English Translation Service for Immigrant Youth’s Korean Language Maintenance in a Korean Ethnic Religious Community Institution

English Translation Service for Immigrant Youth’s Korean Language Maintenance in a Korean Ethnic Religious Community Institution

This paper explores the Korean ethnic church members’ attitudes toward the English translation service of the Sunday worship service for Korean immigrant youth in Montreal. This study also investigates the relationship between the adoption of the translation service and the Korean language and culture maintenance. The study involved qualitative interviews, a questionnaire, on-site document analysis, and participant observation. The participants (n=21 in total) were Korean immigrant students between the ages of 13 and 19, who attend a Korean ethnic church in Montreal (n=8), Korean immigrant adult church members (n=10), pastors of the church (n=2), and a translator of the service (n=1). This study confirms Korean ethnic church members’ positive attitudes towards the English translation service for keeping the Korean immigrant youth within the church. In addition, the study shows that the adoption of the translation service helps the Korean immigrant youth maintain the Korean language and cultural identity. Thus, this study suggests that the translation service should be a strategic choice for Korean ethnic churches to keep Korean immigrant youth without the sacrifice of the Korean language as their heritage language. Some implications for immigrant youth’s Korean language maintenance as a heritage language in Canada are briefly touched on.