Investment matters: supremacy of English and (re)construction of identity in international exchange

Abstract

In Japan critical views of the dominance of English are only infrequently voiced, and the use of English is promoted for the benefits associated with it. This paper discusses the issues of language and power in intercultural communication on the basis of a case study on the Ship for World Youth, an intensive ‘international exchange’ programme in which English is used uncritically as the language of intercultural communication. The paper examines the role of English as a gatekeeping device in social interaction on the ship, and highlights Japanese participants' ‘investment’ in the programme and their identity.