Study On Catchwords And Evolution Of Society Since Reform And Opening-Up

Language，like a mirror, reflects the track in historical development.Catchword means akind of language phenomenon and a special social-cultural phenomenon as well. Study ofcatchwords centers more on the linguistic field. Being a form of language widely acceptedand used by the general population, popular catchwords are produced and developed from thesocial interaction in a certain period of time, which shares the characteristics of widepopularity, clear time honors, and demonstrating in the form of slogan, phrases and symbolicvocabulary etc. Language, a symbol of social interaction, is a principal component of culture.Any change in any form and content of the social interaction is bound to demonstrate in theform of language and its meaning. Vocabulary, the most vivid factor, truly reveals differentchanges on the way to social transforming. Therefore, investigation into the changes in thesocial life according to the popular catchwords is quite worthwhile in the field ofsociolinguistics.With Opening and Reforms, China has experienced great changes since1980s. Greatchanges in the whole society and life style were expressed in the form of popular catchwords.Previous to the reform, the main content of Chinese social life had the obviously politicalcharacteristic, mainly included revolution, devotion, be socialist-minded and professionallycompetent, successor, Lei Feng spirit, catch revolutionary, hurried production, class struggle,imperialism etc. After the Opening, the main theme makes great adjustment, and has theeconomic characteristic, mainly including venture into business, jobbing, job-hopping,economic society, private business, ten-thousand-Yuan household, money-obsessed society,relationship-driven world, study overseas etc. Frequently social interaction strengthens thespread and use of catchwords. Paces and improvement of times also causes the great changein language, reflecting the characteristic of times.The paper based on an object of popular catchwords makes definition of catchwords andanalyses changing status, in accordance with structure function, cultural function, socialevolution and symbolic interaction theory from the multiple perspectives so as to understandhistorical development prints. With combination of documents literatures and comparativeanalysis, the article summarizes features of popular catchwords after Chinese reform. Underthe two results of popularity and age characteristics the paper further elaborates social background of catchwords, especially social system status. Psychological demands fordelivering emotion, cultural needs for expressing social life, social demands for socialinteraction and communication are the fundamental factors of catchwords; reforming, socialcompetition, cooperation and social stratification, individual autonomy, cultural diversity andsystem rationalization have been social background influencing widespread use ofcatchwords.Characteristic of catchwords during the different period of Chinese reform andopening-up reflect various steps in Chinese development and social themes. There has beeninner close relationship between language, culture and social evolution. Realizing the organicconnections between catchwords change and social development helps to grasp the socialconstruction function on the full scale and have an insight into public physiological changingand language needs.