"I am sorry, but I have to use Korean now": Framing and Self-positioning in Public Encounters at an 'English-only' University in Korea

Abstract

Many studies in pragmatics and interactive sociolinguistics have shown pragmatic functions of speech acts and framing strategies to organize interaction. However, few studies looked at the ways in which language ideology can intervene the speaker's framing strategies and self- positioning. To make this point, I explore interactions taking place in interlingual encounters at a Korean university where English has been adopted as an official language. By adopting insights from pragmatics and linguistic anthropology, I examine interactional and ideological processes involved in metalinguistic discourses prior to public speech. As part of a larger ethnographic research project, this study analyzes data collected through participant observation carried out in faculty meetings and public lectures in the university. The examples in this paper involve metalinguistic comments made by the speakers prior to their speech in contexts in which where there was only one non-Korean participant. The ritualized metalinguistic discourse, "I am sorry, but I have to speak Korean now," followed by the non-Korean participant's approval in public encounters seemingly has a remedial function in interpersonal rituals. However, my ethnographic data inform us that it serves to frame the event as well as to position the public self in relation to the institutional language policy. Hence, while English is desired for internationalization of the university, in everyday interaction, it turned into a hurdle for appropriate communication because the policy of English as an official language is seen as an imposed norm. This study highlights how speakers' language ideology contributes to the dynamic shaping of interaction and social organization. This study makes a theoretical and practical contribution to understanding of language practices and language policy, by suggesting the ways in which micro-level interaction is situated within larger sociocultural processes.