This study explores qualitatively the language identity of Chinese ethnic Korean international students. These students experienced bilingual education in their elementary, junior high, and high schools in China, and joined the Korean society with the purpose of extending their studies of interest. Exploring the language identity of Chinese ethnic Korean international students who experienced both the Chinese and Korean education as bilingual speakers can provide a variety of discourse related to the Chinese ethnic Korean population in the Korean society as well as an implication on their unique roles in the two countries.
This study explores the language identity of the subject studied qualitatively based on the theory of post-structuralism. It also explores the language identity of Chinese ethnic Korean international students by applying one of the qualitative research methods, called the grounded theory method. The researchers conducted a total of five rounds of focused group interviews with 24 Chinese ethnic Korean international students. All the data from the interviews were transcribed and used to inductively derive the research subject based on the grounded theory method. Based on the contextual conditions in which the region of origin and the teaching language arts were variables, the data from the interviews helped identify the characteristics of language use by the research participants. After an analysis of the data, a significant difference was found in how the Chinese ethnic Korean international students acquired bilingualism and how it affected their overall linguistic ability depending on whether or not they lived in the ethnically-concentrated regions. For instance, those participants who lived in the ethnically-concentrated regions and received education in the Joseon language, experienced difficulty entering college, due to a lack of Chinese language ability. On the other hand, those participants who lived in the ethnically-sparse regions and received education in the Chinese language reported that they experienced difficulty communicating with their grandparents due to a lack of Joseon language ability.
To study how a language identity forms based on the experience with bilingual acquisition and language environment which the research participants experienced, this study conducted an analysis based on the language attitude and the principles of acquiring a second language. First, it categorized the relevant topics according to the three elements of language attitude: linguistic cognitive aspect; linguistic emotional aspect; and linguistic behavioral aspect. From the linguistic cognitive perspective, the Joseon language is a special dialect that requires research, the Korean language is a practical language, the Chinese language is an essential language, and the English language is an essential foreign language. The analysis also helped derive various research topics, including the strengths and weaknesses as bilingual speakers. From the linguistic emotional perspective, research topics were mostly focused on the Joseon language; the topics included, but not limited to, an increased sense of closeness when using the Joseon language and the overcoming of the negative views of the Korean society on the Chinese ethnic Korean population. Lastly, from the linguistic behavioral perspective, research topics that were derived included the language switch used by the Chinese ethnic Korean bilingual speakers, their frequent code-switching during conversations, and the language transfer due to academic and/or vocational purposes. According to the principles of acquiring a second language and the language investment theory, this study looks into the imaginary identity which the Chinese ethnic Korean population wish to acquire through language investment. The research participants dreamed of a better future by investing in developing their Joseon, Korean, and Chinese language abilities and striving to foster their linguistic competence as bilingual speakers. This study reveals that the Chinese ethnic Korean have a strong will to keep using the Joseon language?their ethnic tongue?but suggests that it is essential for them to develop their Chinese language ability especially in a macro setting. It also reveals that the Chinese ethnic Korean international students who have experience living in Korea recognize the practical value of the Korean language and wish to make a better future by improving their Korean language ability. In other words, the Chinese ethnic Korean international students are hoping to actualize their imaginary identity as Chinese ethnic Korean bilinguals. However, it is worrisome that today’s bilingual education in China is centered only around the Chinese language. Successful bilingual education for the Chinese ethnic Korean residing in China will be the driving force and the key to the maintenance and improvement of the ethnic Chinese ethnic Korean schools.
Among the multifaceted factors of which the Chinese ethnic Korean identity composes, this study conducts an in-depth analysis focused especially on language. It is expected for the Chinese ethnic Korean international students who experienced both the Chinese and Korean languages and cultures to play a vital role as a medium for harmony between the South and North Koreas. This study is meaningful in that, beyond the existing discourse centered around the Chinese ethnic Korean migrant workers and married migrant women, it provides language-related discourse focused on the Chinese ethnic Korean international students, who are another group of Chinese ethnic Korean population in the Korean society. It is also hoped that the study helps expand the grasp of the overall Chinese ethnic Korean population in the Korean society beyond their stigmatized keywords, such as poverty, laborers, and crimes. Afterall, Chinese ethnic Korean international students should take practical steps to play a positive role as useful human resources in both the Korean and Chinese societies in near future.