-13: 9783319590165 / Angielski / Twarda / 2017 / 181 str.

Jinhyun Cho

Opis

Drawing on original research and rich illustrative examples, the book investigates two key questions: why is English so popular in Korea, and why is there such a gap between the `dreams' and `realities' associated with English in Korea?

Recenzje

"Cho's book makes a valuable contribution to the study of sociolinguistics, translation and interpreting, and the relationship between language and globalisation. Graduate students and scholars will find the book both original and accessible. ... The rich vignettes of the interpreters' experiences make this book a most interesting read, and the author has successfully integrated broader issues of language and power with the informants' stories." (Hyunjung Shin, Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development, May 25, 2019)

Spis treści

1. Introduction: English in South Korea.- Part I – English, Interpreting and the Media.- 2. English Language Learning and Interpreting.-  3. The Korean Media and English.- Part II – Interpreting Selves in English.- 4. English to Actualize Upward Mobility.- 5. English as a Cause of Social Division.- Part III – Behind the Glamour of English in the Media.- 6. Conflicts Between Dreams and Reality.- 7. English Education as a Cash Cow for Media Organizations.- 8. English and the Internationalization of Higher Education.- Part IV – Conclusion.- 9. English in a Neoliberal Society.​

Blurb

This volume critically examines the phenomenon of “English fever” in South Korea from both micro- and macro-perspectives. Drawing on original research and rich illustrative examples, the book investigates two key questions: why is English so popular in Korea, and why is there such a gap between the ‘dreams’ and ‘realities’ associated with English in Korea? These questions are explored through the eyes of English-Korean translators and interpreters, who represent the professional group most intensely engaged in the zeal for English language mastery. Macro-perspectives focus on historical factors leading to the rise of English, with English-Korean translation and interpreting as a key theme. Micro-perspectives explore the dreams that individuals attach to English and the ways in which they imagine it can transform their lives, and contrast these dreams with the stark realities felt on the ground. The gaps between these dreams and realities are explored from various angles, which include commodification, gender and neoliberalism. The book thus offers fresh insights on how the phenomenon of “English fever” has been created, reproduced, and sustained from both historical and contemporary viewpoints.