ERIC Number: EJ1189998
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2018
Pages: 27
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0015-718X
EISSN: N/A
Striving for the Third Space: A U.S. Professional's Experiences in Chinese Workplaces
Zeng, Zhini
Foreign Language Annals, v51 n3 p658-684 Fall 2018
This single-case study explored the experiences of a U.S. professional working in China by focusing on his discursive performance in negotiating a third space at work with people from the target culture. The results revealed that the foreign professional demonstrated a strong desire to creatively appropriate the target language as his own use, which went hand-in-hand with his advanced language skills and cultural knowledge, allowing him to assume full responsibility for his own linguistic choice. In addition, the inclusion of evaluations of this U.S. professional's performances by his target-culture domain counterparts imparted a two-fold set of high expectations for a global professional. On the basis of these findings, this study proposed that instructors of advanced level should focus on developing learners' multilingual capacities to operate successfully between languages and to negotiate domain expertise with members of the target community. It is important to help students recognize the boundaries of transgression and the target-society expectations so as to co-construct a desirable third space for both parties. The Challenge This study goes beyond classroom practices to investigate students' professional experiences in the target society. How does a foreign professional negotiate his/her communicative intentions and expertise at work? What are the target-society expectations for a global professional? By answering these questions, this study informs the instructional approach in preparing multilingual professionals for globalized workplaces.
Descriptors: Case Studies, Professional Personnel, Foreign Workers, Second Language Learning, Chinese, Cultural Awareness, Language Proficiency, Work Environment, Advanced Courses, Language Teachers, Second Language Instruction, Business Communication, Foreign Countries, Discourse Analysis, Intercultural Communication, Language Usage, Expectation, Global Approach
Wiley-Blackwell. 350 Main Street, Malden, MA 02148. Tel: 800-835-6770; Tel: 781-388-8598; Fax: 781-388-8232; e-mail: cs-journals@wiley.com; Web site: http://www.wiley.com/WileyCDA
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: China
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A