RRR: Unit 8
Second Language Socialization in a bilingual chat
room: Global and Local Considerations
Wan Shun Eva Lam(2004)
Summary:
The
author of the paper aimed to examine the social practices and their effects in
the language learning by observing two girls involved in a bilingual Chinese
English chat room to develop their fluency in English. Results of the study have
shown a mixed code of language was developed among the participants (the 2
Chinese immigrants’ girls and the other interlocutors).
This
paper discusses the importance of such studies on how people navigate across
contexts of socialization in the locality of the nation-state and the virtual
environments of the internet to articulate new ways of using English creating a
new ethnic identity.
In the
theoretical part of the paper, the author sees language learning as an
important social practice. Globalization affects socialization. Therefore when
considering cultural and social networks, it is better understanding identity through
engagement in social practices beyond boundaries. Identity as suggested by the
author is how people attach themselves affectively into the world.
The
author also focuses on how the new forms of social networking have emerged on
the internet prompt particular uses of English among young immigrants who are
in the process of learning English as a second language. He examines the social
and discursive practices in the network and seeks understanding how English is
used in this global context of the internet.
The
writer argues that learning takes a place in a social environment and the
process of language and socialization are integrated. Gee (1996) argues that
discourses (socially specific practices of literacy) are not mastered by overt
instruction, yet through enculturation into social practices through scaffolded
and supported interaction with people who have already mastered the discourse.
Interviews with the 2 girls revealed that they were derived to take part in the
chat rooms because they had fewer opportunities to speak to Chinese’s English
speaking peers because they felt embarrassed of making mistakes. Those fewer
opportunities given to almost most immigrants were due to ethnic grouping in
the US.
The two girls then tried the HK chat room to make friends and learn English as
well. So these chat rooms provided safer environment for learning and
practicing English. The girls felt comfortable speaking English after joining the
HK chat room. While chatting, they used English code-mixing between English and
Romanized Cantonese depending on who they were talking to and the topic of
conversation. They used Romanized Cantonese figures which contain little
semantic content, but serve to indicate an utterance or express attitudes and
emotions. The Romanized Cantonese particals served to fulfill an important role
in code-switching between the two girls and other interlocutors in the social
network. It also served other purposes such as creating humor, interpersonal
address and role shifting. Cantonese honorifics were adopted by the chatters to
serve as a rhetorical device in cod-switching both to signal an alternative
system of social relational practices and for the additional semantic features
that they provide.
In the
discussion, the author points out that the two girls experience showed how they
improved their linguistic competence through social engagement in the internet chat
room using a mixed-code variety of English which has been adopted and developed among the chatters using
a distinguished linguistic and a discursive conversations of Cantonese
language. This enabled them to develop a sense of fluency and confidence in an
English speaking country as well as served to create a collective ethnic
identity for the chatters around the globe as bilingual Chinese emigrants.
Reflection:
*Strength:
I agree
with the author chat rooms may provide opportunities for chatters (students) to
participate freely and negotiate as well as developing new identities for
themselves as it was the case of the two Chinese girls who were not able to be
indulged in real classroom conversations due to ethnic grouping. Moreover, interaction
online using chat rooms and other CMCs are more desirable than face-to-face
interaction which might cause embarrassment or shyness among conservative
people. In addition, chat rooms also provide opportunities for chatters to be anonymous,
so they don’t dare even if they commit a mistake because their real identities
and personalities are hidden under unknown nicknames and difficult to be
uncovered so they feel in a safer environment there.
*Weaknesses:
On the other hand, this kind of study might be useful
for non academic purposes related to language acquisition because it doesn’t
focus on accuracy , but if the main purpose is to see how much language was
gained and how it was used properly during chatting then accuracy should be
considered as a main aim. In other words, the purpose is for communicative
purposes only by improving fluency rather than accuracy. Moreover, these chat
rooms might not provide learners with real opportunities for real
communication. What if these 2 girls are involved in real communicative
situations with real people, will they be able to use these codes in real life?
Will these codes be meaningful to the others when the girls use the cod-switching
which was just invented by them, but unknown to the others? And finally, during
the chatting process there was no feedback provided to the chatters to help
improve their English language because the other interlocutors are also of the
same level of English.
Badriya Al Mamari
MA TESOL (Oman)
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