Cover not available
Article published In:
Journal of Asian Pacific Communication
Vol. 24:1 (2014) ► pp.94–112

Hong Kong university students’ perceptions of their identities in English as a Lingua Franca contexts

An exploratory study

| Lingnan University
This paper presents findings from an exploratory study that investigated the perceptions of a group of Hong Kong university students concerning their identities in English as a Lingua Franca (ELF) contexts. Qualitative data were collected primarily via in-depth interviews with a group of second-language speakers of ELF who use English with people from different first-language and cultural backgrounds on a regular basis. The analysis revealed that these participants came to terms with their identities as non-native speakers of English and emphasized the importance of maintaining their cultural identities as Hong Kong or Chinese speakers of ELF. In addition, most of them valued their ‘multicompetence’ in English, Cantonese and Putonghua when speaking English in ELF situations. The inquiry also found that some participants’ identification with other non-native speakers of English within the ELF community was rather selective and that different members within the ELF community were not perceived as equally ideal speakers of ELF. The study offers some valuable insights into the identities of ELF speakers and the wider ELF community within an Asian context.
Keywords: identities, multicompetence, English as a lingua franca, Hong Kong, language and culture
Published online: 18 April 2014
DOI logo
https://doi.org/10.1075/japc.24.1.06sun
References (48)
Baker, W. (2009). The cultures of English as a lingua franca. TESOL Quarterly , 43(4), 567–592. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
. (2011). Culture and identity through ELF in Asia: Fact or fiction? In A. Archibald, A. Cogo, & J. Jenkins (Eds.), Latest trends in ELF research (pp. 32–52). Newcastle upon Tyne: Cambridge Scholars.Google Scholar
Block, D. (2007). Second language identities . London: Continuum.Google Scholar
Cheng, L. (2012). The power of English and the power of Asia. Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development , 33(3), 327–330. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Cogo, A. (2012). English as a lingua franca: Concepts, use, and implications. ELT Journal , 66(1), 97–105. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Cogo, A., & Jenkins, J. (2010). English as a lingua franca in Europe: A mismatch between policy and practice. European Journal of Language Policy , 2(2), 271–294. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Cogo, A., & Dewey, M. (2012). Analysing English as a lingua franca: A corpus-driven investigation . London: Continuum.Google Scholar
Cohen, L., Manion, L., & Morrison, K. (2007). Research methods in education (6th ed.). London and New York: Routledge. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Cook, V. (1999). Going beyond the native speaker in language teaching. TESOL Quarterly , 331, 185–209. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Davies, A. (2003). The native speaker: Myth and reality . Clevedon: Multilingual Matters. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Dornyei, Z. (2005). The psychology of the language learner: Individual differences in second language acquisition . Mahwah, N.J.: Lawrence Erlbaum.Google Scholar
Duff, P., & Uchida, Y. (1997). The negotiation of sociocultural identity in post-secondary EFL classrooms. TESOL Quarterly , 31(3), 451–486. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Ehrenreich, S. (2010). English as a business lingua franca in a German multi-national corporation: Meeting the challenge. Journal of Business Communication , 471, 408–431. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Evans, S. (2011). Hong Kong English and the professional world. World Englishes , 301, 293–316. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Ferguson, G. (2009). Issues in researching English as a lingua franca: A conceptual enquiry. International Journal of Applied Linguistics , 19(2), 117–135. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Graddol, D. (2006). English next . London: British Council.Google Scholar
House, J. (2003). English as a lingua franca: A threat to multilingualism? Journal of Sociolinguistics , 71, 556–578. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Hulmbauer, C. (2009). ‘We don’t take the right way. We just take the way that we think you will understand’: The shifting relationship of correctness and effectiveness in ELF communication. In A. Mauranen & E. Ranta (Eds.), English as a lingua franca: Studies and findings (pp. 323–347). Newcastle upon Tyne: Cambridge Scholars.Google Scholar
Jenkins, J. (2000). The phonology of English as an international language . Oxford: Oxford University Press.Google Scholar
. (2002). A sociolinguistically based, empirically researched pronunciation syllabus for English as an international language. Applied Linguistics, 23(1), 83–103. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
. (2006). English pronunciation teaching and second language speaker identity. In T. Omoniyi & G. White (Eds.), The sociolinguistics of identity (pp. 75–90). London: Continuum.Google Scholar
. (2007). English as a lingua franca: Attitude and identity . Oxford: Oxford University Press.Google Scholar
. (2013). English as a lingua franca in the international university: The politics of academic English language policy . London: Routledge. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Kachru, B. (1985). Standards, codification and sociolinguistic realism: The English language in the outer circle. In R. Quirk & H.G. Widdowson (Eds.), English in the world (pp. 11–30). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.Google Scholar
Kirkpatrick, A. (2007). World Englishes: Implications for international communication and English language teaching . Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.Google Scholar
Klimpfinger, T. (2009). ‘She’s mixing the two languages together’: Forms and functions of code-switching in English as a lingua franca. In A. Mauranen & E. Ranta (Eds.), English as a lingua franca: Studies and findings (pp. 348–371). Newcastle upon Tyne: Cambridge Scholars.Google Scholar
Kvale, S. (1996). Interviews: An introduction to qualitative research interviewing . Thousand Oaks: Sage.Google Scholar
Modiano, M. (2009). Language learning in the multicultural classroom: English in a European and global perspective . Lund: Studentlitteratur.Google Scholar
Norton, B. (1997). Language, identity, and the ownership of English. TESOL Quarterly , 311, 409–429. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Patton, M.Q. (1990). Qualitative evaluation and research methods (2nd ed.). Newbury Park, CA: Sage.Google Scholar
Pedrazzini, L., & Nava, A. (2011). Researching ELF identity: A study with non-native English teachers. In A. Archibald, A. Cogo, & J. Jenkins (Eds.), Latest trends in ELF research (pp. 269–284). Newcastle upon Tyne: Cambridge Scholars.Google Scholar
Polzl, U. (2003). Signaling cultural identity in a global language: The use of L1/Ln in ELF. Vienna English Working Papers , 12(2), 3–23.Google Scholar
Seidlhofer, B. (2001). Closing a conceptual gap: The case for a description of English as a lingua franca. International Journal of Applied Linguistics , 111, 133–158. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
. (2004). Research perspectives on teaching English as a lingua franca. Annual Review of Applied Linguistics , 241, 209–239. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
. (2011). Understanding English as a lingua franca . Oxford: Oxford University Press.Google Scholar
Strauss, A., & Corbin, J. (1994). Grounded theory methodology: An overview. In N.K. Denzin & Y.S. Lincoln (Eds.), Handbook of qualitative research (pp. 273–285). Thousand Oaks: Sage.Google Scholar
Sung, C.C.M. (2010). Being a purist in Hong Kong: To use or not to use mixed code. Changing English , 17(4), 411–419. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
. (2011). Race and native speakers in ELT: Parents’ perspectives in Hong Kong. English Today , 27(3), 25–29. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
. (2013a). ‘I would like to sound like Heidi Klum’: What do non-native speakers say about who they want to sound like? English Today , 29(2), 17–21. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
. (2013b). English as a lingua franca and English language teaching: A way forward. ELT Journal , 67(3), 350–353. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
. (2013c). English as a lingua franca and its implications for English language teaching. JALT Journal , 35(2), 177–194.Google Scholar
. (2013d). Learning English as an L2 in the global context: Changing English, changing motivation. Changing English , 20(4), 377–387. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
. (2014a). Accent and identity: Exploring the perceptions among bilingual speakers of English as a lingua franca in Hong Kong. International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism . DOI logoGoogle Scholar
. (2014b). English as a lingua franca and global identities: Perspectives from four second language learners of English in Hong Kong. Linguistics and Education. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
. (2014c). Global, local or glocal?: Identities of L2 learners in English as a Lingua Franca communication. Language, Culture and Curriculum . DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Virkkula, T., & Nikula, N. (2010). Identity construction in ELF contexts: A case study of Finnish engineering students working in Germany. International Journal of Applied Linguistics , 201, 251–273. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Wenger, E. (1998). Communities of practice: Learning, meaning, and identity . Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Cited by (18)

Cited by 18 other publications

Mei, Yunbo
2024. Voicing expertise: Exploring strategic use of vowel variants in the English pronunciation of Chinese language instructors. Journal of Sociolinguistics DOI logo
Zhang, Xiao & Christiane Lütge
2024. Understanding Chinese international students’ language ideologies and multilingual practices in English-medium instruction programs in Germany. Language and Education 38:5 ► pp. 881 ff. DOI logo
Lee, Kanghee & Namhee Lee
2023. Korean tourists’ perceptions of English as a lingua franca (ELF): a phenomenological approach. Asia Pacific Journal of Tourism Research 28:1 ► pp. 56 ff. DOI logo
Kavalir, Monika & Ina Poteko
2022. “The First Language in My Head”: Student Attitudes to L2 English and L1 Slovene. ELOPE: English Language Overseas Perspectives and Enquiries 19:2 ► pp. 35 ff. DOI logo
Zeng, Yuntao, Matthew P. Wallace, Chun-Wai Fan & Yawei Guo
2022. University Students’ Attitudes towards English as a Lingua Franca in a Multilingual Sustainable Society. Sustainability 14:8 ► pp. 4435 ff. DOI logo
Pan, Haiying, Chang Liu, Fan Fang & Tariq Elyas
2021. “How Is My English?”: Chinese University Students’ Attitudes Toward China English and Their Identity Construction. Sage Open 11:3 DOI logo
Akoto, Osei Yaw
2018. Language choice and institutional identity: a study of the mottos of Ghanaian educational institutions. <i>WORD</i> 64:3 ► pp. 177 ff. DOI logo
Hansen Edwards, Jette G., Mary L. Zampini & Caitlin Cunningham
2018. The accentedness, comprehensibility, and intelligibility of Asian Englishes. World Englishes 37:4 ► pp. 538 ff. DOI logo
Lamb, Martin
2017. The motivational dimension of language teaching. Language Teaching 50:3 ► pp. 301 ff. DOI logo
De Costa, Peter I.
2016. Constructing the global citizen. Journal of Asian Pacific Communication 26:2 ► pp. 238 ff. DOI logo
Ke, I-Chung
2016. Deficient non-native speakers or translanguagers?. Journal of Asian Pacific Communication 26:2 ► pp. 280 ff. DOI logo
Sung, Chit Cheung Matthew
2014. English as a lingua franca and global identities: Perspectives from four second language learners of English in Hong Kong. Linguistics and Education 26 ► pp. 31 ff. DOI logo
Sung, Chit Cheung Matthew
2015. Exploring second language speakers’ linguistic identities in ELF communication: a Hong Kong study. Journal of English as a Lingua Franca 4:2 ► pp. 309 ff. DOI logo
Sung, Chit Cheung Matthew
2016. English as a lingua franca in the Asian context. Journal of Asian Pacific Communication 26:2 ► pp. 175 ff. DOI logo
Sung, Chit Cheung Matthew
2016. Does accent matter? Investigating the relationship between accent and identity in English as a lingua franca communication. System 60 ► pp. 55 ff. DOI logo
Sung, Chit Cheung Matthew
2016. Experiences and identities in ELF communication. Journal of Asian Pacific Communication 26:2 ► pp. 301 ff. DOI logo
Sung, Chit Cheung Matthew
2016. ESL University Students’ Perceptions of Their Global Identities in English as a Lingua Franca Communication: A Case Study at an International University in Hong Kong. The Asia-Pacific Education Researcher 25:2 ► pp. 305 ff. DOI logo
Sung, Chit Cheung Matthew
2018. Investigating perceptions of English as a lingua franca in Hong Kong: The case of university students. English Today 34:1 ► pp. 38 ff. DOI logo

This list is based on CrossRef data as of 19 october 2024. Please note that it may not be complete. Sources presented here have been supplied by the respective publishers. Any errors therein should be reported to them.