The Role of Language and Communication for the Migrant Community Integration into Host Society: A Case Study on the Chinese Community in UK

Abstract

Language and communication are playing a significant
role between migrant communities and the host society as a
consequence of globalization. However, migrant communities often
experience greater difficulties in relation to integration in host
countries from a language and communication perspective.
Language and communication in this paper are seen as a media and
bridge among service providers and users to achieve migrant
workers’ integration. In this context, a case study of the Chinese
community in the UK was done with the objective to investigate the
main barriers and causes in relation to the role of language and
communication for Chinese migrant workers integration.
It analyzed the language and communication issues from two key
aspects such as within the Chinese migrant community, between
the Chinese and host society. Despite the relevance of this topic for
its integration implications in the relevant literature, little effort
has been made to examine the role of the language and
communication barriers facing migrant workers.
Thus, this paper covers that gap in the existing literature by
analyzing participant observation and in-depth interview data
obtained in the East Midlands area in the UK in 2009, 2011and
2012. The results indicate a communication gap among official and
unofficial service users and providers in migrant workers
integration. An open language and communication network is
suggested as an appropriate approach to improve migrant workers
integration.