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Rhotacization and the 'Beijing Smooth Operator': The social meaning of a linguistic variable

Journal of sociolinguistics, 2008-04, Vol.12 (2), p.201-222

2008 INIST-CNRS ;ISSN: 1360-6441 ;EISSN: 1467-9841 ;DOI: 10.1111/j.1467-9841.2008.00362.x

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  • Title:
    Rhotacization and the 'Beijing Smooth Operator': The social meaning of a linguistic variable
  • Author: Zhang, Qing
  • Subjects: Beijing, Peoples Republic of China ; character type ; ideology ; Language Usage ; linguistic variable ; Linguistics ; Males ; Mandarin Chinese ; meaning potential ; rhotacization ; Social meaning ; Sociolinguistics and ethnolinguistics ; stereotype ; Subcultures
  • Is Part Of: Journal of sociolinguistics, 2008-04, Vol.12 (2), p.201-222
  • Description: Recent sociolinguistic studies on style have focused much attention on the construction of social meaning in situated discursive practices. Despite a general recognition that the linguistic resources used are often already imbued with social meanings, little research has been done on what these meanings may be. Focusing on rhotacization, a sociolinguistic variable in Beijing Mandarin, this article explores its imbued social meanings and sociocultural associations. I demonstrate that rhotacization takes on semiotic saliency through co-occurrence with key Beijing cultural terms and frequent use in written representations of authentic Beijing-ness. Furthermore, this feature is associated with the 'Beijing Smooth Operator,' a salient male local character type, and is ideologically construed as reflecting its characterological attributes. The findings of this study shed light on the meaning potential of a linguistic variable, rhotacization in this case, which can enhance understanding of the possibilities and constraints for its use and meaning in new contexts. Adapted from the source document.
  • Publisher: Oxford, UK: Blackwell Publishing Ltd
  • Language: English
  • Identifier: ISSN: 1360-6441
    EISSN: 1467-9841
    DOI: 10.1111/j.1467-9841.2008.00362.x
  • Source: Alma/SFX Local Collection
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