• Journal of the Korean Society for Library and Information Science
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• v.52 no.3
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• pp.289-334
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• 2018

Even though information in many languages other than English is quickly increasing, English is still playing the role of the lingua franca and being accounted for the largest proportion on the web. Therefore, it is necessary to investigate the key features and differences between "information searching behavior using mother tongue as a search language" and "information searching behavior using English as a search language" of users who are non-mother tongue speakers of English to acquire more diverse and abundant information. This study conducted the experiment on the web searching which is applied in concurrent think-aloud method to examine the information searching behavior and the cognitive process in Korean search and English search through the twenty-four undergraduate students at a private university in South Korea. Based on the qualitative data, this study applied the frequency analysis to web search pattern under search language. As a result, it is active, aggressive and independent information searching behavior in Korean search, while information searching behavior in English search is passive, submissive and dependent. In Korean search, the main features are the query formulation by extract and combine the terms from various sources such as users, tasks and system, the search range adjustment in diverse level, the smooth filtering of the item selection in search engine results pages, the exploration and comparison of many items and the browsing of the overall contents of web pages. Whereas, in English search, the main features are the query formulation by the terms principally extracted from task, the search range adjustment in limitative level, the item selection by rely on the relevance between the items such as categories or links, the repetitive exploring on same item, the browsing of partial contents of web pages and the frequent use of language support tools like dictionaries or translators.

• International Journal of Knowledge Content Development & Technology
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.7-30
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• 2023

Nigeria is a country with multiple ethnic groups; as a result, English language is used as a lingua franca to enhance information flow. Despite this, the Indigenous languages of communities are mostly used for interactions, even in university environments thereby affecting smooth interaction for those who do not understand them. This study therefore investigated the impact of being a linguistic outsider on information access, learning and social wellbeing of students. Descriptive research of a case study was used for this study. The population for this study consisted of non-Yoruba indigenous students. Judgmental sampling technique was used to select 50 non-indigenous students; structured interview was used. Results showed that Yoruba indigenous language was used lightly in the classroom and heavily outside the classroom, with mixtures of pidgin and English languages. It was found that being a linguistic outsider had a negative influence on information access. However it was not a total dependent factor to social wellbeing of students who desire for their various languages to be predominantly used and for them to enjoy equal benefits with Yoruba indigenes. This study also revealed that being a linguistic outsider does not have negative influence on academic learning. It was recommended that the stakeholders in university management promote the complete use of English language in the classroom while students should be encouraged to interpret Yoruba language when spoken in the midst of non-indigenes.

• SUVANNABHUMI
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.41-70
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• 2019

As a response to Peter Jackson's call for a Southeast Asian Area Studies beyond Anglo-America, this paper argues that the achievement of this salient objective hinges on an understanding of the idea of positionality and what it entails. Drawing from reflections from Filipino scholars, positionality can be understood not merely as one's determination through geographic location or self-knowledge of one's condition within the politics of knowledge production; rather, it is the power and opportunity to claim a place from which one understands reality in one's own terms, and the capacity to effect influence within her intellectual domain. In redefining positionality as such, one realizes that crucial to establishing Southeast Asian Area studies beyond Anglo-America is acknowledging the importance of the vernacular in the production and circulation of knowledge, as well as the constant danger of English as the global lingua franca, established in the guise of an advocacy that resolves unevenness by providing equal opportunity for all intellectuals to gain "global prominence." This paper argues that, instead of trying to eradicate unevenness, one can acknowledge it as the condition of being located in a place and as a privileged position to think and create beyond the shadow of Anglo-American theory.

• Journal of Contemporary Eastern Asia
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.40-60
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• 2020

Among Filipino entertainers in Japan, trans women (transgender women) or transpinay (Filipino trans woman) entertainers remain understudied compared to cisgender women. Though the number of entertainers has declined, transpinay entertainers remain relevant as transgender issues continue to be salient globally. This study explains the gendered experiences of the transpinay migrants, particularly in entertainment work and their relationships, which are different from cisgender Filipino women entertainers' experiences. Using grounded theory and drawing on concepts of performativity in interactions to analyze the narratives of transpinay entertainers, I delve into how transpinay entertainers negotiate their gender and migrant identities as they establish professional and personal relationships. Moreover, the transpinays' entertainment work is a significant contributing factor to their sense of belonging in Japan, as they form relationships with colleagues, clients, and partners who support them and, thereby, sustain their lifestyles as trans women. The transpinay entertainers' flows of migration between Japan and the Philippines reveal that they embrace various aspects of social remittances and use them to their advantage to create and enhance their transpinay identity in Japan. By examining the transpinays' migrant experiences, this study aims to elucidate the gendered experiences of transpinay entertainers, which involve significant negotiations in their migration pathways notably different from cisgender Filipino women entertainers, reveal resilience.