Research Overview

Rak's research investigates the language and identity of the Korean immigrant communities in New Malden, Europe's largest Korean enclave. His research aims to document New Malden Koreans’ speech, investigate their accent, uncover what features distinguish speakers, and how Korean immigrants negotiate their identity through accent, using mixed method approach of variationist sociolinguistics and linguistic ethnography. His research aims to better understand not only how the speakers use different variables when they interact with the people within and outside their community but also the social, linguistic factors that influence their speech.