An ecological approach to the lexical evolution of Chinese English

Abstract

Aims and objectives: Rooted in a contact-oriented stance, this study aims to approach the dynamic evolution of Chinese English lexis from the perspective of language ecology by seeking an ecological explanation of diachronic lexical change. Specifically, it attempts to investigate the division of labor between external and internal ecological factors motivating the evolutionary patterns of Chinese English lexis in the past 60 years. Methodology: A mixed-methods approach was adopted by combining meticulous coding of each lexical item and numerical calculation of the distribution of lexical manifestations on significant linguistic dimensions. Data collection and analysis: In terms of data collection, the Chinese English lexis was sourced coherently and longitudinally from Beijing Review (1958–2018). In terms of data analysis, a systematic analytical framework of five parameters (frequency, form, grammar, word formation, and semantics) was created before qualitatively charting the features and quantitatively calculating the statistics for the value of each parameter. Findings: Externally, ecological factors bear on lexical trends of all linguistic parameters except lexical forms; internally, system–internal interactions among lexical variants project congruent patterns of alignment among various sets of features of all parameters except grammar. Originality: Few studies have approached the Chinese English lexis from the diachronic perspective through the lens of language evolution based on coherently sourced data and systematic analytical procedures. Significance: The study is enlightening in providing basic statistics to permit comparisons of lexical evolution in the five linguistic parameters across Expanding Circle ecologies and in extending the evolutionary approach to language change to the lexical realm in the Chinese English context.