ABSTRACT
This chapter explores the notion of “social interactions” in the fields of (socio)linguistics, applied linguistics, and language education. The fundamental constructs for social interactions, including contexts and relationships, and how social interactions have been investigated in the discussion of second/foreign language learning and use is introduced first. In this chapter, I overview language socialization and sociocultural theories, which consider social interactions as the central concept in language learning. In particular, how people jointly accomplish actions, membership, and legitimacy through social interactions will be discussed. The aim of this chapter is twofold. First, the primary issues and key findings with clear examples from recent literature on social interactions will be reviewed. Second, how different approaches and issues around social interactions in Korean as a second language (KSL) settings will be discussed. Additionally, diverse L2 settings both in a language class and outside of class, including family settings and communities, will be explored. Lastly, pedagogical implications and suggestions for future development in social interactions in KSL will follow.
