The Effect of English as a "Cool Medium" on Asian Ethnic Background Sojourners' Personal Security in Australian Context: A Case Study.

This paper discusses how English as 'a cool medium' of communication and instruction has effects on an Asian ethnic background (AEB) sojourners' personal security in an Australian context through the theoretical lenses of McLuhan's aphorism, 'the medium is the message', and the United Nation Development Program's concept of 'personal security'. Sojourners voluntarily participating in this study are 15 international students with non-native English speaking background (N-NESB) from China, Japan, Korea, Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam. The results based upon interviews suggested common language barriers socio-culturally producing 'world Englishes shock' and 'repetition shock' which manifests an extended sense of insecurity in sojourners. 13 participants were impinged by the experiences in 'world Englishes shock' and 4 by 'repetition shock'. 'Insecurity' was found to be the most common negative feeling while 'frustration' was the most common effect on their personal security which developed into a feeling of 'insecurity'. Only two sojourners were not impinged by their experience in 'world Englishes shock' because they appeared to possess positive attitudes towards it. Therefore, 'security' and 'insecurity' are keywords in or behind communication. ..PAT.-Unpublished Manuscript [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]