Jieun Kiaer and Hyejeong Ahn, Emergence of Korean English : How Korea’s Dynamic English Is Born

Emergence of Korean English: How Korea's Dynamic English Is Born offers a comprehensive examination of the evolution of "Korean English" and its profound influence on South Korea's society, culture, and identity.It critically challenges prevailing stereotypes, highlighting the pivotal role of Korean English in Korea's cultural development.Jieun Kiaer and Hyejeong Ahn characterize Korean English as the hybridized language that emerges from the influence and interaction between English and Korean.This hybridization encompasses, but is not limited to, the incorporation of transliterated loanwords and the application of English plural markers to Korean terms, and it holds more positive connotations compared to the term "Konglish."Furthermore, the book examines Korea's complex relationship with the English language, exploring the distinctive linguistic features and sociocultural implications of Korean English and its evolution through global fandoms and social media, challenging traditional views on language development.Kiaer and Ahn's backgrounds are invaluable for a book that examines Korean English.Kiaer's research on the cultural impacts of hallyu (the "Korean Wave") and Korean-English dynamics offers insights into the global spread of Korean English, while Ahn's background on multilingual practices and the role of English educationally offers unique insights into how Korean English is shaping and adapting in global and academic environments.Chapter 1 introduces Korea's historical interactions with English, which were minimal until the 1950s, when postwar ties with the United States began to shape the language's societal role, enabling creative and adaptive use.One example of this is the incorporation of English words into Korean grammatical structures, which are now commonplace in spoken Korean.The authors argue that despite its controversial status among language purists,