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  • © 2015

Language Attitudes and Identities in Multilingual China

A Linguistic Ethnography

Authors:

  • A critical introduction of Chinese language policy and language education to an international audience
  • The first-of-its-kind detailed analysis of the attitudes of an emerging Putonghua-as-first-dialect generation
  • A wealth of original data supports novel insights on attitudes towards regional dialects and identity ?
  • Includes supplementary material: sn.pub/extras

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Table of contents (13 chapters)

  1. Front Matter

    Pages I-XVI
  2. Introduction: Sociocultural and Sociolinguistic Backgrounds

    1. Front Matter

      Pages 1-1
    2. The Politics and Sociolinguistics of Chinese Dialects

      • Sihua (斯华) Liang (梁)
      Pages 11-33
  3. Conceptual and Methodological Frameworks

    1. Front Matter

      Pages 35-35
    2. Researching Language Attitudes in Multilingual China

      • Sihua (斯华) Liang (梁)
      Pages 37-65
  4. Becoming Members of a Multidialectal City

    1. Front Matter

      Pages 67-67
    2. “Mother Tongues” of a Multidialectal City

      • Sihua (斯华) Liang (梁)
      Pages 69-89
    3. Translanguaging Practices in Multidialectal Groups

      • Sihua (斯华) Liang (梁)
      Pages 105-116
  5. Putonghua and Regional Dialects at School

    1. Front Matter

      Pages 117-117
    2. Language Socialisation in Educational Institutions

      • Sihua (斯华) Liang (梁)
      Pages 119-137
    3. Teachers’ Attitudes Towards Dialects in School

      • Sihua (斯华) Liang (梁)
      Pages 139-149
  6. Discussion and Reflection

    1. Front Matter

      Pages 151-151
    2. Problematizing the Monolingual Norm in a Multidialectal City

      • Sihua (斯华) Liang (梁)
      Pages 153-168
    3. Schools in the Era of Multilingualism

      • Sihua (斯华) Liang (梁)
      Pages 169-174
    4. Language Attitudes in Heteroglossia: Methodological Reflections

      • Sihua (斯华) Liang (梁)
      Pages 175-182
    5. Appendix One: The Students’ Profiles

      • Sihua (斯华) Liang (梁)
      Pages 183-191
    6. Appendix Two: The Schools and the Teachers’ Profiles

      • Sihua (斯华) Liang (梁)
      Pages 193-198
  7. Back Matter

    Pages 199-202

About this book

These in-depth case studies provide novel insights in to the fast-changing language situation in multilingual China, and how it changes the meanings of language identity and language learning. This linguistic ethnographic study of language attitudes and identities in contemporary China in the era of multilingualism provides a comprehensive and critical review of the state of the art in the field of language-attitude research, and situates attitudes towards Chinese regional dialects in their social, historical as well as local contexts.

The role of language policies and the links between the interactional phenomena and other contextual factors are investigated through the multi-level analysis of linguistic ethnographic data. This study captures the long-term language socialisation process and the moment-to-moment construction of language attitudes at a level of detail that is rarely seen. The narrative is presented in a highly readable style, without compromising the theoretical sophistication and sociolinguistic complexities.  

Reviews

“The book draws a necessarily complex picture of the various arrays of attitudes, and tries to trace and demonstrate the origins and directions of these arrays. For those who believe in or are bewildered by the complexity, hybridity, and fluidity of modern language experiences, this book would make for a pleasant read. The narrative of the book is clear, authentic, lively, and reflective while remaining intellectually sophisticated. It should be accessible to a broad readership.” (Chengtuan Li, Language in Society, Vol. 45 (1), 2016)

This book is a vivid and fascinating portrayal of how students and teachers in Guangzhou deal with the complexities of life in a multilingual environment. Rich in detail, it is also wonderfully clear and accessible to both scholars and general readers. Don Snow, English Language Center, Guangdong, China

 

Authors and Affiliations

  • School of Foreign Languages, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China

    Sihua Liang

Bibliographic Information

Buy it now

Buying options

eBook USD 39.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book USD 54.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book USD 54.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Other ways to access