Language Policy

In recent years, research has prospered in the study of language policy. However, there are still many problems behind this prosperity. For example, much of the research lacks theoretical intervention and neglects perspectives of linguistic theories. This book, a trailblazer for academic researchers in the fields of language policy and Systemic Functional Linguistics (SFL) as appliable linguistics, examines language policy from the perspective of SFL, which could provide different angles for language policy and offer a valuable attempt to test SFL as appliable linguistics. This book also explores many typical controversial issues in Chinese language policy with an SFL approach, such as ongoing conflicts between Putonghua and dialects. It not only addresses authentic problems emerging from the implementation process of Chinese language policy, but also has produced some feasible and customized suggestions to improve Chinese language policy.

Prof. Bingjun Yang is a Ph.D. advisor at Shanghai Jiao Tong University. His publications include Absolute Clauses in English from the Systemic Functional Perspective (Springer, 2015) and research articles in Language Sciences, Journal of Quantitative Linguistics, etc. His academic interests include SFL and translation studies. Dr. Rui Wang has been working as an English lecturer at China's Southwest University of Political Science and Law since 2007. His academic interests include Language Policy, SFL as appliable linguistics and translation studies.

List of Figures and Tables. Acknowledgements. 1 Introduction2 History of and Approaches to Language Policy 3 Justifications for Approaching Language Policy from the SFL Perspective4 The Principles of an SFL Approach to Language Policy 5 Approaching Language Policy from an SFL Perspective 6 Case Study One: Language Policy in Early Years of PRC.7 Case Study Two: Language Policy in Modern Times of PRC.8 Conclusions Appendix 1 Non-standard Punctuation and Grammar in Lu Xun's Works. Appendix 2 Non-standard Language in Lu Xun's Works: Zi and Ci. Appendix 3 Old Words Gaining New Meanings in Cyber Space. Appendix 4 Old Words Restructuring Semantic Relations. References. Index