Stigmatised Dictionaries Housing a Stigmatised Variety of English: The Use of Korean English Online Dictionaries as a Teaching Tool within the EFL Classroom

Abstract

This paper adopts a practice-based focus, explaining how online dictionaries can be used as pedagogic tools for teachers within the English as a Foreign Language (EFL) classroom. A discussion is provided of online dictionaries which are created by, broadly speaking, 'laypeople', and not professional lexicographers; and the vocabulary in question pertains to expanding circle Englishes, such as those tied to the Far East, with Korean English presented here as representative of this circle. However, online dictionaries, notably the variety described here, are often viewed negatively, based on judgements made regarding their accuracy, and lacking the prestige of being compiled by professional lexicographers. Further, varieties of English which reside outside the context of standard inner-circle varieties (e.g. American English), are often regarded as incorrect and/or inferior to the standard variety spoken by native speakers of English; indeed, the standard inner-circle variety is often regarded as the standard. However, this paper seeks to demonstrate how both online dictionaries and expanding circle Englishes have a role to play in the EFL classroom. In doing so, this can help to address broader issues tied to linguistic prejudice and hegemony, providing a more equal approach to language, to include its online compilation. Keywords: online dictionaries, standard English, inner-circle English, non-inner circle englishes (NICE), expanding circle of English, Korean English, intercultural communication, translation