Language Choice Of White-collar Youth As Immigrants In Shanghai

As the economic center of China, Shanghai attracts a large number of immigrants. Thus Mandarin, Shanghai dialect, immigrants' dialects and foreign languages involve in the contemporary social language life. Based on a survey among the white-collar youth who immigrate to Shanghai from other regions of China, this academic paper intends to explore factors of social structure behind individual's practice of language choice. Which language is chosen in certain situation and what lead to this choice? How is the competition taken place between mandarin, Shanghai dialect, immigrants' dialects and foreign languages? How can we observe the relation between the state and the local society from the language competition?From sociology of language's perspective, this research follows Bourdieu's theory of language and power. He believes that language is not only a tool of communication, but also a media of power relationship. The theory of correlation between language assimilation and cultural assimilation is also imported into this research. From this point of view, immigrants' language practice can be viewed as the index of cultural evolvement.Based on in-depth interview and case study on 24 white-collar youth immigrants, the research finds that three factors contribute to their language choice. First reason is the necessity of Shanghai dialect in career field and life space. The language market can be found in a lot of social fields, within which the rule of language power exerts influence. Second, immigrants' opinions on Shanghai culture influence their attitudes towards mandarin and dialect. To put it in another way, language practices express cultural identity. Third, social statuses of languages are historically constructed.This thesis consists of five parts. The first chapter is introduction. The second chapter pursues white-collar youth immigrants' language choice in work place and living space, discusses how the power relationship controls their choice. The third chapter analyses immigrants' attitudes towards different languages, and its correlation to cultural identity. The fourth chapter reviews the language policy in a historical context and makes a discussion about the impact of language competition on individual's choice. The fifth chapter is devoted to conclusion and reflection.