National flags and language learning: representing German in virtual schoolscapes

Abstract

This study examines the use of national symbols, particularly the colours black, red and gold, on Facebook pages of Thai language teachers who teach German as a foreign language. Based on an analysis of 1,879 posts and ethnographic interviews with five producers, it shows how semiotic elements are used to represent standard German. Statistically, most posts use symbols associated with Germany, while elements referring to Austria or Switzerland occur significantly less frequently. Ethnographically, the interviews reveal that producers often associate standard German with Germany and its flag, even though one producer in the corpus has only lived in Switzerland. The results point to a reciprocal influence between semiotic decisions and the perception of language and culture. Finally, we discuss how these findings can be used to promote critical awareness of language ideologies and cultural diversity in language teaching.