What is it about?

This study reports direct observations and interviews about language use in China’s western urban centre of Xi’an

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Why is it important?

The study clarifies language use among local people and migrants from other parts of China who moved to the city in the 50s and 60s and in more recent days. The data are unique and clarify the way in which dialects and the standard language coexist and influence each other. It also formulates a theoretical model for the interaction between local speech communities and the national Chinese Koine Community.

Perspectives

China’s language situation is changing constantly and rapidly. This study adds to our understanding of communication practices in a Mandarin dialect area and adds to similar data collected in Taiwan, Shenzhen, Guangzhou, Nanjing and Shanghai. An overview of findings will be presented in a forthcoming book.

Dr Marinus van den BERG
IIAS

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This page is a summary of: Natives, migrants and communication practices in the Xi’an speech community, Journal of Asian Pacific Communication, June 2020, John Benjamins,
DOI: 10.1075/japc.00049.ber.
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