From the outset of sociolinguistic standpoint that focuses on ‘the language change in progress’ while regarding language as a symbolic system with an ordered heterogeneity, the study of this thesis aims to examine the Chinese internet language via... From the outset of sociolinguistic standpoint that focuses on ‘the language change in progress’ while regarding language as a symbolic system with an ordered heterogeneity, the study of this thesis aims to examine the Chinese internet language via the methodology of social sciences. The Chinese internet language is a linguistic variety that results from variation through which the Modern Chinese goes, under a particular context of internet communication. Toward this purpose, chapter I explains the implication, subjects, and methods of research, and introduces the theoretical assumptions of sociolinguistics. Chapter II presents a foundation of research which provides the notions, characteristics, contexts, and styles of internet language based on the previous literature. In general, the definition of internet language is divided into two, i.e., broad and narrow senses. The macro internet language indicates the jargon relevant to internet network. The micro internet language includes the vocabulary and symbols that are commonly used during the communication in on-line chatting room and BBS (Bulletin Board System). Internet language displays a distinctive writing style, in which it has a infinite virtual space as its ‘scene of action’ that is open to the world and free from spatiotemporal limits, and it has a ‘background’ of internet culture which is subordinate to internet. Its first characteristic is that it is a ‘colloquialism in a written form’ where spoken and written languages are systematically merged by virtue of spoken language appearing in a written style. Second, new expressions for new objects and concepts are generated and developed within a constant metabolism. Third, there are various components blended such as Chinese, loan words, Hongkong and Taiwan dialects, regional dialects, numerals, symbols, Latin alphabets, and so on. China is the world’s second when it comes to the number of internet users. Internet has rapidly developed to the extent that it, as a multi-functional medium, is utilized in diverse interactive environments such as office working, commercial and economic activities, entertainment and leisure, education, etc. as well as delivery of various kinds of information and news. This change in the way of living has gradually influenced our lives, ideas, and behaviors, etc. in the real society, which results in an extensive alteration in socio-cultural aspects. Meanwhile, internet language, which is an important tool of those various communicative activities, undergoes a prompt change and development in many forms. Internet language takes on variegated features as neologism, social dialect, fad words, specific socio-cultural linguistic phenomenon, and variation of language. Thus its nature is difficult to pin down in a word. This thesis focuses on the trait of variation which is one of the major research problems in sociolinguistics, and investigates the terminology from the chatting room and BBS which teem with the characteristic of variation. It is not the case that language variation simply does not fit in with or violates the norm. However, it enhances the efficiency of communication and enriches the contents of language by making a creative use of language originally and flexibly beyond but based on the norm. From this point of view, chapter III examines the language variation in the Chinese internet language in terms of phonetics, vocabulary, and grammar. Its source and mechanism are also considered. The variation in phonetics generally appears in homophony. Homophones are those imitated from existing letters or words and transformed into some similar sounds with different meanings. There are English, Chinese, numeral, mixed, and dialectal homophones. The variation in vocabulary can be classified into morphology and semantics. In the morphological variation, there are abbreviations in which consonants or vowels of word initials or morphemes are condensed, numerical-symbols-turned-words which are made from ‘meaning’ or ‘association’, lettered words where characters and symbols are blended, directly used Pinyin, diagrammatic symbols made out of various symbols on keyboard, i.e., ‘emoticons’, and simplification of verbs. In the meantime, the semantic variation includes borrowings from mundane words which come to have new meanings through semantic transformation or analogy. The variation in grammar indicates peculiar words or phrases which are arbitrarily composed of diverse linguistic materials without the limits of the grammar system. The mixture of Chinese and English, among others, illustrates an anomalous usage where basic systems of grammar do not match. In addition, we can observe reduplication which has a function of emphasis through repetition of segments or consonants and vowels, lineup of punctuations, verbalization of nouns, nouns-turned-adjectives, verbalization of adjectives, and so forth. These examples exhibit normative characteristics of parts of speech and variations out of the word order. These variational phenomena are ascribed to an instrumental condition provided by the symbol system of computer keyboard and the input system of Chinese Pinyin. Moreover, pluralistic culture due to the extensive reformation and opening and various cultural elements, psychology of juveniles who are the principal users of internet, and pursue change and admire renovation, pursuit of psychological emancipation via departure from norm, mentality of seeking the individuation, motivation to strengthen the solidarity among the peer group, etc. Under the premise that language is a mirror to society and culture, chapter IV analyzes the contradiction present in the Chinese internet language and furthermore the current society and culture of China. The discussion centers around the paradox of internet values reflected on the variation in the Chinese internet language, which is suggested in chapter III, viz., the contradiction between monism and pluralism, between tradition and renovation, between opening and restriction, and between freedom and canon. Finally, chapter V recapitulates the preceding discussion, and looks into the problems of internet language and issues of standardization, in order to present a future prospect. The internet population of China amount to only 10%, and the environment for using internet language is relatively limited. Thus, its significance does not have much impact on the whole socio-cultural or linguistic aspects of life. However, the principal users of internet language are the younger generation who are to shoulder the future of China, and they can be significant in setting up a starting point of change. On the other hand, language change reflects socio-cultural change. Hence how to solve the contradictory problems harmoniously which were incurred by the language change will play a critical role in the future development of China, and the direction of socio-cultural change and development of China. The discussion is finalized with expectations for conducting systematic studies, in multifarious aspects, about internet communication culture including the Chinese internet language and its user environment. ，韩语论文网站，韩语论文网站 |
