Multilingual China: National, Minority and Foreign Languages

Multilingual China explores the dynamics of multilingualism in one of the most multilingual countries in the world, focusing on the presence of 55 official ethnic minority groups and China's search to modernize and strengthen its place in the world order. Topics include the dynamics of national, ethnic minority, and foreign languages in use, policy making and education, micro-studies of language contact and variation, and multilingual media and linguistic landscapes.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 212 pages
Publication date: 25 September 2023
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

Multilingual China delves into the intricate dynamics of multilingualism in one of the world's most linguistically diverse nations. This edited collection comprises cutting-edge empirical research on a wide range of critical issues arising from the presence of 55 official ethnic minority groups, as well as China's efforts to modernize and strengthen its position in the global order.

The book's topics span the dynamics of national, ethnic minority, and foreign languages in use, policymaking, and education, both within China and beyond. Micro-studies of language contact and variation are included, as are chapters exploring multilingual media and linguistic landscapes. It highlights tensions such as the preservation of weak languages and dialects, the role and status of foreign languages, particularly English, and the challenges of presenting Chinese as a viable regional or international language.

Multilingual China will be of interest to academics and researchers specializing in multilingualism and multilingual education, as well as sinologists eager to explore the intricate interplay of languages in this complex multilingual context.

Weight: 453g
Dimension: 234 x 156 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781032151410