Linguistic Construction Of Modernity

Since our introduction of reform and open policy, Chinese-English code-switching is a common occurrence in people's life, In recent years, the Chinese-English code-switching rushes into Chinese advertising discourse, which has aroused many researchers' attention. However, few studies have been carried out in China in the field of product package advertising.Based on the findings of previous researches, the author analyzes linguistic features of Chinese-English code-switching under the framework of Myers-Scotton's MLF model. Secondly, the author explains why the advertisers adopt Chinese-English code-switching in product package advertising with Verchueren's Adaptation Theory, which was put forward in his book The Understanding of Pragmatics published in 1999. Thirdly, the author applies Giddens' Modernity Theory to investigate how Chinese-English code-switching contributes to identity construction in close conjunction with reinforcing modernity.Through the research, the author has found: (i) in terms of the linguistic structure, the Chinese-English code-switching in Chinese product package advertising discourse can be categorized into three types: insertional code-switching, alternational code-switching, and diglossia code-switching. Moreover, the insertional code-switching can be further divided into lexical and phrasal insertion, and clausal insertion as well as the discourse insertion. At the same time, the advertising discourse in which there is code-switching consists of the matrix language (ML) and the embedded language (EL). As for the Chinese discourse, Chinese is the ML, while English is the EL. (ii) the main reason advertisers adopt the Chinese-English code-switching is to adapt to the linguistic reality, social conventions and the psychological motivations of modern Chinese. The Chinese-English code-switching as adaptation to the linguistic reality mainly refers to the advertisers' adaptation to the linguistic existence and linguistic feature. The Chinese-English code-switching as adaptation to social conventions mainly means the advertisers' consciousness in abidance to the social conventions is normally much higher, because they understand the economic troubles caused by violations of social conventions are very serious. The Chinese-English code-switching as adaptation to the psychological motivations is another important strategy the advertiser use. With the application of this adaptation, the Chinese-English code-switching has performed the following functions: foreign flavor gaining, AIDA realization, emphasis, explanation, authenticity keeping convenience, and decoration etc. (iii) Chinese-English code-switching in Chinese product package advertising is a linguistic mechanism for the construction of modernity in contemporary Chinese. It is argued that knowledge and use of English in China is a defining linguistic expression of modernity, and the conspicuous total absence of English is linguistically dissociated from modernity.