Analysis Of Vocabulary Memes In Chinese Language

Memetics is a new theory for interpreting cultural evolution. A meme, invented to suggest an analogy with genes, is a unit of cultural imitation, a self-propagating idea much like a biological or computer virus. Memetically, language memes reveal, from a new angle, the law of speech spread and language replication. The present study focuses on how vocabulary memes in Chinese language come into being. This is a qualitative analysis based on the data collected from newspapers, magazines, Internet and daily vocabulary use. The conceptual framework is constructed on memetics and the theory of language holography. Based on the framework the core of the present research makes an analysis on the formation process of vocabulary memes consisting of selection, replication, transmission and variation.Meme is a unit of intellectual or cultural information that can be transmitted in a non-genetic way. There are many examples of memes which are in different styles, such as tunes, ideas, catch-phrases, clothes fashions, ways of making pots or of building arches, etc. As one kind of meme, language meme is a transmission unit of language information that replicates and transmits by non-genetic means and consequently language develops and evolves in this way. They have five main features: replicate-ability, transmit-ability, variability, stability and selfishness. Any language entity or using style can be a unit of language meme. Language entity meme can be divided into three types in representation: vocabulary meme, sentence meme and discourse meme.Vocabulary meme refers to that language meme replicates and transmits in the form of vocabulary. Its formation process consists of selection, replication, transmission and variation. The selection process takes place at the beginning stage of the formation of vocabulary meme and it is influenced mainly by three factors: cognitive factor, emotive factor and cultural factor. There are two forms of replication of vocabulary meme: internal replication in native language and external replication from other languages. The former includes speech sound replication, semantic replication and structural replication. The later involves direct replication, translated replication and the mixing form of replication. The vocabulary memes can be transmitted vertically from one generation to another and horizontally through the whole society. The whole process of formation of vocabulary meme is accompanied by variation all the while. Moreover because of the holographic relationship between language and culture many cultural traces can be found in vocabulary memes although some negative influences are inevitable.Language meme is an interesting phenomenon in language use. A systematic research can provide both theoretical and practical values in linguistics. This study is a tentative research which is conducted by observing and analyzing the collected data. However it is hoped that the study will be helpful and beneficial to the study of language meme.