The Study Of The English Simplification Movements From The Perspective Of Social Movements Theory

English is one of the most complex languages in the world in terms of linguistic variation due to historical and practical factors.This complexity has made the language harder to use,learn and spread.As a result,proposals to simplify the English language have been continuously put forward and several English simplification movements have emerged.These movements aspire to intervene in the natural trajectory of English evolution.Regrettably,the academic sphere has exhibited a dearth of comprehensive research dedicated to these movements.This study,grounded in linguistic and sociological perspectives and drawing on relevant theories from social movements and language planning,has crafted an analytical framework tailored to language movements.The research focuses on three cases studies: the Basic English Movement,the Globish Movement,and the Plain English Movement.Textual data collection takes shape through material collecting and semi-structured interview.The data analysis employs category and discourse analysis to explore the development and characteristics of the English simplification movements,specifically rising the following three research questions:(1)Why do the English simplification movements emerge?(2)What specific components do the English simplification movements encompass?(3)What are the impacts and the efficacy of the English simplification movements?The research findings are as follows:(1)The English simplification movements emerge due to various reasons influenced by the zeitgeist,social context,the identity and affiliations of the advocates.The primary motivation behind these movements is the need for better communication.(2)The English simplification movements consist of language claims and mobilization mechanisms.In terms of language claims,English simplification adheres to the principles of restriction and substitution.The emphasis placed on language status in these claims exhibits a positive correlation with the scale and influence of the movements.Additionally,the focus of language claims has evolved from advocate-centric simplification to reader-centric simplification.Over time,these claims have gradually adopted characteristics associated with the digital age,and advocates’ understanding of language simplification has become more comprehensive and nuanced.Mobilization mechanisms encompass two aspects: first,advocates publish teaching materials and offer training courses for language acquisition.In terms of prestige promotion,the advocates employ the media to promote their claims,adapting their promotional methods to the changing times;second,advocates construct and align frames dynamically through their discourse to mobilize the movements.(3)Through an analysis of citizens’ comments on the movements,the study finds that the mobilization effectiveness of the frames constructed in advocates’ discourse is not uniform,and there exist individual variations in interpreting these frames.The effectiveness of the English simplification movements is influenced by multiple factors,including the type of participants,alignment between language claims and prevailing societal beliefs,and the attainability of movement objectives.In light of these findings,this study proposes that: language movements should be comprehended within the broader societal context.In contrast to government-led language reforms,language movements exhibit dynamic and loose connections among participants and feature flexible programs and ideologies.They serve as both social movements and language planning efforts.The application of language simplification should be undertaken with due consideration to the real-world context.The principles of language simplification have significant implications for language planning in China,such as the development of simplified Chinese and the construction of a barrier-free information society.