The Role of English in China’s Matchmaking Market

Abstract

Research has focused on how English proficiency influences Chinese people’s education and occupational opportunities and choices. However, little is known about how it impacts the matchmaking practice in such context. Drawing on Bourdieu’s theory of capital, this study examines the role of English in the biggest matchmaking market in Shanghai, China. Field study was conducted in People’s park in Shanghai. Information regarding marriage candidates’ English competence as presented on matrimonial posters was collected and subjected to further grounded-theory based thematic analysis. The results reveal that English competence is primarily advertised as a form of institutionalized cultural capital (e.g., the possession of particular jobs, certificates, degrees, or citizenship) to boost candidates’ socioeconomic status, and used as a gatekeeper to weed out “disqualified” candidates, meaning that non-English speaking candidates may be rejected as ineligible for matchmaking opportunities. Issues related to the commodification of English competence in the matchmaking context are discussed at the end of the paper.