1. ASIA Pacific
Research Network
for the Study of Language & Minority
This article is archived and indexed by:
 Asia-Pacific Research Network for the Study of Language and Minority

2. Gender and Development Studies
1
Gender and Language
in Thailand
Speaker: Dr. Hugo Yu-Hsiu Lee
Institutional Affiliations:
 Assistant Professor of Applied Linguistics
National Institute of Development Administration (NIDA)
Thailand (Full-time Faculty)
 Assistant Professor of Language Education
Indiana University, USA (Exchange Faculty, Spr 2016)
 Professional Development Affiliate, Columbia University
USA (via Distance Ed.)
 Keynote Speaker, Intl Conference on Teaching Chinese
as a Second Language, MingChuan University, Taiwan
 Resource Person, Asian Institute of Technology –
Intergovernmental Organization
(Long-Term Adjunct Faculty)
Time: Friday, 19 February 2016, 3:30 p -4:30 p
Venue: W224B, AIT Thailand campus
(Address: 58 Moo 9, Paholyothin Highway KlongLuang, Pathumthani 12120)
Host & Coordinator of this Speech: Assoc Prof Kyoko Kusakabe

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This lecture is sponsored by
The Asia-Pacific Research Network
for the Study of Language and Minority

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Dear all,
This is my pleasure to inform you that we will have a special lecture by Dr. Hugo Yu-
Hsiu Lee, an adjunct assistant professor of School of Engineering and Technology and also a
faculty member of National Institute of Development Administration in Thailand. He is also a
Thailand-ASEAN Exchange faculty of Indiana University, USA.
Dr. Hugo is a linguist and has studied the use of language among sex workers in
Thailand. In this lecture, he will share with us the findings of his studies. His lecture entitled
“Gender and language in Thailand” will be on 19 February 2016 (Friday) 3:30-4:30 at
W224B, Asian Institute of Technology (Thailand campus) - intergovernmental org.
All are welcome to join.
Warmest regards,
Kyoko Kusakabe, Assoc Prof in Gender and Development, Asian Institute of Technology,
& Author of Burmese Migrant Women Factory Workers

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Outline of the Lecture
 Defining Gender
in Applied and Sociolinguistics
 Gendered Early Childhood
Language Acquisition
 Gendered Adolescent and Young Adult
Language Practices
 Gender and Ethnic Chinese Community
 Gender and IsaanBarigirls

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Defining Gender
in Applied and Sociolinguistics
Because of the traditional gender
role, women learn and use
some languages
Because of the resistance of
traditional gender ideologies,
women learn and use
different languages

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Gendered Early Childhood
Language Acquisition
One (or both) parent
has migrant background:
Bilingual Family
One Parent One Language
(OP/OL)
is NOT working:
Children do NOT become
(balanced) bilingual
Photo Credit: The speaker

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Case Studies:
Bengali-Thai Family
vs. Bengali Migrant Family
Father is from Bangladesh
and speaks Bengali
Mother is Thai and speaks Thai
Result: Thai is the dominant language
for children
Reasons:Mom and Dad
have different gender roles.
Children spend most of their time
w/ their mother.
Father is often absent from the family
because he is busy doing business.
Children likely learn Bengali
from the Bengali migrant community
and less likely from their father.

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Contrast:
Both parents are migrants
from Bangladesh
Children are likely to speak Bengali
Children spend most of their time
w/ their mother
Despite their father is often absent
from their family

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Gendered
Adolescent and Young Adult
Language Practices
Non-institutional settings
such as online communication
& the internet society (social media sites)
instead of institutional settings
(government, schools, etc.)
are more likely for
female adolescent and young adults
to draw on a wide range of
linguistic and culture resources
to remix languages
& create sub-textual meanings

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Case Studies:
Among Thai Female Young Adults,
those who are Fans of Korean Boy Bands
and those who watch Korean Drama
Series (catered for female viewers)
utter some Korean
expressions & slogans
in social media
Photo Credit: www.dramaload.ch

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Thai Female Young Adults
Who dress like a Princess
-- Costume Play (Cosplay)--
Utter some Japanese
expressions & slogans
in social media
Photo Credit: http://kyliaderais.deviantart.com/

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Note.They do Not speak Korean &
Japanese, but they remix some Korean
and Japanese words to the connection of
wider meanings (translingual practices)

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Case Studies:
Young Thai Men who
watch wrestling (e.g., WWE RAW)
as an expression of their masculinity
likely utter some American English
expressions and slogans
in facebook wall posts
Note. They do Not speak
American English.
Photo Credit: http://www.bridgestonearena.com/

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Gender and
Ethnic Chinese Community
Case Studies:
Many ethnic Chinese (Chinese-Thai)
young women do NOT want to marry
ethnic Chinese husbands
Reason:Do Not want to become the
daughter-in-law (maid)
& grand-daughter-in-law (slave)
of some conservative ethnic Chinese
mother-in-law & grand-mother-in-law
Photo Credit: People's Daily Overseas Edition

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Thai Husbands Wanted
Action: Marry Thai husbands
Consequence: Children& grand-children
likely to speak Thai
& do Not maintain
Chinese Mandarin and Chinese dialects

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Gender and Isaan Bargirls
Case Studies:
First-born Daughters of Isaan Peasants
(Farmers) fulfill their Gender Role
by Learning English
to marry Farang (White Men) Husbands
Photo Credit: http://amanandhisblog.co.uk/travel/essential-guide-to-thai-bar-girls/
Learning English to Get a White Husband
(The Way to Get Rich)

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Reason:
Traditional gender ideology in Isaan
is that first-born daughters
take responsibility to earn a living
for their family.
Impoverished rural villages
do Not have promising job opportunities.
Young Isaan women believe that
Farang (White Men) are rich
& can help them reduce and escape poverty.
As a result, being bargirls in Bangkok and
tourist sites is one of the choices
for their career.

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Isaan bargirl: “[My] buffalo [gets] sick.
I want money.”
Farang (White Men) are some Isaan
Bargirls’ mobile ATM

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Q & A
Feel free to contact the lecturer,
if you have questions
related to his talk today
E-mail/電子郵件: YL15@umail.iu.edu|
T: 0886072560 (Thailand/泰國電話)
| T: 886-7-383-9210 (Taiwan/台灣電話)