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Investigating Marshallese English Through Academic Writing

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Investigating Marshallese English Through Academic Writing LANGUAGE, IDENTITY, AND WRITING: INVESTIGATING MARSHALLESE ENGLISH THROUGH ACADEMIC WRITING ___________ A Dissertation Presented to The Faculty of the School of Teaching and Learning Sam Houston State University ___________ In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Education ___________ By Jill S. Pagels August, 2021 LANGUAGE, IDENTITY, AND WRITING: INVESTIGATING MARSHALLESE ENGLISH THROUGH ACADEMIC WRITING By Jill S. Pagels ___________ APPROVED: Mary Petron, PhD Committee Chair Burcu Ates, PhD Committee Member Benita Brooks, PhD Committee Member Melinda Miller, PhD Committee Member Stacy Edmonson, EdD Dean, College of Education DEDICATION This dissertation is dedicated to my intercultural family and their support, love, humor, and grace throughout my life, giving me insight and courage to embrace my dreams. iii ABSTRACT Pagels, Jill S., Language, identity, and writing: Investigating Marshallese English through academic writing. Doctor of Education (Literacy), August, 2021, Sam Houston State University, Huntsville, Texas. English has emerged as an international language. The hegemonic positioning of English is problematic for previously colonized places such as the Republic of the Marshall Islands. The remote coral atoll Pacific Island nation of the Republic of the Marshall Islands has a history of colonization. Critical Literacy supports reflective analysis of social constructs created and used in language to reveal power structures and be a source of change. Language is a significant piece of culture transmitting ideas, information, world view, and culture. Marshall Islanders, at home and abroad, interact in English. World Englishes establishes validity for variations of language, specifically English, within the context that it is used. There is a need to recognize and validate Marshallese English as a World English. This mixed methods study examined the grammatical and lexical elements in a corpus of Marshallese authored academic English writing. The findings were then expanded upon by Marshallese culture member interviews, to correlate the findings with Marshallese language and culture. The findings identified connections between Marshallese language and culture and Marshallese English. Grammatical differences between English and Marshallese, as well as differing epistemologies were evidenced in the data. Key findings include linguistic representation of politeness, social hierarchy, language, and funds of knowledge. Identifying Marshallese English elements in the corpus reinforced the value iv of first language identity, as well as informed instruction in English and all content areas for bilingual Marshallese people. This research project contributed to the body of knowledge on Marshallese, Marshallese English. This asset based approach to biliteracy strengthened Marshallese linguistic connections. KEY WORDS: World Englishes, Marshallese, Marshallese English, Second language writing, Decolonization, Bilingual, Writing analysis, Second language writing analysis, Critical literacy v ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Thank you very much to the Marshallese people, who were generous in their support of this research project. Your shared knowledge and trust that was so generously given throughout this dissertation is immensely appreciated. I sincerely hope that the ideas and findings from this research are supportive and a positive reflection of the appreciation I have for you. To my dissertation chair, Dr. Mary Petron, thank you for the countless hours spent with me, designing, refining, and coaching me to be my best scholar. To my committee, Dr. Burcu Ates, Dr. Benita Brooks, and Dr. Melinda Miller, thank you for your expertise, encouragement, and guidance in my growth as a scholar, researcher, and educator. To my colleagues in the doctoral program, my thanks for your belief in the possible, encouragement for the improbable, and sustained curiosity to question the impossible. To my friends and family, thank your support throughout the complex process of obtaining a doctorate. Allowing me to be absent when needed, making me engage when necessary, and keeping everything in perspective are appreciated beyond measure. And to all the friends and colleagues around the world, new and old, who have shown patience over the years, as I continue to be intrigued by the world and the people in it, thank you. You have all helped shape the person I am today. vi TABLE OF CONTENTS DEDICATION ................................................................................................................. iii ABSTRACT ..................................................................................................................... iv ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ............................................................................................. vi TABLE OF CONTENTS ................................................................................................ vii LIST OF TABLES ........................................................................................................... ix LIST OF FIGURES ........................................................................................................... x CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION .......................................................................................1 Statement of Problem ............................................................................................. 2 Purpose of the Study............................................................................................... 4 Research Questions ................................................................................................ 4 Researcher’s Positionality ...................................................................................... 5 Definitions and Terms............................................................................................. 6 Situating the Research............................................................................................. 7 Theoretical Framework .........................................................................................11 Delimitations ........................................................................................................ 14 Limitations ........................................................................................................... 15 Significance of the Study...................................................................................... 16 Organization of the Study..................................................................................... 16 CHAPTER II: LITERATURE REVIEW ....................................................................... 18 The Marshallese Context...................................................................................... 18 Critical Theory..………….................................................................................... 25 Critical Literacies.................................................................................................. 26 vii World Englishes ................................................................................................... 27 Second Language Writing .................................................................................... 32 World Englishes and Second Language Writing: An Integrated Approach........ 38 CHAPTER III: METHODS ............................................................................................ 40 Research Design ................................................................................................... 40 Phase 1: Quantitative .......................................................................................... 44 Phase 2: Qualitative ............................................................................................ 50 Advantages and Limitations: Sequential Exploratory Method Designs.............. 54 Conclusion ........................................................................................................... 56 CHAPTER IV: RESULTS .............................................................................................. 57 Quantitative .......................................................................................................... 57 Qualitative ............................................................................................................ 64 Summary .............................................................................................................. 69 CHAPTER V: DISCUSSION AND IMPLICATIONS................................................... 70 Mixed Methods Research Study Summary ...........................................................70 Implications ……….............................................................................................. 78 Limitations ........................................................................................................... 80 Future Research ................................................................................................... 82 Conclusion ........................................................................................................... 83 REFERENCES ................................................................................................................ 85 APPENDIX A................................................................................................................. 101 APPENDIX B…………………………………………………………………………..103 VITA ...............................................................................................................................105
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