Language Variation and Social Identity in Beijing
Abstract
This thesis investigates language variation among a group of young adults
in Beijing, China, with an aim to advance our understanding of social
meaning in a language and a society where the topic is understudied.
In this thesis, I examine the use of Beijing Mandarin among Beijingborn
university students in Beijing in relation to social factors including
gender, social class, career plan, and future aspiration. Language variation
in this context can further our understanding of Chinese culture in a newlyreformed
society while exploring important constructs such as gender and
aspiration in China, in part by establishing the social meaning of the local
vernacular and its role in identity construction among speakers.
The study presents data from both sociolinguistic interviews, conducted
with 21 Beijingers who have di erent class backgrounds, career plans, and
future aspiration, and self-recordings, from a subset of 10 Beijingers in
conversation with their family and/or friends. I focus on three thus far
under-examined linguistic variables { neutral tone, classi er omission, and
intensi er te { while incorporating an additional variable { erhua (word-
nal rhotacisation) in the discussion of stylistic variation in Beijing Mandarin.
The results rst provide an overview of language variation in Beijing
Mandarin, as shown in the use of di erent features and their linguistic and
social constraints. We observe familiar patterns often found in sociolinguistic
literature for some social factors (e.g. gender), while more complex
interactions exist for others (e.g. aspiration and career path). The ndings
suggest that Beijing Mandarin conveys localness and masculinity which is
expected for a vernacular variety. Finer distinctions in the social meanings
of these variables are found in sub-groups of Beijingers with di erent gender,
future career path and/or aspiration. Moreover, speakers are seen to
utilise these variables and their meanings in the construction of personae.
Authors
Zhao, HuiCollections
- Theses [4201]