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Article published In: Chinese Language and Discourse
Vol. 9:2 (2018) ► pp.162–183

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Mediatized Taiwan Mandarin

Social perceptions and language ideologies

 | City University of New York
Published online: 13 December 2018
DOI logo with link
https://doi.org/10.1075/cld.17008.pen
Abstract
This study examines the changing perceptions of Taiwan Mandarin (TM) among Chinese mainlanders and how televised media contribute to the formation of language ideology. This study shows that televised media play a role in reinforcing the socio-semiotic link between ideologies and linguistic practice. TM is traditionally associated with chic, urban television celebrities and young cosmopolitan types. However, the results of an online survey measuring language attitudes towards televised TM among young mainlanders indicate that the social prestige of TM may be waning for this demographic. TM is now perceived by many millennials on the mainland as gentle, pretentious and emasculated. The changing attitude among millennials on the Chinese mainland towards TM can be ascribed in part to (1) social and economic changes on the mainland and (2) the way TM is stylized in televised media.
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
  • 2.Taiwan Mandarin and its mediatization
  • 3.Data and methodology
  • 4.Results
  • 5.Discussion
    • 5.1Gendered perceptions of TM
    • 5.2Perceived divergence of TM from PTH
    • 5.3TM: Declining social prestige on the mainland
  • 6.Conclusion
  • Acknowledgements
  • Notes
  • References
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