Critical Analysis of Korean Language Community and Heritage Learner

Youngah Yu
Salt Lake Community College
ENGL 2030
Chris Blankenship
December 12th 2016

Introduction
Communicating and understanding between people, epochs, and cultures are not only an
absolutely necessary part of human being but constructing properly an organized society. Benny
Lewis (2016) states that languages establish deep connections and cultural insight. However,
when people do not comprehend each others language, people then have difficulty having a
simple conversation. The situation can bring misunderstanding in its train due to different
languages and cultural barriers.
I remember the day when I first came to America. I was hungry but I could not speak or
write any English; the only thing I could speak was hello and bye. That is it. Language was a
big problem. I decided to study English at English Language Institution (ELI), starting with the
basics. I got help from friends to intensive focus on development of beginning competency in
listening, speaking, reading, and writing. And then, I could carry out just simple conversation in
English. Through my experience, even learning foreign language was not easy, I realized I
overcame some of my fears, learned about myself and developed confidence.

Speech Situations and Institution

The institution I selected is at a Korean Language Center which is located in Murray. It
provides resources for both children and adults who are American connect to the Korean culture
and the community. Many Korean tutors help native speakers of English become proficient in
learning the Korean language. The institution runs language training on small group basis and
the students are in teenagers to thirties.

Collect Data
I collected the data by attending the class and meeting these three students twice a week
for 45 minutes. There was an accumulation of eight sessions in total. In these particular sessions,
more importantly, I saw what their underlying desires were to learn the language during class at
the institution Korean Language Center.

Permission
I initiated participant approval, which is a form of member checking in research. I did
this by letting them know that the research topic was about and getting them to sign a waiver so
that I had their written approval. I showed them my notes and recordings of all the sessions. This
gave me more feedback and insight in regards to my topic. I also told them if they felt
uncomfortable at any time they could withdraw from the study. I also kept the information
confidential and use pseudonyms for their names.

Participants
My participants were from the Korean Language Center. I selected three Americans who
lived in America their whole lives and the selection process was on a voluntary basis; they were
in the adult class, it was the introductory course. Therefore, all participants are more comfortable
speaking English than korean but they try to use Korean words in the middle of speaking.
Below are a description of participants:
Steve

Steve is a man in his early 20s and from Layton. He is a student at University of Utah.
His father was White from Seattle and his mother was Korean. He explained that, Frankly
speaking, my mom is not good at English. When I talk with my mom in English, I cant really
understand what she is saying. Sometimes, not always. My dad can speaks Korean actually and
he sometimes translate what mom is saying... So I want to learn my moms language and
culture (interview, 11/26/2016).
Maggie
She is an employed women in her thirties and she is from Salt Lake City. Her father was
Japanese and her mother was Korean. She was recently interested in Koreas popular music,
dramas, and movies. She explained that the best thing for Korea in reaching American and
bringing relationships between the two countries is the Korea Wave.
Bob
Bob is also employed man in his thirties and he is from Salt Lake City. His parents are
both Korean but he was raise in the white culture. He did missionary work in Korea two years
ago and he likes Korean culture (K-pop and K-drama).

Data Analysis
The participants have a Korean parent and a parent from another ethnicity and they called
themselves mixed. Therefore it is important to know participants stories and as a result, see
how participants try to find themselves and belong in United States society as well as to hold on
to their diverse roots. So I will share the data from autobiographical interviews with the
participants.

What are you?

According to a research done by Steve Goode(2014), mixed-race people suffer complex
lives, in many cases because they feel unhappy being mixed, and instead preferring to associate
with one of their parents races. Before first class started, I wonder that they have been confused
about their identity because of their different to our appearance from their family. The
participants discussed about how they identity.
Bob: Absolutely, I was growing up, I was in like an all-white school. I was the only
non-white person. I really wanted to be white for a long time. Well, Im like almost always I am
white because I have a white culture. I just wanted to fit in, I guess (11/26/2016).
Maggie: Umm... My dad is Japanese and my mom is Korean but I am neither Japanese
nor Korean, but I was raised in the U.S. As I grew up, everyone kept asking me, Where are you
from? I always replied, I know I look Asian, but I am American. Then, they asked me again,
Where are you really form? I know, I looked different but I think I am American (11/26/2016).
Maggie is a multiracial and multiethnic American and she defined the identity is where
she was born and raised in. I do not think race equals a cultural identity, she added.
Steve: It is hard. When I was young, I despised my moms genes because I inherited her
brown skin and small eyes. So I never had food my mom prepares she always makes Korean
food. But now, I love my face and my moms culture. My favorite food is even Korean food
Bulgogi. I am not the same as white and my own identity is not white. I am from mixed
culture (11/26/2016).

Steve said it is hard to choose one or the other of his parents racial identities. He was
raised in America but he is non-American-looking. Appearance is an important aspect of race
and cultural identity of mixed race people.

Struggles of Identifying Multicultural People

This paper expands on those findings about identity problems that the participants have
had. During the class, they discussed and shared their personal perspectives on how they look at
themselves and how others look at their mixed-race heritage.
Steve: When I was very young, I was teased so much for being Korean, Asian so I had no
interest in Korean culture. I thought it was poor to be Korean so I just wanted to be as far away
from it as possible, but then as I got older that changed (12/1/2016).
Maggie: I had really good friends and we really cared about each other, but because they
didnt ever see any Asian people really besides me. They would say like weird stuff that would
kind of bother me or they would make fun of me for being Asian What I wanted to just be like
everyone else because I had no Asian people, but I think as Ive gotten older and made more
friends who are Asian or like just basically a lot of friends who arent white and it really has
helped me to be comfortable with not being white (12/1/2016).
Bob: You know, I was young and I wanted to fit in and so like I was making the jokes
about myself to like I love rice. It was like rice jokes usually of jokes about eyes being like
really small so I pit that. Its hard to work, yeah. I felt it took me a while to feel comfortable with
my appearance. When I was growing up it hurt a lot and then I can do I got used to it. I guess
because it happened so much (12/1/2016).

All the participants grep up being teased because they were different from white culture
and Asian. They have been confused about their identity because of different appearance and it
took them a while to process everything. Steve added that when he was young, he looked in the
mirror and asked himself wait, who am I and where did I come from?

Heritage Language
Diverse language have had an important existence in the Unites States. With heritage
languages, the degree to which one know the language can make one feel closer to one side of
their ethnic background, or more distanced from it. One of the discussion in the class at the
Korean Language Center was what your parents and your first language are and How
speaking heritage languages affects how you identity, and they shared their experiences.
Bob: My parents both were from South Korea, but they speak English only because they
were both born and raised in the U.S. I think like if I could speaking Korean, it might have
affected my own perceptions of my identity (12/6/2016).
Steve: Obviously, I grew up speaking only English in our home. Every time I visited my
moms relatives, I wanted to have that connection to the Korean family and I wish to be affiliated
with. Sometimes I think what if I learn Korean a little earlier, especially when I hear my name in
the middle of their communication. (12/6/2016).
English is their parents first language and they speak only English in their home.
Heritage language learners suffer their own identities in relation to different languages and social
distributions. According to a research done by Kelleher and Haynes(2010), people might be at
very different levels of language proficiency and have different social and ethnic backgrounds

within their communities. Thus, heritage language speakers negotiate their identities not only in
connection with social ideologies within an English-speaking community, but also within their
heritage language communities.

Conclusion
America is a multicultural and multiracial nation and they are viewed in society as
foreign. As the end of day approached, the participants shows how much they love their cultural
heritage and a connection each other because of their similar mixed backgrounds and
experiences. In addition, I realized that participants were not alone and they helped each other
and building relationships. All participants were struggled with their difference of ethnicity and
they use their influence in bringing it about. As they got older, they do not undermine their worth
by comparing themselves with other. All participants got used to living in America.

References
Steve Goode. (2014). Mixed-race people have identity problems. Retrieved from
http://whitegenocideproject.com/study-mixed-race-people-have-identity-problems/
Benny Lewis. (2016). 12 Reasons Everyone Should Learn Another Language. [Web log post].
Retrieved from http://www.fluentin3months.com/why-learn-another-langauge/
Kelleher, A. & Haynes, E. (n.d.). What are the similarities and differences among English
language, foreign language, and heritage language education in the United States?
Retrieved from http://www.cal.org/heritage/research/briefs.html
Anonymous. (2014). 17 Struggles of Being Mixed-Race. Retrieved from
http://thoughtcatalog.com/anonymous/2014/10/17-struggles-of-being-mixed-race/
America: Country specific information. (2010). Heritage Briefs. What is the identity of a
heritage language speaker? Retrieved from
http://www.cal.org/heritage/pdfs/briefs/what-is-the-identity-of-a-heritage-language-speak
er.pdf