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10 March 2026, Volume 11 Issue 2
    

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  • Hu Jianhua
    Chinese Journal of Language Policy and Planning. 2026, 11(2): 1-1.
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  • Wang Feng, Fang Xiaobing, Zhang Ripei, Huang Xing, Wang Lei, Dai Hongliang, Zhang Tianwei, Zhao Ronghui and Yuan Wei
    Chinese Journal of Language Policy and Planning. 2026, 11(2): 5-13.
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  • Feng Shengli
    Chinese Journal of Language Policy and Planning. 2026, 11(2): 14-27. https://doi.org/10.19689/j.cnki.cn10-1361/h.20260201
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    This paper adopts the scientific perspective of “Logical Certainty” (Li Bi) derived from the Qian-Jia School to explore pathways to construct an autonomous knowledge system for Chinese language and script. Through a comprehensive analysis of four key relationships—namely, period-specific graphonomy and small seal script structure (the necessity of principled intentionality in the strokes of Chinese characters), metrical-tonal syllables and phonological stress (the necessity of relative prominence and F0-Unifunction Principle), prosodic grammar and relative prominence (the necessity of binary structure and bio-prosody), and register grammar and communicative distance (the necessity of Form-Function Cogenesis Principle)—this paper demonstrates the universality and explanatory power of the Logical Certainty across various linguistic and script-related dimensions. It is proposed that the Logical Certainty constitutes the intellectual core of the Qian-Jia School, serving not only as a methodological foundation for constructing a knowledge system rooted in Chinese scholarly tradition but also as a robust academic framework capable of integrating Chinese and Western perspectives and synthesizing multiple linguistic levels. This approach aims to advance Chinese linguistics from a “land of materials” to a “land of theories”, thereby facilitating the modern construction of an autonomous knowledge system.
  • Yin Zhiping
    Chinese Journal of Language Policy and Planning. 2026, 11(2): 28-38. https://doi.org/10.19689/j.cnki.cn10-1361/h.20260202
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    Over the past two decades, research on language life, conducted primarily in China, has yielded substantial achievements. However, the theoretical underpinnings for studying language life remain relatively underdeveloped. Drawing on the accumulated scholarship and research practice, this article aims to summarize existing research findings and practices, outline the disciplinary profile of language life as well as to clarify the connotation and characteristics of language life research, and establish a coherent theoretical framework for the study of language life. Based on discussions of the unique attributes of language life, we define language life as “social life formed through the interaction between language and society”, marked by its agentivity, practical embeddedness, and interdisciplinarity. According to the interaction between linguistic functions and social factors in language use and activities, a categorical system of language life is proposed in the form of twelve analytic dimensions, delineated by the varying patterns through which linguistic functions and social factors co-constitute language use and language-related activities. From the perspective of spatial relations, the structure of language life is further described as comprising three interrelated levels: inner, middle, and outer, as well as five upper and lower tiers. Based on a comparison of the scope, research objects, and research objectives between language life research, sociolinguistics, and applied linguistics, this paper proposes the establishment of language life studies as a subfield within sociolinguistics. Language life studies is not only theoretically innovative, but it also demonstrates strong practical significance, maintaining both overlap and divergence with sociolinguistics. Language life studies represents a successful effort by Chinese scholars to construct an independent knowledge system in linguistics, contributing significantly to expanding the domain of linguistic inquiry and articulating a people-centered epistemology. Language life studies also carries strong practical significance, informing national strategic planning and serving broader social development. As such, it represents a noteworthy Chinese attempt to build an autonomous knowledge system in linguistics and contributes to strengthening China’s scholarly voice in international academic discourse.
  • Liu Haitao
    Chinese Journal of Language Policy and Planning. 2026, 11(2): 39-52. https://doi.org/10.19689/j.cnki.cn10-1361/h.20260203
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    To meet the demand for transnational communication tools during the first period of globalization (approximately 1870–1914), more than 300 planned languages were created. Among them, Volapük and Esperanto, which emerged in 1880 and 1887 respectively, are particularly well-known. The former enjoyed a brief period of popularity before quickly disappearing, while the latter grew into a “living language” with sustained social vitality. Analyzing the reasons for their success and failure, the founders and users of Volapük did not plan and use the language according to the laws of language evolution, leading to its stagnation due to centralized power monopoly. Esperanto, on the other hand, achieved a leap from a written project to a social reality by relinquishing individual rights, establishing the stability of underlying protocols, and text-driven learning. Comparing their socialization processes reveals that the vitality of a language is rooted in the social emergence of real-world use, rather than the mechanical perfection of grammatical design. The evolutionary paradigm of Esperanto foreshadows the technological logic of the contemporary large language model’s transformation from “rule-driven” to “data-driven”. Essentially, language planning is a social project, and its success hinges on whether it can achieve a paradigm shift from engineering design to ecological cultivation, and from administrative control to democratic governance. Exploring the historical experience of the rise and fall of planned languages can provide theoretical reference and historical lessons for language planning in the data-based intelligence era and the building of a community with a shared future for mankind.
  • Huang Tao
    Chinese Journal of Language Policy and Planning. 2026, 11(2): 53-63. https://doi.org/10.19689/j.cnki.cn10-1361/h.20260204
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    Language issues occupy a special and significant position in the field of folklore studies, not only because folklore has the inherent characteristic of “oral transmission and practical teaching”, but also because oral language serves as the carrier of folk literature and the core medium of cultural heritage. As the founder and leader of 20th-century Chinese folklore studies, Zhong Jingwen places particular emphasis on linguistic phenomena related to folklore. From the perspective of a folklorist, he elaborates on the nature and functions of language, and the relationship between language and folklore. His works cover fundamental concepts and dual attributes of language, as well as the academic value, historical development, theoretical perspectives, and research methods of linguistic folklore studies. He stresses that language research cannot be separated from its users, social activities, and cultural factors, explicitly stating that “folk language is a folkloric phenomenon” and placing special emphasis on the value of oral language. He strongly advocates the establishment of “linguistic folklore” as a vital branch of folklore studies, proposing clear conceptualizations regarding its name, disciplinary status, research perspectives, and methodologies. His ideas have laid the theoretical foundation and provided methodological insights for subsequent research, thus playing a pivotal pioneering and guiding role in advancing linguistic folklore from fragmented observations to a systematic discipline.
  • Li Guotai
    Chinese Journal of Language Policy and Planning. 2026, 11(2): 64-75. https://doi.org/10.19689/j.cnki.cn10-1361/h.20260205
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    Modern Chinese dialect studies originated from the nationwide Folk Song Collection Campaign launched by Peking University in 1918. An examination of articles on dialect issues published in the Folk Song Weekly reveals that these studies have evolved from verifying dialectal pronunciations and vocabulary for collected folk songs to developing phonetic symbols for dialects, as well as from focusing on the textual research of sounds and meanings to advocating field investigations. Through the efforts of scholars such as Shen Jianshi, Wei Jiangong, Zhou Zuoren, Dong Zuobin, Qian Xuantong, Rong Zhaozu, and Lin Yutang, dialects have evolved from a subsidiary issue in folk song collation into an independent research topic. This has promoted the establishment of the Dialect Investigation Society and eventually secured an independent status for dialect studies. Discourses during the campaign on the definition of dialects, survey methods, recording tools, and research content have largely become consensus in modern academia. The discussions on dialects during the campaign have also promoted the “external study” of dialects, thus laying the foundation for disciplines such as Chinese ethnolinguistics and cultural linguistics.
  • Yao Shuangyun and Chen Qiqi
    Chinese Journal of Language Policy and Planning. 2026, 11(2): 76-85. https://doi.org/10.19689/j.cnki.cn10-1361/h.20260206
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    The development of spoken interaction research has evolved through three stages: the Exploratory Period (pre-1960s), the Development Period (late 1960s–1990s), and the Flourishing Period (21st century–present). Driven by the emergence of Interactional Linguistics, the research focus has shifted from purely ontological descriptions to practical applications. In this study, CiteSpace was employed to conduct a bibliometric analysis of 4,751 publications retrieved from the Web of Science Core Collection. The results show that applied research on spoken interaction is primarily concentrated in five areas: 1) second language acquisition; 2) speech and language disorder assessment and intervention; 3) doctor-patient communication; 4) psychological intervention; 5) artificial intelligence. Furthermore, the study identifies four emerging trends: 1) the cross-disciplinary integration of research paradigms; 2) the development and integration of foundational research resources; 3) the industrialization of research outcomes; and 4) the alignment of linguistic data with emerging industries. To ensure the sustainable development of spoken interaction research in the Chinese context, the critical focus should be placed on the practical translation of research outcomes. It is imperative to align academic endeavors with national strategies and social demands. By integrating linguistic and multimodal data with application-oriented theoretical findings into the language industry, the field can generate substantial socio-economic benefits, which in turn will nourish further disciplinary advancement.
  • Pang Xian and Chen Lixiang
    Chinese Journal of Language Policy and Planning. 2026, 11(2): 86-96. https://doi.org/10.19689/j.cnki.cn10-1361/h.20260207
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    China’s visa-free transit policy has undergone a stepwise expansion from 24 hours, 48 hours, 72 hours, 144 hours, to 240 hours. Correspondingly, the language service policy has shown a development trend of systematic connection and continuous evolution. The forms and contents of language services for foreign nationales have become increasingly rich, and the coverage scenarios have been continuously expanded and have become progressively diversified. In current practice, the emphasis of language service practice for the pre-arrival stage is placed on the local implementation and targeted promotion of relevant policies; for the transit stage, efforts are made to promote multilingualism, differentiated services, and the integration of technological empowerment; however, for the post-departure stage, the continuity of services remains relatively limited. Based on this assessment, the following language service optimization paths are proposed: for the pre-arrival stage of foreign nationals, strengthen the precise publicity and introduction of relevant policies, and smooth the channels of information exchange between China and foreign countries; for the transit stage, a multi-level and multi-dimensional language service system should be established to enhance visitors’ overall transit experience in China; for the post-departure stage, language and culture should serve as key links to jointly build an interconnected and shared discourse framework, thereby precisely exert efforts to cultivate positive word-of-mouth effects, and enhance international understanding of and support for China.