Thai English? Non-Thai English Lecturers’ Perceptions of Thai English and World Englishes

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Published: Jul 12, 2022
Keywords:
Thai English World Englishes Non-Thai lecturers Thai ELT classroom

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Eric A. Ambele
Department of Western Languages and Linguistics, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Mahasarakham University, Thailand

Abstract

The role of English as a medium of communication among diverse linguacultural users has resulted in a significant rise in the number of new Englishes. Using a semi-structured interview for data collection, this qualitative study investigates the perceptions of six foreign English lecturers at four universities in Thailand towards Thai English and its usage in the classroom and World Englishes-informed pedagogy. The qualitative content-based analysis revealed the participants’ mixed perceptions towards Thai English and its usage in the classroom. While most participants expressed likeness for Thai English, likewise World Englishes-informed pedagogy; nevertheless, some of them still maintained that Thai English is a ‘broken’, nonstandard variety of English. They further reported that accepting Thai English usage in the classroom might be a laissez-faire attitude that could hurt rather than assist Thai students to prepare for real-world exams during/after graduation since most, if not all students, will have to take high-stakes exams in English. These mixed perceptions implicate that enhancing English pluricentricity awareness and Thai English features in Thai education might foster Thai/other English(es) acceptability/likeability among (non)Thais in using English for their own specific needs and purposes.

Article Details

How to Cite
Ambele, E. A. (2022). Thai English? Non-Thai English Lecturers’ Perceptions of Thai English and World Englishes. LEARN Journal: Language Education and Acquisition Research Network, 15(2), 724–750. Retrieved from https://so04.tci-thaijo.org/index.php/LEARN/article/view/259949
Issue
Vol. 15 No. 2 (2022): LEARN Journal (July-December)
Section
Research Articles
Author Biography

Eric A. Ambele, Department of Western Languages and Linguistics, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Mahasarakham University, Thailand

A lecturer and researcher at the Department of Western Languages and Linguistics, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Mahasarakham University, Thailand. He holds a Ph.D. in Applied Linguistics with research interests in Global/World Englishes Issues and English Language Teaching, English as a Medium of Instruction, Teacher Education, Discourse Analysis, Sociolinguistics, Inter/Transcultural Communication and Innovative Research Methodology. ORCid ID: 0000-0003-2206-8746.

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