中文歌曲中的语码转换研究

论文总字数：39359字

摘 要

语码转换现象是语言交际中的一种普遍现象。同时，它也是一项跨学科的研究课题，涉及语言学、社会学、人类学、心理学、神经学等。已有许多学者对此现象做了很多研究，包括讨论对话和日常生活中语码转换现象的特点、功能及动机等。还有些学者，比如于国栋等人，先后建立了相关模型进行研究。笔者发现语码转换现象不仅在对话中很普遍，其在中文流行歌曲中也有所体现。中文歌曲是中国对外交流的桥梁之一，研究中文歌曲中的语码转换现象不仅有利于国人的外语学习，还能有效促进跨文化交流。本文希望通过研究给中文歌词作者带来灵感，创作出更多更好的双语歌曲，从而促进中国文化走向世界。

本研究借助语码转换研究的相关理论，包括于国栋建立的语言顺应模型等，探索中文流行歌曲中语码转换现象出现的原因和功能。研究发现，政府的政策和全球化的趋势使得语码转换现象增多，此外，个人对语言现实、社会习惯和心理作用的顺应性也是语码转换现象出现的原因之一。正是这些原因导致语码转换频繁出现在歌曲中，并发挥了不同的作用。

关键词：语码转换；中文流行歌曲；原因；功能；语言顺应模型

Contents

Chapter One Introduction 1

1.1 Research Background 1

1.2 Significance of the research 1

1.3 Layout of the thesis 2

Chapter Two Literature Review 3

2.1 Definitions of Relevant Terms 3

2.1.1 Code-switching 3

2.1.2 Code-switching and Code-mixing 4

2.1.3 Broad Code-switching and Narrow Code-switching 5

2.2 Theoretical Foundations 5

2.2.1 Verschuren’s Adaptation Theory 5

2.2.2 Yu Guodong's Linguistic Adaptation Model 6

2.3 Previous Studies of Code-switching in Chinese Songs 7

Chapter Three Research Methodology 9

3.1 Research Questions 9

3.2 Data Collection Process 9

Chapter Four Results and Discussion 10

4.1 Data Analysis 10

4.1.1 Periods of Chinese Popular Songs with Code-switching 10

4.1.2 Forms of Code-switching 10

4.1.3 Occasions of Code-switching 12

4.2 Causes of Code-switching in Chinese Popular Songs 13

4.2.1 Extrinsic Causes 13

4.2.2 Intrinsic Causes 15

4.2.3 Uniqueness of Songs 17

4.3 Functions of Code-switching in Chinese Popular Songs 17

Chapter Five Conclusion 19

5.1 Summary of Major Findings 19

5.2 Limitations and Suggestions for Further Study 19

References 21

Appendix Names and Singers of Chinese Songs that Are Analyzed in the Study 22

Chapter One Introduction

Conservatively speaking, there are more than six thousand kinds of languages in the world now. It is inevitable that they will influence one another when they come into contact. Code-switching is one of the results coming out of cultural communication. Lots of scholars at home and broad, such as Verschuren and Yu Guodong, have conducted researches on this phenomenon. Popular songs as part of culture also tend to become bilingual or multilingual. This thesis is intended to find out the causes and functions of code-switching in Chinese songs. The first chapter introduces research background, research significance and layout of the thesis.

1.1 Research Background

With the development of science and technology, the process of globalization has been accelerated. Different countries cooperate not only in the political and economic fields, but also in the culture exchange. Different languages, as a part of culture, inevitably interact with each other. More and more people have become bilingual or multilingual. It is no wonder that code-switching, an inevitable outcome of language contact, draws the attention of linguists. Code-switching is a prevalent phenomenon in language communication. It is also a cross-disciplinary research subject involving linguistics, sociology, anthropology, psychology, neurology, etc. Many surveys have been conducted to explore features, functions and causes of code-switching in conversations and daily life. The phenomenon of code-switching is also very common in Chinese songs and has widely been accepted in recent years. For example, after the Spring Festival Gala of 2014, the song “倍儿爽” (Feeling Good) caught on and was sung everywhere in China. However, studies of code-switching in songs are not very comprehensive, which leaves room for further research on this phenomenon.

1.2 Significance of the research

When we study foreign languages like English, French and Japanese, an effective way is to learn foreign songs. In recent years, China has accelerated the speed of opening up to the whole world. Chinese songs work as a bridge for foreigners’ familiarization with China. In this case, the study of code-switching in Chinese songs is conducive to both the study of foreign languages and cross-culture communication. In this paper, the classification and causes of code-switching will be discussed in detail. It is expected that the research results would help Chinese song writers create better bilingual songs, which might be beneficial to promotion of the Chinese culture.

1.3 Layout of the thesis

In the first chapter of this paper, a brief introduction to the background and significance of the research is given, and presents a general view of the study. After the introduction, some relevant definitions and theories are explained in the second chapter. Previous studies of code-switching are also reviewed in this chapter. Then, Chapter Three describes research questions and data collection process. The causes and functions of code-switching are discussed in the fourth chapter. In the last chapter, a brief conclusion on the basis of research findings is given.

Chapter Two Literature Review

Code-switching is a prevalent phenomenon in language communication. It is also a cross-disciplinary research subject involving linguistics, sociology, anthropology, psychology, neurology, etc. In the 1940s and 1950s, many scholars considered code-switching as a sub-standard use of language. Since the 1980s, however, most scholars have come to regard it as a normal, natural product of bilingual and multilingual language use, which makes the study of code-switching a significant subject.

However, because people have different understanding of this phenomenon, it is hard to give an exclusive definition of code-switching. When it comes to code-switching, it is also worthwhile to consider another important term: code-mixing. Chapter Two introduces the definitions of relevant terms, theoretical foundations and previous studies of code-switching in Chinese songs.

2.1 Definitions of Relevant Terms

2.1.1 Code-switching

In linguistics, code-switching occurs when a speaker alternates between two or more languages, or language varieties, in the context of a single conversation. Multilinguals sometimes use elements of multiple languages when communicating with each other.

According to Myers-Scotton (1988: 25), code-switching was a cover term and she gave the definition that “Code-switching is the use of two or more linguistic varieties in the same conversation or interaction. The switch may be for just one word or for several minutes of speech. The varieties may be anything from genetically unrelated languages to two styles of the same language.” Shana Poplack (1994) thought “code-switching refers to the mixing, by bilinguals (or multilinguals), of two or more languages in discourse, often with no change of interlocutor or topic.” Verschueren (1999:119) held that “code-switching is a cover term for language or code alternation, is an extremely common occurrence and a favored strategy, especially in oral discourse.”

Thus, generally speaking, code-switching is the use of more than one linguistic variety in the same conversation. Usually, when two people happen to meet each other in the street, they may say, “Hi, 吃过午饭了没?” (Hi, have you had lunch yet?) In the conversation, English and Chinese are used in turn. This is a typical example of code-switching. Another example is that young people often say, “这就是我的style.” (This is my style.) Using English to replace Chinese words in sentences is a code-switching phenomenon.

2.1.2 Code-switching and Code-mixing

As for code-mixing, some scholars insisted that it is distinct from code-switching while others do not agree. There are mainly four points on the distinction between the two terms.

On the basis of the language ontology, some scholars used code-switching to denote the use of more than one linguistic variety beyond the unit of sentence, and code-mixing to denote the use of multiple linguistic varieties within a sentence (Sridhar amp; Sridhar, 1980).

Other linguists applied code-mixing to denote the formal linguistic properties of language-contact phenomena, and code-switching to denote the actual, spoken usages by multilinguals (Bokamba, Eyamba, 1989; Genessee, Fred, 2000).

Still many other linguists like Muysken and Pieter (2000) described the difference between code-switching and the linguistic term, borrowing of words or phrases, and used the term code-mixing to encompass both types of language behavior. In other words, they believed code-switching was included in code-mixing.

Some scholars thought that from the aspect of application and function, there was no need to separate code-switching from code-mixing. They both mean utterances that are drawn from elements of two or more grammatical systems. Scotton (1993) and Grosjean (1995) suggested that people should use code-switching to refer to both terms.

For the convenience of illustration, this paper uses “code-switching” to cover all behaviors related to “code-switching” and “code-mixing”.

2.1.3 Broad Code-switching and Narrow Code-switching

The term "code-switching" can be used in a broad or narrow sense. Broad code-switching studies the general public application of multiple languages from the view of social psychology. Its focus is society. For example, the studies of Appel (1987) and Scotton (1993, 1998) were based on social variables. They tried to explain the relationship between code-switching and language politics, language programs and social norms.

Narrow code-switching focuses on the single choice and application of one person or group. It is comparatively limited, random and customary. Narrow code-switching mainly explores causes, methods, functions and so forth. This paper involves both forms of code-switching to discuss the causes of code-switching in Chinese songs.

2.2 Theoretical Foundations

2.2.1 Verschuren’s Adaptation Theory

Verschuren’s Adaptation Theory appeared as a complete and mature theory in 1999 when his book Understanding Pragmatics was published. He regarded language use as the object of pragmatics.

In his book, he introduced three key notions of language use: variability, negotiability and adaptability. Variability is the property of language which defines the range of possibility from which choices can be made. It is dynamic rather than static. For example, the answer to the question “Where is Amy?” can be “She died two weeks ago”, “She has been asleep in the arms of God” or “She went to her long home”, which all have the same meaning. Negotiability means that choices are not made mechanically or according to strict rules, but rather on the basis of highly flexible principles and strategies. For instance, you can choose “He must be taught right from wrong” or “He needs to be brought back into the mainstream” to express the same opinion. Adaptability is based on the previous two properties of language. It enables human beings to make negotiable linguistic choices from a variable range of possibilities in such a way as to approach points of satisfaction for communicative need.

Then, Verschuren discussed four angles of adaptation: contextual correlates of adaptability, structural objects of adaptability, the dynamics of adaptability and the salience of adaptation processes.

2.2.2 Yu Guodong's Linguistic Adaptation Model

On the basis of Verschuren’s Adaptation Theory, Chinese linguist Yu Guodong put forward three identifications of adaptations of code-switching in 2001: adaptation to the linguistic reality, adaptation to the social conventions and adaptation to the psychological motivations.

Sometimes an idea or a concept only exists in a certain language and no equivalent can be found in other languages. In this case, if two languages come into contact, code-switching will be used for the purpose of fluent communication. This is because one language remedies a defect of this regard of the other language. Under such a situation, the communicators need to adapt to this language reality dynamically for a successful communication.

Example 1: 爱情像Cappuccino，浓浓的眷恋泡沫

诱人的气息，多爱不释手

爱是Cappuccino，苦苦的美丽滋味

藏在我心头久久

——Cappuccino（萧亚轩）

In this example, Cappuccino is a kind of coffee in the western country. We cannot find the equivalent in Chinese. So the song writer has to adapt to the linguistic reality.

Adaptation to the social conventions refers to the behavior that speakers change language codes out of the consideration of social conventions which include social norms, customs, indigenous behavior, etc. In Chinese songs, singers can use code-switching to replace some embarrassing words or taboos in Chinese with foreign languages.

Adaptation to the psychological motivations refers to the practice that speakers alter language codes because of a spontaneous communicative purpose or an active one compared with the adaptation to the linguistic reality and adaptation to the social conventions. Psychological motivation includes many aspects, such as life experience and instant emotions.

For exploring the intrinsic causes of code-switching in Chinese popular songs, Yu Guodong’s theory would be referred to.

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