+ A special genre in Western

literature written by Asian American + Western literature written from a cross-cultural perspective

+ Cross-cultural marriage

between Henry (Korean American) and Lelia (Native American) + Henry as the narrator writing about the English language, identity and culture

+ Western culture understands the world in

terms of opposites
Man Light Center Self West Woman Dark Periphery Other East

+ The marriage between

Henry and Lelia symbolizes the relation between Asia (Korea) and America + Power dynamics between the two countries can be reflected in the marriage between them

+ illegal alien + Yellow peril: Neo-American + false speaker of language

+ Henry, a native English speaker, is not

considered as native English speaker + Native English speaker implies more than just a native mastery of English + Then what are the criteria of native English speaker? + Who actually own English?

Who owns English?

+ Non-native speakers outnumber English native speakers
The total number of native speakers ? The total number of non-native speakers?

380 million 300 million

1 billion

+ Language can be a powerful means of exercising

social control if you belong to a particular group, this means adopting the linguistic conventions of that group can you think of any groups you are part of in which you have to use particular kinds of language? + Identity, whether it is or, an individual, social or institutional level, is something which we are constantly building and negotiating all our lives through our interaction with others

+ Language can give a strong sense of belonging or

being excluded + The first step of all invading forces, in wars of the past, was to eliminate the use of the native language this stops dissent but also destroys group and national identity e.g Scotland 1745 Gaelic was banned. + Not being able to speak or understand a language effectively excludes you from a group or nation or makes you a second class citizen e.g not speaking English or not having an R.P accent.

+ The giving and using of names is fundamental

to peoples identity it is what distinguishs us from other people. + Different cultures have different naming practices e.g Russia son of x etc + What kind of identity does your name give you? How do you feel if someone gets it wrong? How do different people address you in different contexts?

+ Understanding that identity is not just a personal

matter, but embedded in institutional life: + Elizabeth Capifali, Learning about ones culture is like a boost of adrenaline being introduced into your system (I have asthma so I know how welcoming it is to have adrenaline running through my veins!)

Recognizing that power and power relations are deeply implicated in notions of language and culture, and often arbitrary and frivolous. + In discussing Standard English, Paulo Freire asked: When did a certain form of grammar become correct? Who named the language of the elite as correct, as the standard? + That authentic naming would reveal, instead of obscure, the politics of power and language in society.

+ English has official or special status in at least 75 countries with a total +

population of over 2 billion English is the main language of books, newspapers, airports and air-traffic control, international business and academic conferences, science, technology, diplomacy, sport, international competitions, pop music and advertising over 2/3 of the world's scientists read in English 3/4 of the world's snail mail is written in English 80% of the world's electronically stored information is in English 80% of web sites are in English (German: 4.5%; Japanese: 3.1%) of the estimated 200 million users of the Internet, about 35% communicate in English (source: englishenglish.com)

Nobody could go on to wear the undergraduate red gown, no matter how brilliantly they had performed in all the papers in all other subjects, unless they had a credit (not even a simple pass!) in English. Thus the most coveted place in the pyramid and in the system was only available to holders of an Englishlanguage credit card. English was the official vehicle and the magic formula to colonial elitedom. Ngugi wa Thiong'o, "The Language of African Literature" (1985

What economic benefits does English bring to the UK? British English language products are worth over 800 million pounds a year to the UK the total expenditure of the 700,000 visitors to the UK annually to learn English is over 700 million pounds - possibly over one billion pounds the English language makes it possible for British companies to develop markets, sell into them and form commercial alliances; it brings direct benefits through the supply of English teaching goods and services. What other benefits does English have for the UK? tourists are encouraged to visit the UK businesspeople are encouraged to invest and build partnerships with the UK people are encouraged to watch British films, read books by British authors, and listen to British radio and popular music.