Innovation in Language Learning
Language Identity of Thai Women in Transnational Family on Intercultural Communication
Rattana Chanthao, Khon Kaen University (Thailand)
Abstract
Transnational marriage between Thai women and western men is a prominent phenomenon in Thai society. The Thai women have their own language identity in daily speech or group peculiarity. This article describes the language identity characteristics. The data was collected from non-participant observations in public conversation contexts in Udonthani city: airports, immigration police, shopping place, and tourist spots, and 10 Thai women's YouTube channels. This research is qualitative in linguistic by using the content analysis and intercultural communication concept to figure out the language identity of Thai women. The research finding showed the language identity of Thai women in five categories: multilingual, code-switching, code-mixing, translation, and language loyalty. These women learned English as a medium for their husbands and learned a third language, the husband's language. Therefore, they have become multilingual speakers. That is Isan dialect as the mother tongue, Thai as the national language, English as the international language, and the husband's language, which is not English. Multilingualism causes language use by switching and mixing words in another language, especially English. Thai switches with Isan dialect or English are naturally used in communication through her YouTube channel. Thai women in transnational families who live in their husbands' countries how they maintain their mother tongue in western society that it will be challenged further research.
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Keywords |
Code switching, Intercultural communication, Language identity, Transnational family |
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REFERENCES |
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