Study On The Use Of Network Buzzwords In People’s Daily

In recent years, People’s Daily has frequently used network buzzwords, which caused heated discussion, and even became a "media event". As for this phenomenon, this study based on the theory of cultural hegemony, inspected the use of network buzzwords in People’s Daily and reflected the struggle for cultural hegemony of the mainstream ideology and culture, which People’s Daily stands for.This study uses secondary analysis, one of documentary research methods, to find out the network buzzwords used by People’s Daily. As to study the specific texts in People’s Daily, the researcher uses the method of textual analyses, combined with methods from pragmatics and semiotics. The innovation of this study is putting the the use of network buzzwords in People’s Daily in a much more expansive ideology and culture field, to analyze the relationship of interaction, hegemony and negotiation between People’s Daily and network buzzwords, so as to provide a reference to understand the use of network buzzwords in mainstream media.Firstly, this study adds up the network buzzwords which is officially recognized and appears in People’s Daily and articles which contain them, during the years from 2009 to 2013, and finds out that 52 network buzzwords have turn up in People’s Daily. Then, the researcher analyzes the characteristics of the high frequency appeared network buzzwords from the aspect of linguistics. As to discuss the connotation ofpopular network language, the researcher first divides these network buzzwords into two categories, by whether their connotation has been changed, to observe how they have been used and how their connotation has been changed. Afterwards, the researcher discusses the impact which People’s Daily puts on the connotation of network buzzwords, through analyzing the specific context and relationship between texts where network buzzwords appear. Based on the above-mentioned materials, the researcher discusses the reasons why People’s Daily uses network buzzwords and the forms and purposes of cultural hegemony which reflects in this action.Through this study, the researcher finds out that, People’s Daily prefers to use those words and phrases which more accords with Chinese standard, which are more adjustable and more positive when choosing network buzzwords. Those network buzzwords, whose connotation have not been changed, are mainly directly quoted, independently used and reported and commented by the newspaper. While those network buzzwords, which have been change their connotation, their original connotation has been stripped off, reformed and misused, and their application of context has been expanded. Besides, the context of People’s Daily also has influences on the connotation of network buzzwords.There are deep social reasons why People’s Daily uses network buzzwords:1.the need of paying attention to the social reality; 2.the requirement of language reform and the change of writing style in Party newspaper; 3.the responsibility on mainstream culture for regulating the use of network buzzwords; 4. The state media’s seek of controlling public opinion and agreement. From the perspective of cultural hegemony theory, the use of network buzzwords in People’s Daily reflects the forms of absorption, integration and negotiation, and also shows the trial of network buzzwords so as to attract public attention. On the surface, these forms embody the improvement of the readability of the text and display of friendly attitude so as to gain acceptance. However, People’s Daily uses network buzzwords as a tool, so it can’t be able to break through the news discourse and framework. Therefore, the real purpose of the absorption, integration, negotiation and trail use of network buzzwords in People’s Daily is to construct the report issues and enhance the guiding force in public opinion. So we can find that, the use of network buzzwords in People’s Daily reflects the struggle for cultural hegemony of mainstream ideology and culture. The absorption, integration, negotiation and trail use of network buzzwords in People’s Daily is the mainstream ideology and culture’s grasp of cultural hegemony and dominance of public opinion, which People’s Daily stands for.