Maintenance and Sustainability of Shanghai Heritage Language: An Intergenerational Transmission Study
Abstract
Native speakers are using fewer local languages as a result of Mandarin's dominance as the official language and national language. Younger generations are progressively ignoring the widely spoken Shanghai dialect, particularly in urban areas. The use, attitudes, sustainability, and preservation of the Shanghai dialect are all examined in this study. In-depth interviews were conducted with three generations of Shanghai women regarding their language use. The majority of participants continue to use the Shanghai dialect in daily communication. All first-generation participants and the majority of second-generation participants hold a positive attitude towards the Shanghai dialect. The Shanghai dialect was viewed favorably by all but one third-generation participant. Although they claimed to speak some Shanghai dialect, they were hesitant to respond to interview questions in that language. Mandarin and English are becoming more and more popular among third-generation speakers as they abandon their native tongue. They wish to preserve the dialect for future generations, even among third-generation speakers who use it less, due to concerns about its potential loss.
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References
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