Bilingualism is the ability for an individual or a group to use two languages. It gives the basis for language contact, which leads to language change. Chosun people moved from Korea peninsula to three east-northen provinces of China in the middle of ...
Bilingualism is the ability for an individual or a group to use two languages. It gives the basis for language contact, which leads to language change. Chosun people moved from Korea peninsula to three east-northen provinces of China in the middle of the nineteenth century. They had to use not only Chosun language but also Chinese language to have a contact with the Chinese. Their bilingualism made the two languages undergo the change through mutual contacts. This paper analyzes language contact by bilingualism of Chosun people in the following frame works including code switching, interference, and transfer.
First, code switching is a term indicating that a person uses more than one language alternatively by switching from one code to another depending on the given occasions. As far as the Chosun people are concerned, young or middle aged group shows the higher involvement in code switching than senior or children group. In addition, its variation is related to the degree of education, with a highly educated person showing the greater involvement. The more freely an individual uses ode switching between Chosun language and Chinese language, the more proficient he(or she) is in those two languages. The Chosun people employs the different language in different domains. They use Chosun language in family, friendship and educational domains while they choose Chinese language in public and business domains. They, besides, show the alternation depending on the other situations which are not categorized into one of those domains. They put the preference in Chosun language to make the intimate relationship, show the kindness, and express their desire. On the other hand, they use Chinese language to refuse the respect, take the initiative and avoid the sexual discrimination.
Second, interference is a term describing the change by the absorption of the components of different language and the application of original habit. To begin with, interference found in vocabulary goes back to the loaning. In the case of Chinese Chosun language, loaning takes the ways of phonemic loan, code-transliteration, semantic loan. Loaning word is accepted as a new vocabulary or affects meaning or usage of the existing vocabulary when there is already one that corresponds to it. And the loaning from different language can be an obstacle to a natural language development. Next, interference in sound is caused when a bilinguist interprets the sound of second language with that of first language. In other words, a person with Chosun language as a first language describes the chinese sound system in terms of that of their native language and vice versa. The grammar of one language reflects on the thinking of its users. Consequently, if two languages have different grammars from each other, it means their speakers have different ways of thinking. A disparity in thinking between a speaker of chinese Chosun language and a speaker of Chinese language is reflected in their different sentence order, I.e. S+O+V and S+V+P respectively. The first language affects the second language when a speaker doesn't have a good command of his(or her) second language. As a result, the unnatural sentence can be produced by the influence between Chosun language and Chinese language is fossilized, both language have a different nature from their original one.
Third, language shift is singled out as a term describing such an occasion that a certain language community takes the another language by giving up its original one. This assimilation into a different language stops bilingualism. It is not easy for the Chosun people to maintain their native language among the chinese who have dominance in economy and culture. As a result, Some of Chosun people use only the Chinese language with their native language lost. This phenomenon is more frequently found in a small populated area, an young age group and an urban area.
Chosun people have a lot of changes in language by their bilingualism or completely assimilated to that of Chinese people. It does not mean, however, their Chosun language will disappear someday as a number of minor languages in China do. The Chosun language has been educated to Chosun people through the educational institution and is available in the various kinds of media. In addition to that, a specialized national language institution is conduction the close research in chinese Chosun language and trying its standardization.
It is also supported by the local governing legal system. All of these efforts have the basis on the strong national identity of Chosun people. In other words, the Chosun language is the symbol of their strong identity. These days, the exchange between Korea and China gives the Chosun language some benefits in that it can play a role in creating new opportunities.
Therefore, the bilingualism of Chosun people seems to be kept continuously by their constant use of the Chosun language.