Introduction to the Chinese Language Style

Author: Yuan Hui
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2005-09-01
Features: The existence of applied linguistics has a long history, while its history as an independent experimental discipline is relatively short. In 1870, the Polish linguist J. N. Baudouin de Courtenay proposed the term "applied linguistics." After nearly a century of incubation and exploration, by the 1940s and 1950s, following World War II, the development of society, technology, culture, and education posed numerous challenges for the application of language in various fields. As a result, applied linguistics, as an interdisciplinary field, was established as an independent discipline. It entered a period of development in the 1960s, marked by the 1964 International Conference on Applied Linguistics held in France and the founding of the International Association of Applied Linguistics. Scholars such as C. Fries, R. Lado, C. Ferguson, and W. Rivers made significant contributions to the establishment and development of applied linguistics. Since the 1960s, foreign countries have been relatively advanced in language information processing, computational linguistics, sociolinguistics, language planning, and language teaching theory, methods, and techniques. Language information processing and computational linguistics have developed rapidly due to the close integration of linguistics and computers. Scholars such as B. Vauquois, W. Woods, T. Winograd, D. G. Hays, Bar-Hillel, and M. Kay have made substantial contributions. Sociolinguistics developed first in some European and American countries, with significant contributions from W. Labov, J. J. Gumperz, D. H. Hymes, S. Romaine, and P. Trudgill. They have formed distinctive characteristics based on their research findings and methodologies, exerting considerable influence in society. In language planning, countries such as the United States, France, and Russia are also relatively advanced, with Vreilweinrich, S. Fishman, and Kloss playing important roles. Overall, applied linguistics has developed rapidly abroad, but its theoretical foundation remains relatively weak, due to several reasons: one is that the field has not been established for a long time, and its theoretical foundation is not yet strong; another is that applied linguistics covers a wide range of content, making it difficult to provide comprehensive theoretical summaries. Strengthening the systematic review and summary of methodologies in various branches of applied linguistics and enhancing fundamental theoretical research will be important tasks for theoretical development in applied linguistics in the future.
Applied linguistics in China emerged in the 1980s and 1990s, marked by the establishment of the Institute of Language and Character Application in 1984 and the launch of the journal Language and Character Application in 1992. The 1995 "First National Academic Conference on Language and Character Application" showcased rich academic achievements, demonstrating that applied linguistics in China had already gained a solid foundation. The development of applied linguistics as an independent discipline in China during the 1980s and 1990s was driven by two main factors: societal development needs and foreign influence. At that time, China was implementing reform and opening-up, accelerating modernization efforts, emphasizing the development of emerging and interdisciplinary fields, and placing greater importance on application, with a focus on integrating scientific research with modernization. Meanwhile, foreign applied linguistics had become relatively mature and a popular discipline, prompting China to adopt this emerging and practical field along with advanced foreign achievements.
Since its establishment, Chinese applied linguistics has made significant progress. Specialized research institutions have been established, professional journals such as those on language application, language teaching, and language information processing have been launched, academic associations have been organized, master's and doctoral programs have been established, disciplinary bases have been gradually built, and specialized courses have been offered in universities, cultivating a pool of professionals and building a specialized workforce. Valuable achievements have been made. In the new century, Chinese applied linguistics should achieve greater accomplishments in researching and solving practical language application issues, correctly guiding China's language life, and meeting the needs of society, education, culture, and technology, while also contributing to the development of applied linguistics worldwide.
Applied linguistics is an independent interdisciplinary field, broadly categorized into general and specific definitions. Specific applied linguistics focuses on language teaching. In China, both general and specific definitions are used, but we adopt the general definition, which encompasses all aspects of language application, with an open scope. It includes four main parts: first, language teaching, primarily focusing on second language teaching or foreign language teaching; second, language planning, mainly addressing language status issues and the standardization and normalization of language and characters; third, general sociolinguistics, studying the relationship between language and society and the social application of language; and fourth, the relationship between language and and modern technology, such as language information processing and computational linguistics.
Applied linguistics is the discipline that connects language and with related fields. As an interdisciplinary field, it shares characteristics with. For example, while grammar discussions on grammatical structure belong to, discussions on grammatical usage cross boundaries, and discussions on grammatical norms are essentially part of applied linguistics. Applied linguistics emphasizes both the study of language application patterns and fundamental theories, as well as the practical application of language. It values both speculative exploration and empirical observation, social surveys, and scientific experiments. Due to its relatively weak theoretical foundation, some people in the past, both domestically and internationally, considered applied linguistics to be merely the application of linguistic theories, without its own theories. This understanding is clearly incomplete—how can a discipline exist without theory? In fact, applied linguistics has its own theories, such as communicative theory, dynamic theory, mediation theory, and humanistic theory, although these theories are not yet fully mature and require further refinement.
Communicative theory holds a central position in applied linguistics, serving as a link between and applied linguistics. Communication is an activity, and language exists within it. Therefore, language is dynamic and constantly evolving, with dynamism being its essence. People have long recognized the dynamism of language, but the issue lies in understanding the relationship and status between its dynamic and static aspects. Influenced by structuralist linguistics, for a long time, people tended to view static aspects as the essence of language, considering dynamic aspects as mere manifestations of static usage. Dynamic theory, however, argues that objects move at different speeds—slower speeds are considered static, while faster speeds are dynamic. Dynamism is the dominant aspect of language, while the static aspect is proposed for research, explanation, and clarification purposes.
Mediation theory originated from language teaching but is now also emphasized in sociolinguistics. There is also humanistic theory. These three are subtheories under communicative theory, along with other theories such as hierarchical theory and manifest/latent theory.
Related to theory is methodology. Applied linguistics employs both comprehensive and discipline-specific methods, which are generally compatible. Some methods are difficult to categorize strictly as belonging to or other disciplines but may be emphasized differently in research. Methods and methodologies also have hierarchical levels—what is a method at one level may be a methodology at another. The interdisciplinary nature of applied linguistics determines that its methods are primarily compatible and comprehensive. It includes traditional linguistic and interdisciplinary methods, such as comparative methods, which originate from and are also highly important in applied linguistics. Applied linguistics also uses its own commonly employed methods, such as experimental and quantitative methods, which are used in traditional linguistics and some other disciplines. In China, experimental methods are not sufficiently utilized in applied linguistics, while quantitative methods are used relatively well but still not extensively. Surveys are also used, but more so in applied linguistics than in traditional linguistics or other disciplines. Experimental, survey, and quantitative methods can be considered the basic methods of applied linguistics.
The methodology of applied linguistics is primarily empirical, emphasizing that methods must be tested by practice. Chinese applied linguistics research has its own characteristics. The background of its establishment was the need to strengthen language teaching, particularly in foreign language teaching and bilingual education; the need for more scientific decision-making in language and character work; the need for language research to better serve modernization efforts; and the development of emerging interdisciplinary fields. The Institute of Language and Character Application was established and developed under these conditions, and Chinese applied linguistics emerged and developed alongside them, contributing to their progress. Over the past decade, Chinese applied linguistics has shared the fate of these needs and developments and China's reform and opening-up, achieving rapid growth. Compared to foreign applied linguistics, Chinese applied linguistics pays more attention to practical issues and general patterns in its branches, and it views applied linguistics not just as the application of theory but as having its own theories. In theory, some developments are based on foreign borrowing, while others are primarily proposed in China. In branches, particularly in language planning, language and society/culture, and language information processing, Chinese applied linguistics also has many distinctive features.
Chinese applied linguistics adopted a broad definition from the beginning, closely integrating research with language realities, striving to solve practical issues in language application, language teaching, and language life. Chinese language application research is also closely linked with research. For a period, in China was highly valued, and many researchers of applied linguistics came from studies, working on both and applied aspects, which has been very beneficial for the development of applied linguistics. With a strong foundation in research, a tradition that has long existed in China, this remains a characteristic and strength of Chinese language application research.
In recent years, Chinese applied linguistics has developed rapidly, which is encouraging. The development of a discipline requires two mutually reinforcing basic conditions: first, the needs of societal development, which is an external condition; and second, meeting these needs in a timely manner, which is an internal condition. In terms of external conditions, the improvement of China's social conditions, the development of social life, the modernization of science and technology, and the deepening of reform and opening-up have posed many demands on and created favorable conditions for Chinese applied linguistics. Internally, China has a tradition of valuing, caring for, and participating in language application research since ancient times. At the same time, we now have a strong research team. Chinese applied linguistics is at a favorable juncture and will achieve significant development in theory and methodology in the coming period. However, currently, Chinese applied linguistics still has shortcomings in theoretical construction, methodological research, team building, and overall disciplinary planning, limiting its development.
The shortcomings in theoretical construction are closely related to the eagerness for quick results and the pursuit of immediate effects in language application research. Language application is a vast and complex systematic project that requires time to initiate and time to pause due to inertia, so language work sometimes needs to be moderately forward-looking and proactive. Insufficient attention to team building also stems from past limited understanding of language application. In terms of methodological and methodological development, current efforts are insufficient, and research is not deep enough. Methods such as quantitative and experimental approaches are used less, and there is a tendency to adopt methods without proper consideration of the issues they address. The overall planning of applied linguistics discipline construction is also incomplete, unclear, and not specific enough, which is a significant problem.
The issues mentioned above have both historical and current causes. Historically, China's theoretical construction in linguistics was limited, and scientific methods did not develop well. Currently, the integration with modern technology is relatively weak. In the future, we must double our efforts in these areas.
Applied linguistics is an emerging interdisciplinary field, so team building must emphasize the cultivation of interdisciplinary talents, strengthening the training of two-sided and composite personnel. As modern applied linguistics researchers, one should be knowledgeable in linguistics as well as modern technology and related disciplines. Disciplinary construction also requires disciplinary leaders, academic figures, and high-level academic groups. Reviewing the development of disciplines in China, disciplinary leaders and academic figures have played a significant role. Academic groups do not have to be geographically or disciplinarily confined—they can be cross-regional and cross-disciplinary, sharing commonalities while maintaining individuality, with groups collaborating and integrating. We must also foster a positive academic atmosphere and promote academic democracy, areas where China lags behind foreign countries significantly.
Whether applied linguistics is successful depends on the extent to which it solves problems, contributes to discipline development, and serves societal needs—this is the foundation of disciplinary development. An important aspect of disciplinary construction is textbook development. At the 2002 Second National Academic Conference on Language and Character Application, Mr. Xu Jialu discussed three points for the future development of applied linguistics: first, strengthening theoretical construction; second, integrating applied linguistics into university curricula; and third, implementing knowledge renewal for researchers. After the conference, discussions were held on integrating applied linguistics into university classrooms, leading to the planning of a series of applied linguistics textbooks. Soon after, the School of at Beijing Broadcasting Institute and the Chinese Editing Department of Commercial Press jointly planned this initiative. In October 1999, the Fourth Academic Conference on Applied Linguistics was held at Beijing Broadcasting Institute, with one of the themes being applied linguistics textbook development. Chen Zhangtai delivered a report titled "Several Issues on Compiling a Series of Applied Linguistics Textbooks." Chen Zhangtai said, "After applied linguistics was established internationally and domestically, its basic knowledge, fundamental theories, main methods, and new research findings should be included in relevant textbooks. Meanwhile, the achievements of applied linguistics in solving issues related to society, politics, economy, education, culture, and technology during the modernization process should also be summarized and affirmed through textbooks to be taught to numerous professional learners and to promote the continuous development of the discipline. However, China still lacks systematic applied linguistics textbooks, let alone diversity and choice, which is a significant loss and regret! It is an urgent task for applied linguists to fully leverage collective strength and favorable conditions to quickly compile and publish a series of applied linguistics textbooks with Chinese characteristics and high quality." (Language and Character Application, 2000, No. 1)
Before this conference, the planning had been underway for nearly a year. The day after the conference, a working meeting was held at Commercial Press, attended by chief editors, sub-editors, and planning personnel. Chen Zhangtai elaborated on the origins, characteristics, personnel, specific requirements, and batch of book lists for compiling the series of applied linguistics textbooks. The plan was to compile batch of ten textbooks, all titled "Introduction." We were the two chief editors. Yuan Hui edited Introduction to Applied Linguistics, Yu Shiwen edited Introduction to Computational Linguistics, Zhuang Wenzhong edited Introduction to Language Teaching in Primary and Secondary Schools, Zhao Jinming edited Introduction to Teaching Chinese as a Foreign Language, Chen Zhangtai edited Introduction to Language Planning, Dai Qingxia edited Introduction to Sociolinguistics, Zhang Song edited Introduction to Communication Linguistics, Li Rulong edited Introduction to Cultural Linguistics, Cao Xianzhu edited Introduction to Chinese Lexicography, and Yuan Hui edited Introduction to Chinese Stylistics.
The meeting decided to establish a textbook editorial committee, composed of chief editors, sub-editors, and relevant personnel. Sub-editors were to invite influential academic leaders in their respective fields to lead writing teams, with attention paid to a mix of experienced and young, teaching and research personnel. Each sub-editing team drafted an outline, whose framework and content were thoroughly discussed by the editorial committee and finally reviewed by chief and sub-editors. The meeting agreed to complete first drafts by 2002, with sub-editors compiling and chief editors reviewing, followed by finalization by sub-editors for publication in 2003. Several editorial committee meetings were held later, primarily discussing the content, writing style, format, and related editorial matters, as well as exchanging outlines and issues during the writing process. The textbook compilation and publication proceeded largely as planned.
The overall format of the textbooks is unified, with the first chapter being "Introduction" and the last chapter "Review and Prospects." Generally, each section includes reflection and exercise questions, and each chapter concludes with references. The books have their own content but also some shared content, with potential inconsistencies in views and writing style—this can be considered largely similar but natural, possibly beneficial for academic development. Due to the limitations of our level and experience, there are still areas for improvement in this series of textbooks, and we sincerely welcome feedback from readers. Two years later, we will revise the textbooks carefully based on reader feedback, disciplinary development, and teaching needs.
Finally, we sincerely thank all colleagues who participated in compiling this series of textbooks—without their hard work, the compilation would not have been completed. We also sincerely thank the leadership and colleagues of Commercial Press for their strong support and diligent supervision, which made it possible for these textbooks to be published on schedule. Chen Zhangtai Yuan Hui April 2003