Dr. WAN Yau Ni Jenny (溫幼妮)

Hong Kong Shue Yan University (HKSYU), Hong Kong, China

Dr. WAN Yau Ni Jenny, PhD, is an Assistant Professor in the Department of English Language and Literature at Hong Kong Shue Yan University (HKSYU) in Hong Kong, China. She earned her Doctor of Philosophy in Applied Linguistics from the Department of English at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) in 2012. Her doctoral dissertation, titled "Call Centre Communication: An Analysis of Interpersonal Meaning," reflects her deep engagement with issues of communication and meaning-making in professional contexts. Dr. Wan’s research interests span systemic functional linguistics, professional discourse analysis, intercultural communication, business communication, conversation analysis, and language studies.  

ORCID ID: 0000-0002-7585-1745

Scopus Author ID: 57196078103

Publication - Refereed Journal Articles

Forey, G., Wan, Y. N. & Lockwood., J. (forthcoming). Language in call centers. International Encyclopedia of Language and Linguistics, 3rd edition.

Wan, Y. N. (preparing revised manuscript). Holocaust memorial hall: The evolution of attitudinal meanings in visitors’ online reviews of dark tourism. Current Issues in Tourism.

Tse T. P. J. & Wan, Y. N. (2025). Attitudes and language identities in Ocean Park Hong Kong online reviews. International Journal of Marketing Semiotics & Discourse Studies, 13, 1-35. https://ijmarketingsemiotics.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/ocean-park-hong-kong-appraisal.pdf.  

Wan, Y. N. & Forey, G. (2024). Exploring collective identity and community connections: An interpersonal analysis of online visitor reviews at the Overseas Chinese Museum (2012-2023). Forum for Linguistics Studies, 6(5), 149–170. https://doi.org/10.30564/fls.v6i5.6952

Wan, Y. N. (2024). Language differences in online complaint responses between generative artificial intelligence and hotel managers. Informatics, 11(3), 66. https://doi.org/10.3390/informatics1103006 

Wan, Y. N. (2024). Framing negative eWOM via conjunctions: The language of customer communication in the luxury hotel sector on social media. Training, Language and Culture, 8(2), 76-93. https://doi.org/10.22363/2521-442X-2024-8-2-76-93 

Wan, Y. N. & Forey, G. (2024). Hospitality discourse on social media: Evaluating online complaints and service recovery for luxury hotels. Journal of Language Teaching and Research, 15(2), 364- 373. https://doi.org/10.17507/jltr.1502.05 

Wan, Y. N. (2024). Exploring interpersonal meanings of report cards and WISC-V scores: a case study of a gifted child. Theory and Practice in Language Studies, 14(6), 1664-1675. https://doi.org/10.17507/tpls.1406.07 

Wan, Y. N. (2024). Graduation resources in news discourse: Calls for the British Museum to return Chinese cultural artefacts. Journalism and Media, 5(1), 189-202. https://doi.org/10.3390/journalmedia5010013 

Wan, Y. N. (2023). Insurance discourse analysis: Identifying register variables and generic stages in English cross-border complaint calls. HERMES - Journal of Language and Communication in Business, (63), 161–179. https://doi.org/10.7146/hjlcb.vi63.136496. 

Wan, Y. N. (2023). “But it’s truly aggravating and depressing”: Voicing counter-expectancy in US–Philippines service interactions. Journal of Intercultural Communication, 23(4), 95-106. https://doi.org/10.36923/jicc.v23i4.344 

Wan J. Y. N. (2023). Structuring logical relations in workplace English telephone negotiation. International Journal of Language Studies, 17(1), 71-96. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.7513371 

Wan, Y. N. (2018). Functions of frequently used back channels in a corpus of intercultural conversations between Hong Kong Chinese (HKC) and native English speakers (NES). Journal of Intercultural Communication, 18(1), 1–14. https://doi.org/10.36923/jicc.v18i1.755 

Wan, Y. N. (2017) Construing negotiation: The role of voice quality features in American- Filipino business telephone conversations. Language and Dialogue, 7(2), 137-163. https://doi.org/10.1075/ld.7.2.01yau 

Book Chapter

Wan, Y. N. (2010). Call centre discourse: Graduation in relation to voice quality and attitudinal profile. In G. Forey and J. Lockwood (Eds.), Globalization, Communication and the Workplace. London: Continuum, pp. 106-124. ISBN: 0826446078,9780826446077

Peer Reviewed Conference Proceeding

Wan, Y. N. (2008). The exchange of interpersonal language in call centre conversations. Systemic Functional Linguistics in Use, Odense Working Papers in Language and Communication: Systemic Functional Linguistics in Use, Nina Nørgaard (ed.) 29, 825-839. ISSN 0906-7612, ISBN: 978-87-90923-47-1. 

Conference Presentation(s)

Wan, Y. N. (2025). “How do hotel managers and GenAI apologise differently for hotel customers' online complaints?” Paper given at Language Symposium 2025: Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) and Digital Genre, Hong Kong Shue Yan University, HONG KONG, February 8, 2025. 

Wan, Y. N. (2019). “Childhood Anthropocentrism: An initial study of Animal Metaphor in Cantonese and Minnan Nursery Rhymes.” Paper given at Language and Ecology: Towards a Shared Narrative in Interdisciplinary Research 2019, Hong Kong Shue Yan University, HONG KONG, September 5-7, 2019.

Wan, Y. N. (2019). “Interpreting Media Literacy: A Pilot Study of Interpersonal Meaning in YouTube Wedding Speech.” Paper given at ICLLS 2019: Fifth International Conference on Linguistics and Language Studies, Caritas Institute of Higher Education, HONG KONG, June 25-26, 2019.

Wan, Y. N. (2019). “Multilingual print advertisements: Linguistic features of English-mixing advertisement in Hong Kong.” Paper given at International Conference on Multilingual Acquisition and Multilingual Education, The Education University of Hong Kong, HONG KONG, June 22 – 24, 2019.

Wan, Y. N. (2019). “University e-learning platform: Exploring patterns of lexical stance markers in online group discussion.” Paper given at 2019 Alternative Approaches to English Language Learning and Teaching, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, HONG KONG, May 27- 28, 2019.

Wan, Y. N. (2018). “Exploring university students’ peer review competence: A preliminary study of cognitive and affective feedback in language assessment”. Paper given at 2018 International Conference on Bilingual Learning and Teaching, The Open University of Hong Kong, HONG KONG, October 25-27, 2018.

Wan, Y. N. (2018). “Peer assessment in ELT: A critical evaluation of Peer Review written by L2 learners in a private University in Hong Kong”. Paper given at The International Conference on English Language Education in the Chinese Context, The Education University of Hong Kong, HONG KONG, May 4-5, 2018.

Wan, Y. N. (2017). “Language of persuasion in ESP writing: Personal recount in travelers’ online complaints”. Paper given at International Conference on ESP, New Technologies and Digital Learning, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, HONG KONG, December 7-9, 2017.

Wan, Y. N. (2017). “Tourism discourse analysis: International travelers’ e-complaints, and e-response letters from management group of Hong Kong 5-stars hotels on TripAdvisor”. Paper given at Third International Conference on Linguistics and Language Studies, The Open University of Hong Kong, HONG KONG, June 29-30, 2017.

Wan, Y. N. (2017). “Maam, let me tell you our story”. Analyzing interpersonal relationship and recount structure in American-Filipino call centre complaint conversations. Paper given at Doing Research in Applied Linguistics 3 /19th English in South-East Asia Conference 2017, King Mongkut’s University of Technology Thonburi, Bangkok, THAILAND, June 22-24, 2017.

Wan, Y. N. (2017). “Well, Oh, Right: An analysis of backchannels used in intercultural dialogues”. Paper given at The 6th International Conference on English, Discourse and Intercultural Communication & The 23rd International Conference of the International Association for Intercultural Communication Studies, Macao Polytechnic Institute, MACAU, June 6-8, 2017.

Wan, Y. N. (2016). “Writing mini-research paper: The challenges from non-English major students in a private university in Hong Kong”. Paper given at 11th International Symposium on Teaching English at Tertiary Level: Rethinking ELT in Higher Education, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, HONG KONG, December 9-10, 2016.

Wan, Y. N. (2016). “How to sound nice and helpful? Managing communication skills in telephone service encounter by L2 customer service representatives”. Paper given at The 4th Forum on Applied Linguistics, Guangdong University of Foreign Studies, Guangzhou, CHINA, December 3-4, 2016.

Wan, Y. N. (2016). “The role of scorecards in call centre conversation assessment”. Paper given at 2016 International Conference on Applied Linguistics & Language Teaching, National Taiwan University of Science and Technology, TAIWAN, Apr 15-16, 2016.

Wan, Y. N. (2015). “Professional Discourse Analysis: Specific Language Features in Telephone Communication Breakdown”. Paper given at ICLLS 2015: First International Conference on Linguistics and Language Studies, Caritas Institute of Higher Education, HONG KONG, Apr 9-10, 2015.

Wan, Y. N. (2013). “Workplace Communication: An Analysis of General and Complex Calls in Filipino Insurance Call Centres”. Paper given at IALIC 2013: Language and Intercultural Communication in the Workplace Critical Approaches to Theory and Practice, Hong Kong Baptist University, HONG KONG, Nov 29 – Dec 1, 2013.

Wan, Y. N. (2013). “Exchange Structure at Points of Negotiation in Call Centre Conversations”. Paper given at the 4th International Conference on English, Discourse and Intercultural Communication (Part 1 Macao), MACAU, Jun 4-7, 2013.

Wan, Y. N. (2013). “Expected and Discretionary Responses in Complex Call Centre Conversations”. Paper given at Greeting the New Age of ESP: Practice, Innovation, and Vision 2013 International Conference on Applied Foreign Languages (2013-ICAFLs), National Kaohsiung University of Hospitality and Tourism, TAIWAN, May 23-24, 2013.

Forey, G. & Wan, Y. N. (2012). Call Centre conversations - getting the job done: The role and value of chatting in service encounters. Paper given at The 5th Talking Across the World 2012: The BPO Industry: Resetting the Research Agenda, Da La Salle University, Manila, THE PHILIPPINES, June 21-23, 2012.

Wan, Y. N. (2010) "Language features of communication breakdown in call centre conversations". Paper at The Talking across the World Conference 2010: English Communication Skills from Commodity to Quality, Da La Salle University, Manila, the Philippines, November 26-27, 2010.

Wan, Y. N. (2009) "Validation of interpretative analysis investigating the methodology: Voice quality in call centre discourse". Paper at The 36' International Systemic Functional Congress, Tsinghua University, Beijing, CHINA, July 14-18, 2009.

Wan, Y. N. (2009) Methodology: A preliminary study of identifying voice quality features in call centre conversations. Paper at The 2009 Annual PolyU Faculty of Humanities Postgraduate Research Symposium, POLYU, Hong Kong, CHINA. March 13. 2009.

Wan, Y. N. (2008) "Creating meanings through Graduation in verbiage and voice in Philippine call centre". Paper at The 35 International Systemic Functional Congress. Macquarie University. Sydney. AUSTRALIA. July 21-25. 2008.

Forey, G. & Wan, Y. N. (2008) "Language and society: the Philippine BPO industry". Paper at The Critical Dimensions in Applied Linguistics Association of Australia. 33 Annual conference. University of Sydney. AUSTRALIA. July 4-6, 2008.

Wan, Y. N. (2008). "Exchanging interpersonal meaning in call centre conversations". Paper at The First Faculty of Communication Postgraduate Research Symposium, PolyU, Department of English & Bilingual Studies, Hong Kong, CHINA, March 29, 2008.

Wan, Y. N. (2008). "Call Centre Interaction: Interpreting interpersonal attitude through voice and verbiage". Paper at The 3rd Talking Across the World Conference: English Communication Skills for the ITES industry, Bangalore, INDIA, April 25-26, 2008.

Wan, Y. N. (2007). "How voice quality features create meaning potentials and form alignments in telephone conflicts". Paper at The Semiotic Margins: reclaiming meaning. The University of Sydney, AUSTRALIA, December 10-12, 2007.

Wan, Y. N. & Hood, S. (2007). "'Meaning potentials of voice quality features as a graduation resource in call centre interactions" Paper at The Discourses and Cultural Practices. University of Technology, Sydney, AUSTRALIA, November 29, 30 and December 1, 2007.

Wan, Y. N. (2007). "The Exchange of Interpersonal Meaning in Call Centre Conversations". Paper at The 34' ISFC: Systemic Functional Linguistics in Use. University of Southern Denmark. Odense. DENMARK. July 16-20. 2007.

Wan, Y. N. (2007). "The Interpersonal Language of Complaint Calls". Paper at The 2nd International Conference: Talking across the World, English Communication Skills for the ITES industry. Manila, THE PHILIPPINES, May 31-June 2, 2007.

Forey, G., & Wan Y. N. (2006) "Interpersonal language in call centre discourse". Paper at The Inaugural Conference: Talking across the world, English communication skills for the Information Technology Enabled Services Industry. Manila, THE PHILIPPINES, February 24-25, 2006.