gender and language in thailand by hugo lee

ASIA Pacific Research Network for the Study of Language & Minority

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Gender and Development Studies

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Gender and Language

in Thailand

Speaker: Dr. Hugo Yu-Hsiu Lee

Institutional Affiliations:

Assistant Professor of Applied Linguistics National Institute of Development Administration (NIDA) Thailand (Full-time Faculty)

Assistant Professor of Language Education Indiana University, USA (Exchange Faculty, Spr 2016)

Professional Development Affiliate, Columbia University USA (via Distance Ed.)

Keynote Speaker, Intl Conference on Teaching Chinese as a Second Language, MingChuan University, Taiwan

Resource Person, Asian Institute of Technology – Intergovernmental Organization (Long-Term Adjunct Faculty)

Time: Friday, 19 February 2016, 3:30 p -4:30 p

Venue: W224B, AIT Thailand campus

(Address: 58 Moo 9, Paholyothin Highway KlongLuang, Pathumthani 12120)

Host & Coordinator of this Speech: Assoc Prof Kyoko Kusakabe

https://www.google.co.th/search?espv=2&biw=1600&bih=752&q=asian+institute+of+technology+address&stick=H4sIAAAAAAAAAOPgE-LUz9U3MMorz0rXks1OttLPyU9OLMnMz4MzrBJTUopSi4sBI0GUHiwAAAA&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiSr62p-fPKAhXUBo4KHed6CHYQ6BMIdDAT


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This lecture is sponsored by

The Asia-Pacific Research Network

for the Study of Language and Minority


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Dear all,

This is my pleasure to inform you that we will have a special lecture by Dr. Hugo Yu-

Hsiu Lee, an adjunct assistant professor of School of Engineering and Technology and also a

faculty member of National Institute of Development Administration in Thailand. He is also a

Thailand-ASEAN Exchange faculty of Indiana University, USA. Dr. Hugo is a linguist and has studied the use of language among sex workers in

Thailand. In this lecture, he will share with us the findings of his studies. His lecture entitled

“Gender and language in Thailand” will be on 19 February 2016 (Friday) 3:30-4:30 at

W224B, Asian Institute of Technology (Thailand campus) - intergovernmental org.

All are welcome to join.

Warmest regards,

Kyoko Kusakabe, Assoc Prof in Gender and Development, Asian Institute of Technology,

& Author of Burmese Migrant Women Factory Workers


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Outline of the Lecture

Defining Gender

in Applied and Sociolinguistics

Gendered Early Childhood

Language Acquisition

Gendered Adolescent and Young Adult

Language Practices

Gender and Ethnic Chinese Community

Gender and IsaanBarigirls


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Defining Gender

in Applied and Sociolinguistics

Because of the traditional gender

role, women learn and use

some languages

Because of the resistance of

traditional gender ideologies,

women learn and use

different languages


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Gendered Early Childhood

Language Acquisition

One (or both) parent

has migrant background:

Bilingual Family

One Parent One Language

(OP/OL)

is NOT working:

Children do NOT become

(balanced) bilingual

Photo Credit: The speaker


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Case Studies:

Bengali-Thai Family

vs. Bengali Migrant Family

Father is from Bangladesh

and speaks Bengali

Mother is Thai and speaks Thai

Result: Thai is the dominant language

for children

Reasons:Mom and Dad

have different gender roles.

Children spend most of their time

w/ their mother.

Father is often absent from the family

because he is busy doing business.

Children likely learn Bengali

from the Bengali migrant community

and less likely from their father.


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Contrast:

Both parents are migrants

from Bangladesh

Children are likely to speak Bengali

Children spend most of their time

w/ their mother

Despite their father is often absent

from their family


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Gendered

Adolescent and Young Adult

Language Practices

Non-institutional settings

such as online communication

& the internet society (social media sites)

instead of institutional settings

(government, schools, etc.)

are more likely for

female adolescent and young adults

to draw on a wide range of

linguistic and culture resources

to remix languages

& create sub-textual meanings


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Case Studies:

Among Thai Female Young Adults,

those who are Fans of Korean Boy Bands

and those who watch Korean Drama

Series (catered for female viewers)

utter some Korean

expressions & slogans

in social media

Photo Credit: www.dramaload.ch

http://www.dramaload.ch/


11

Thai Female Young Adults

Who dress like a Princess

-- Costume Play (Cosplay)--

Utter some Japanese

expressions & slogans

in social media

Photo Credit: http://kyliaderais.deviantart.com/


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Note.They do Not speak Korean &

Japanese, but they remix some Korean

and Japanese words to the connection of

wider meanings (translingual practices)


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Case Studies:

Young Thai Men who

watch wrestling (e.g., WWE RAW)

as an expression of their masculinity

likely utter some American English

expressions and slogans

in facebook wall posts

Note. They do Not speak

American English.

Photo Credit: http://www.bridgestonearena.com/


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Gender and

Ethnic Chinese Community

Case Studies:

Many ethnic Chinese (Chinese-Thai)

young women do NOT want to marry

ethnic Chinese husbands

Reason:Do Not want to become the

daughter-in-law (maid)

& grand-daughter-in-law (slave)

of some conservative ethnic Chinese

mother-in-law & grand-mother-in-law

Photo Credit: People's Daily Overseas Edition


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Thai Husbands Wanted

Action: Marry Thai husbands

Consequence: Children& grand-children

likely to speak Thai

& do Not maintain

Chinese Mandarin and Chinese dialects


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Gender and Isaan Bargirls

Case Studies:

First-born Daughters of Isaan Peasants

(Farmers) fulfill their Gender Role

by Learning English

to marry Farang (White Men) Husbands

Photo Credit: http://amanandhisblog.co.uk/travel/essential-guide-to-thai-bar-girls/

Learning English to Get a White Husband

(The Way to Get Rich)


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Reason:

Traditional gender ideology in Isaan

is that first-born daughters

take responsibility to earn a living

for their family.

Impoverished rural villages

do Not have promising job opportunities.

Young Isaan women believe that

Farang (White Men) are rich

& can help them reduce and escape poverty.

As a result, being bargirls in Bangkok and

tourist sites is one of the choices

for their career.


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Isaan bargirl: “[My] buffalo [gets] sick.

I want money.”

Farang (White Men) are some Isaan

Bargirls’ mobile ATM


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Q & A

Feel free to contact the lecturer,

if you have questions

related to his talk today

E-mail/電子郵件: [email protected]|

T: 0886072560 (Thailand/泰國電話)

| T: 886-7-383-9210 (Taiwan/台灣電話)

mailto:[email protected]

gender and language in thailand by hugo lee

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