A Comparative Study of the Status of Chinese and English as Academic Languages: A Domestic Perspective

Zhang Zhiguo and Cui Nannan

Chinese Journal of Language Policy and Planning ›› 2022, Vol. 7 ›› Issue (5) : 36-46.

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Chinese Journal of Language Policy and Planning ›› 2022, Vol. 7 ›› Issue (5) : 36-46. DOI: 10.19689/j.cnki.cn10-1361/h.20220503

A Comparative Study of the Status of Chinese and English as Academic Languages: A Domestic Perspective

  • Zhang Zhiguo and Cui Nannan
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Abstract

The language used in academia, or academic language embodied in instructions, publications, and conferences, has profound significance for individual languages, society, and the nation. However, the academic status of many languages in non-English speaking countries, including the Chinese language, is challenged by academic English. Currently, there is no effective way to evaluate the academic status of a language. Based on the tripartite components of language policy, i.e., language ideology, management, and practice, this paper proposes an evaluation system to measure the academic positionings of the different languages. In light of the three representative forms of academic language, namely instructional language, publishing language, and conference language, the system with nine indicators assesses the academic status of an individual language. In this paper, the evaluation system is used to compare the academic status of Chinese and English in China. The result shows that Chinese is inferior to English in six indicators and stronger than English in three indicators. However, the three strong aspects, mainly attributed to the Chinese-dominant sociocultural context, show signs of erosion caused by English. Therefore, the insecurity of Chinese as a local academic language deems caution. It is suggested that the Chinese academia deepen their understanding of the functions of Chinese as an academic language, balance the competition between academic Chinese and academic English, increase the international influence of Chinese, and enact multi-dimensional policies on academic languages.

Key words

status of academic language / Chinese / English / insecurity / counter-measures

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Zhang Zhiguo and Cui Nannan. A Comparative Study of the Status of Chinese and English as Academic Languages: A Domestic Perspective[J]. Chinese Journal of Language Policy and Planning. 2022, 7(5): 36-46 https://doi.org/10.19689/j.cnki.cn10-1361/h.20220503

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