A Study On The Function Of Chinese Cultural Identity Of China English

The globalization of English results in the nativization of English and the upsurge of English learning. The former refers to local linguistic and cultural transformation and diversity of the English language in a new linguistic and socio-cultural setting, producing New Englishes, such as Indian English, Singaporean English, Malaysian English, Philippine English, and Hongkong English, ect. These varieties of the English language are the results of English productive innovations in new linguistic, social and cultural contexts. They have the function of expressing and maintaining their local or national cultural identity. However, the upsurge of English learning puts other languages and cultures in danger, for English is a carrier of western ideology and culture. Schneider (2003), Guo&Beckett (2007) and other scholars state that English learning is gradually putting students in danger of losing their first languages, cultures, and identities socio-psychologically, linguistically, and politically. In China, Cong Cong (2002), Wang Meng (2006) and other scholars also express the same concern about crazy English learning. They worry that crazy English learning in China will lead to "aphasia of Chinese culture" that is, learners cannot express Chinese culture in English, thus it influences the spreading of Chinese culture to the world. So governments and scholars around the world have faced up with a big problem, that is, how to keep and spread native cultural identity while learning English? According to the relationship between language and identity, Kachru (1982\1992) suggests that one way to safeguard the cultural identity of non-native speakers is to promote those indigenized varieties of English.Therefore, faced up with "aphasia of Chinese culture" in crazy English learning, this thesis chooses to study the function of Chinese cultural identity of China English by examining contact literature—a literary writing about Chinese things written in the English language by Chinese bilinguists. It analyzes five aspects (lexis, syntax, nativized discourse, pragmatics and rhetoric) coupled with examples from contact literature to argue that China English can safeguard Chinese cultural identity and it is a mark of Chinese identity in international communication. The study combines micro-linguistic features and macro-social contexts together by providing examples of China English and analyzes the associated factors that contribute to these linguistic patterns. Analyzing the authors’ creative use of English in Chinese context at the macro level, exploring identities and ideologies of China English, it is hoped to broaden people’s understanding of China English at the macro social context level, to prove that China English has the function of Chinese cultural identity:it is a carrier of Chinese cultural identity, a tool to prevent Chinese English learners from losing Chinese cultural identity and a medium to spread and promote Chinese culture to the world.The study finds that China English has the function of Chinese cultural identity in contact literature, which can be seen from lexis, syntax, discourse, pragmatics, and rhetoric. Besides, in order to fully reveal Chinese identity to readers, the authors purposefully use some skills to deal with the contradiction between two cultures and two languages. Finally, the works suggest that China English is intelligible for foreigners and can be used to create literary writing.Issues examined in the thesis firstly contribute to a better understanding of language varieties and the function of their cultures and identities, especially to the understanding of China English from macro socio-cultural context instead of its micro-linguistic level. The function of Chinese cultural identity of China English contributes to the institutionalization of China English and justifies the rational existence of China English in spreading Chinese culture and in preserving and marking Chinese identity in international communication. Secondly, the function of Chinese cultural identity of China English implies that English teaching in China can adopt "global+local" model to solve such a problem as "aphasia of Chinese culture".