A Study Of China English: From A Socio-cultural Perspective

With the globalization and localization of the English language, English has become Englishes. That is to say, more and more English varieties have come into existence around the world, for example, Indian English, Singaporean English, etc. China English, a member of World Englishes family, is also a variety of the English language.Based on the previous study of China English in the domain of sociolinguistics, this paper explores some issues about China English from a socio-cultural perspective. In detail, the status, prospect, development, linguistic features and implications of China English are discussed from the relationships between language and power, language and ideology, language and social change, language and culture, language and thinking, as well as language and intercultural communication.First, the appearance of China English is the inevitable result of the cultural adaptation of the English language and the spreading of Chinese culture. Influenced by the Chinese language and Chinese culture, English inevitably shows Chinese characteristics in Chinese socio-cultural context. This is the internal cause for the appearance of China English. Besides, with the rise of Chinese comprehensive national power, Chinese culture attracts more and more foreigners'attention. In such a situation, it is inevitable to use English as a tool to spread Chinese culture because English nowadays is a global language. This external cause promotes the appearance of China English.Second, despite some opponent attitudes, the future of China English is bright because China English has the potentiality to develop into an institutional variety according to functions it performs at present, namely instrumental function, regulative function, interpersonal function and imaginative/innovative function. These opponent attitudes towards China English cannot change the fact that China English is an objective existence and that it has a broad prospect.Third, China English and Chinese English are indispensable. They are in a language continuum with China English above Chinese English. This means that China English has undergone a course of development from Chinese English to its today's form. The development of China English is influenced by several social factors such as economic trade, social politics and foreign language teaching policies.Fourth, Chinese culture and Chinese ways of thinking have deeply affected China English at lexical level as well as at syntactic and discourse levels. At lexical level, words of China English can reflect Chinese material culture, institutional culture, customary culture and spiritual culture. At syntactic and discourse levels, China English can reflect Chinese figurative thinking, subjective-oriented thinking, comprehensive way of thinking and converse way of thinking.Last but not the least, China English bears great implications in C-E translation and English teaching. In C-E translation, Chinese culture-loaded words can be translated into China English to diffuse Chinese culture in intercultural communication. In English teaching, the positive transference of the Chinese language and English expressions of Chinese culture cannot be ignored.