school

UM E-Theses Collection (澳門大學電子學位論文庫)

check Full Text
Title

Language attitudes of the youth in Puxian region towards Puxian dialect, Mandarin Chinese and English

English Abstract

This study aims to explore the language attitudes of the youth in Puxian region, Fujian province in China’s mainland towards the local Puxian dialect, Mandarin (Putonghua), and English. Through matched-guise tests conducted in a high school in Putian accent region and a vocational school in Xianyou accent region, the language attitudes of the students were examined in three aspects: (a) What are the language attitudes of the youth toward Puxian dialect, Mandarin and English? What is the ranking of these three language varieties in status and solidarity dimensions respectively? (b) Do these attitudes differ across diverging accent regions of dialects? What is the ranking of these three language varieties in the dimensions of status and solidarity in both accent regions respectively? (c) Are students at different age levels hold similar language attitudes towards Puxian dialect, Mandarin and English? Investigations revealed that Puxian dialect occupies the highest position in terms of group solidarity with the students, yet it is rated the lowest on the scale of status. In contrast, English enjoys the highest prestige in social status while on the scale of solidarity it ranks the lowest. Mandarin Chinese falls between Puxian dialect and English, being the language variety superior to Puxian dialect yet succumbs to English on the scale of status. The diverging educational and social background of the students from the two accent regions shaped their distinct language attitudes towards the three language varieties, while students’ grade in this study proved to be a weak factor in influencing their language attitudes.

Issue date

2015.

Author

Lin, Yue Bin

Faculty

Faculty of Arts and Humanities

Department

Department of English

Degree

M.A.

Subject

Language awareness -- China -- Fu Chien Province

Youth -- China -- Fu Chien Province -- Language

Sociolinguistics -- China -- Fu Chien Province

Supervisor

Moody, Andrew Jackson

Files In This Item

Full-text (Internet)

Location
1/F Zone C
Library URL
991000812439706306