The gendered construction of 'inauthentic' female bilinguals in South Korea: authenticity, English and gender

Abstract

This paper examines the ways contemporary models of personhood associated with female Korean-English bilinguals become linked to historical figures of inauthentic multilingualism. The case of the Korean-English bilingual exemplifies how historically constructed models of personhood reproduce already existing gender politics. By analysing both macro and micro discourses, this paper illustrates how historically locatable models of personhood associated with female Korean-English bilinguals function as a kind of authoritative discourse in contemporary South Korean society to actively marginalise the increasing number of female Korean-English bilinguals. The findings of this paper challenge scholars in the field of applied linguistics and language studies to apply a historical perspective in order to explain second and foreign language learners' gender identity and display.