Korean adolescent language usage: Focusing on identity construction and power relationships in peer group interactions
Submitted by:
Sooyeon Yang
Abstract:
Introduction
The purpose of this study is to review adolescents’ language and culture from the lens of social constructionism (cf., Gergen, 2009). We are particularly interested in adolescents’ use of language in relation to their identity construction and power relationships in their peer group interactions. McCarthey & Moje (2002) said that when we consider identities to be social constructions, and thus always open for change and conflict depending on the social interaction, we open possibilities for rethinking the labels we so easily use to identify students. This study could contribute to extending our understanding of the dynamic nature of identity construction and power development within adolescents’ interactions.
Research questions
1) How do the focal students position themselves and how are they positioned by interlocutors in their peer group interactions?
2) How do adolescents construct their identities and gain social power through their language use within their peer group interactions?
Methodology
This study was framed by a microethnographic approach to discourse analysis (Bloome et al., 2009). We focus on two focal students who were regarded as discourse leaders by their classmates in a sixth grade elementary classroom using Social Network Analysis. The video files of the peer group interactions were analyzed to identify key events and trace how power relationship and identity positioning were expressed, conflicted, challenged, and co-constructed in their peer group discussions. The interviews with the students were analyzed in order to enrich and triangulate the analysis of the key video recorded events.
Findings
The major findings of this study are as follows. An examination of the adolescents’ peer group interactions reveals that group solidarity is an important issue for adolescents as social beings. They often used specific expressions in order to identify and construct group solidarity. For example, their use of slang is a strategic method for unity, group identity, and power development within the group, not merely a means of expressing unpleasant emotions. In addition, different aspects of language usage appeared depending on gender in peer group discussions. The male focal student who was regarded as a discourse leader tended to lead a competitive dialogue mainly with humor, which was the dominant way of speaking for male students in the classroom. On the other hand, the female focal student who was also regarded as another discourse leader tended to use more empathic and modest language, which was the predominant method of speaking among female students in the classroom. The two focal students led their peers’ ways of speaking and constructing their leader identity and social power within their peer groups.
Key words: adolescents’ language use, identity construction, power relationship
References
Bloome, D., Carter, S., Christian, B., Otto, S., Shuart-Faris, N., Smith, M., & Madrid, S. with contributions by S. Goldman & D. Macbeth. (2009). On discourse analysis: Approaches to language and literacy research. New York: Teachers College Press.
Gergen, K. (2009). Invitation to social constructionism. (2nd Ed.). Thousand Oaks: Sage.
McCarthery, S. J., & Moje, E. (2002). Identity matters. Reading research quarterly, 37(2), 228-238.