Dialect is a specific form of a language that has great significance to a nationality [1]. According to the United Nations, there are 56 nationalities in China and more than 100 of the dialect languages are in danger of extinction [2]. This striking statistic illustrates the importance of Chinese dialect preserving. This essay will describe the problems regard to disappearance of the dialect, and outline the solutions that make the efforts to preserve the dialects, with accurate evaluation.
Dialects are one of special culture with many characteristics in China. Throughout approximately 130 local dialects, many Chinese dialects even have longer history than Mandarin itself, so the dialect is an indispensable part of Chinese culture. If China does not try to protect valuable dialects, it would be losing a vital part of Cultural treasures [2]. However, according to LiLan, professor of dialectology, the dialects disappear so fast that beyond the pace of government’s protection [2]. In conclusion, dialect preserving in China is an urgent problem that need the government and people get together to solve.
The problem with dialect preserving is that the development of Mandarin hinders the use of dialect and real dialect speakers become less. With the government forces people to use Mandarin in daily life [3], it was a stupid way for government to break the link between language and culture language within China, although the use of Mandarin has promote the development of Chinese economy and society [4]. However, the room for a dialects’ survival seems to be getting smaller and smaller. The protection of the dialects does not get the support of the Chinese government and the parents do not pay attention to the Children’s dialect educat...
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...vailable: http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/dialect. [Accessed 08 11 2013].
[2] Y. Ran, “Dialects endangered by modernization,” 17 03 2011. [Online]. Available: http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2011-03/17/content_12183431.htm. [Accessed 08 11 2013].
[3] Pan, “Phonemica:Americans Mapping and Preserving Chinese Dialects,” 07 07 2013. [Online]. Available: http://www.chinasmack.com/2013/stories/phonemica-americans-mapping-and-preserving-chinese-dialects.html. [Accessed 08 11 2013].
[4] j. ohata, “China's Disappearing Dialects,” 10 05 2013. [Online]. Available: http://chinesepod.com/blog/china-s-disappearing-dialects/1152#sthash.4GEPMQZr.dpuf. [Accessed 08 11 2013].
[5] C. Jinzhang, “Let the fate of local dialects take its course,” 13 09 2010. [Online]. Available: http://www.china.org.cn/opinion/2010-09/13/content_20916626.htm. [Accessed 08 11 2013].
Ghana was a British colony and most people there spoke English. The small native languages in Ghana were trampled because of the English language. When Ghana was able to get their independence from Britain, they rebuilt Ghana. After talking about Ghana, the video goes all the way to China. In China there are many people that speak Changsha Hua which is a dialect of Mandarin. The lady that was being interviewed in this segment talked in her native tongue, Changsha Hua. She was taught the dialect, but in school, she was taught Mandarin. The Chinese government wants people to speak Mandarin because it 's the most spoke languages around the world. Many jobs in China you have to be able to speak Mandarin. The lady in the interview said that when she has kids she will not teach them Changsha Hua because she does not think there is a need for them to know. I see how Changsha Hua is starting to become a loss
American Tongues Response EssayThe documentary American Tongues (1987) examines an array of American dialects and accents in all regions of the United States, as well as the perceptions tied to specific ways of speaking. The film does this by interviewing people of multiple ethnicities, geographical locations, education-levels, and socio-economic classes. The information presented in American Tongues makes the audience consider its distinct way of speaking and the insight it may provide to those around them. The film clearly shows that the way individuals speak, as well as the diction they choose to use or eradicate from their vocabulary, is intricately tied
China has gone through many changes in its history. Changes include economic, political, and social. In the early 1500 and throughout history, mostly all social classes followed Confucianism. Confucianism is a type of religion based on an ideal society (Chang 2012, 22). China was molded though Confucianism but that slowly deteriorated as years went on. One main group that has been a main part in these changes is the Chinese literati. The Chinese literati include the higher-class people such as officials and scholars. The Chinese literati were the dominant social class during the 1500’s but their power slowly decreased throughout history. Throughout my paper, I will explain the Chinese literati involvement as centuries passed.
Stephen Wuem, “The Silk Road and hybridized languages in north-western China”, Diogenes 43, no. 171 (1995): 56, 58-60
...entions and reflection” (2009). Previously mentioned Chinese Renaissance on the first use of vernacular writing is very important as well as the use of Chinese patriotism (Li, 2014).
Wright, Katy M. “The Role of Dialect Representation in Speaking from the Margins: “The Lesson” of Toni Cade Bambara.” Style. 42.1 (2008): 73-87. Proquest. SEMO Kent Lib., Cape Girardeau, MO. 12 April 2009. .
Those dialects are affected by the communities that use them. People add slang or shorten words to make the language their own. This has an immense impact on how authors write. Some authors will attempt to use proper English, but often times will use words common to their community. In “The Lesson” by Toni Cade Bambara (DiYanni, 2007, pp. 1).
This essay will discuss the causes of language death and if endangered languages are worth saving. This essay agrees that endangered languages are worth saving and that many factors contribute to language death. Firstly the essay will explain what language death is and the meaning of what is an endangered language. Secondly discuss language death and language birth. Thirdly discuss the causes of language death. Lastly, critically discuss if endangered languages are worth saving. The purpose of this essay is to show that language death is much higher than language birth.
Lindo Jong provides the reader with a summary of her difficulty in passing along the Chinese culture to her daughter: “I wanted my children to have the best combination: American circumstances and Chinese character. How could I know these two things do not mix? I taught her how American circumstances work. If you are born poor here, it's no lasting shame . . . You do not have to sit like a Buddha under a tree letting pigeons drop their dirty business on your head . . . In America, nobody says you have to keep the circumstances somebody else gives you. . . . but I couldn't teach her about Chinese character . . . How to know your own worth and polish it, never flashing it around like a cheap ring. Why Chinese thinking is best”(Tan 289).
In Johnson’s preface to A Dictionary of the English Language, Johnson argues the importance of preserving language. Other dialects had a produced their own dictionaries, such as the French and Italians. Various writers of the eighteenth century were alarmed at the fact that there was no standard for the English language, since there was no standard it could easily become extinct. Johnson explored many points, such as how and why languages change as well as how many words are formed.
China is a high context culture. “In high context cultures, information is either in the physical context or internalized in the person (Iowa State University, 2015).” In China they depend more on understanding each other’s meanings rather than having to speak to communicate. “In these cultures, members tend to use a more indirect style of communication (Iowa State University, 2015).” This is probably due to the strong accents that the Chinese have.
Regional dialects formed because of the isogloss that separating the territory of a language that has one language family. Isogloss is a line drawn to show a dialect boundary between adjacent areas (Wardaugh, 2006: 45). Winston Churchill in his theory stated that Britain and America are two nations separated by a common language. His statement reflecting how dialects formed. Dialects comes from one language family and separated by the
The United States and China are two very large countries that have cultures that are well known throughout the world. There are many differences between the United States and China, but there are many contributing factors that shape the cultures of these two countries. Language is universal, but there are different meanings and sounds, which vary from one culture to another. In China, citizens speak many languages, but about 94% speak the Chinese language. The difference in dialects was overcome by the written word and eventually a version of Mandrin became the “official speech” (The Cambridge Illustrated History of China, 1996, p.304).
... do not allow proper learning to take place. Dominance, however, is not only utilized by the higher members of society but simply a human trait. However, others argue that the lack of an easy and common language is the real problem that is being illustrated, but the assertion of one main dialect over other is simply another display of dominance. In order for a fairer society, the use of control or dominance of another person must be eliminated. Such feelings of superiority, which is seen in today’s society, lead to bigger problems such as long-lasting prejudices and the widening of economic gaps. However, Shaw does not suggest that the English System is completely removed but made so mobility in the system is not as rigid through the removal of dominance. Unfortunately a human quality cannot be easily removed which leaves the question: what can be done instead?
British accents and dialects have been said to have been subject to massive dialect levelling. Explain what this concept means, and discuss the extent to which this has in fact taken place (or is taking place in the present).