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English in Authoritative COVID-19 Public Health Signage in South Korea: Multilingual and Monolingual Practices for Domestic and Foreign Audiences

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Title: English in Authoritative COVID-19 Public Health Signage in South Korea: Multilingual and Monolingual Practices for Domestic and Foreign Audiences
Language: English
Authors: Michael Chesnut, Nate Ming Curran, Sungwoo Kim
Source: Multilingua: Journal of Cross-Cultural and Interlanguage Communication. 2026 45(2):205-246.
Availability: De Gruyter Mouton. Available from: Walter de Gruyter, Inc. 121 High Street, Third Floor, Boston, MA 02110. Tel: 857-284-7073; Fax: 857-284-7358; e-mail: service@degruyter.com; Web site: http://www.degruyter.com
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 42
Publication Date: 2026
Intended Audience: Students
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Descriptors: Foreign Countries, Signs, Instructional Materials, Multilingualism, COVID-19, Pandemics, Language Usage, Language Role, Korean, English, Chinese, Japanese, Municipalities, Access to Information, Information Dissemination
Geographic Terms: South Korea
DOI: 10.1515/multi-2025-0034
ISSN: 0167-8507
1613-3684
Abstract: The beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic quickly led to the introduction of COVID-19 public health signage in many locations around the world. However, the language practices of these signs remain under-examined even years after the emergence of COVID-19. This study examines 39 unique authoritative COVID-19 public health signs collected in South Korea which contain English. We find that the use of English within signage intended for a domestic Korean audience differs radically from the use of English intended for a foreign audience within Korea. Within signage intended for a Korean audience, we find that English can convey information within the English text itself, can serve a design purpose reinforcing the meaning of a sign, and be a means of Korean-English punning. Within signage intended for a foreign audience, English was used alongside Chinese and Japanese as part of a general multilingual communication strategy, while widely differing language practices were used within certain 'foreign places' within Korea. We also identify 'pseudo-bilingual signage' that can limit the effectiveness of public health signage, and highlight the potential of multilingual public health communication for purportedly monolingual majority communities. This study should be of interest to scholars of world Englishes and public-health communication.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2026
Accession Number: EJ1500020
Database: ERIC
FullText Text:
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  Data: English in Authoritative COVID-19 Public Health Signage in South Korea: Multilingual and Monolingual Practices for Domestic and Foreign Audiences
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  Data: English
– Name: Author
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Michael+Chesnut%22">Michael Chesnut</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Nate+Ming+Curran%22">Nate Ming Curran</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Sungwoo+Kim%22">Sungwoo Kim</searchLink>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22Multilingua%3A+Journal+of+Cross-Cultural+and+Interlanguage+Communication%22"><i>Multilingua: Journal of Cross-Cultural and Interlanguage Communication</i></searchLink>. 2026 45(2):205-246.
– Name: Avail
  Label: Availability
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  Data: De Gruyter Mouton. Available from: Walter de Gruyter, Inc. 121 High Street, Third Floor, Boston, MA 02110. Tel: 857-284-7073; Fax: 857-284-7358; e-mail: service@degruyter.com; Web site: http://www.degruyter.com
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  Data: Y
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  Data: 42
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  Data: 2026
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  Data: Students
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  Data: Journal Articles<br />Reports - Research
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  Label: Descriptors
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Foreign+Countries%22">Foreign Countries</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Signs%22">Signs</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Instructional+Materials%22">Instructional Materials</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Multilingualism%22">Multilingualism</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22COVID-19%22">COVID-19</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Pandemics%22">Pandemics</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Language+Usage%22">Language Usage</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Language+Role%22">Language Role</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Korean%22">Korean</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22English%22">English</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Chinese%22">Chinese</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Japanese%22">Japanese</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Municipalities%22">Municipalities</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Access+to+Information%22">Access to Information</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Information+Dissemination%22">Information Dissemination</searchLink>
– Name: Subject
  Label: Geographic Terms
  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22South+Korea%22">South Korea</searchLink>
– Name: DOI
  Label: DOI
  Group: ID
  Data: 10.1515/multi-2025-0034
– Name: ISSN
  Label: ISSN
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  Data: 0167-8507<br />1613-3684
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: The beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic quickly led to the introduction of COVID-19 public health signage in many locations around the world. However, the language practices of these signs remain under-examined even years after the emergence of COVID-19. This study examines 39 unique authoritative COVID-19 public health signs collected in South Korea which contain English. We find that the use of English within signage intended for a domestic Korean audience differs radically from the use of English intended for a foreign audience within Korea. Within signage intended for a Korean audience, we find that English can convey information within the English text itself, can serve a design purpose reinforcing the meaning of a sign, and be a means of Korean-English punning. Within signage intended for a foreign audience, English was used alongside Chinese and Japanese as part of a general multilingual communication strategy, while widely differing language practices were used within certain 'foreign places' within Korea. We also identify 'pseudo-bilingual signage' that can limit the effectiveness of public health signage, and highlight the potential of multilingual public health communication for purportedly monolingual majority communities. This study should be of interest to scholars of world Englishes and public-health communication.
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  Data: 2026
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  Data: EJ1500020
PLink https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=eric&AN=EJ1500020
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      – Type: doi
        Value: 10.1515/multi-2025-0034
    Languages:
      – Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 42
        StartPage: 205
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Foreign Countries
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Signs
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Instructional Materials
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Multilingualism
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      – SubjectFull: COVID-19
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Pandemics
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      – SubjectFull: Language Usage
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Language Role
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Korean
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: English
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      – SubjectFull: Chinese
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Japanese
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Municipalities
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Access to Information
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Information Dissemination
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: South Korea
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: English in Authoritative COVID-19 Public Health Signage in South Korea: Multilingual and Monolingual Practices for Domestic and Foreign Audiences
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            NameFull: Nate Ming Curran
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            NameFull: Sungwoo Kim
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            – TitleFull: Multilingua: Journal of Cross-Cultural and Interlanguage Communication
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