Source link : https://news7.asia/news/a-kaleidoscope-of-chinese-expressions-rich-in-lessons/
Book. Do you know the “Internet Reds”? “Rice bunnies”? “Little fresh meat”? The “clan of old floaters”? The “neglected three”? These colorful expressions, among many others, are part of the neologisms that have flourished in China in the 21st century. They say a lot about a country which, due to its gigantism and its political regime, remains difficult to grasp. Under the aegis of two academics, Gilles Guiheux, from Paris Cité University, and Lu Shi, from the University of Lille, 16 specialists from different backgrounds (sociology, history, linguistics, political science, etc.) decided to present, in the book When China Speaks (Les Belles Lettres, 350 pages, 23.50 euros), 34 contemporary Chinese expressions, the conditions in which they appeared as well as their meaning in China by Xi Jinping. Read also | Article reserved for our subscribers Chengdu, an oasis of freedom in the Middle Kingdom Read later While some were created by the Communist Party, others result from successful TV series or social networks, like xiao fenhong (“small roses”, in French), an expression which mocks young nationalist girls who lead patriotic battles online. We can always contest this or that choice or regret this or that absence – researchers had identified 9,500 terms that appeared between 2001 and 2021 – but the whole offers a kaleidoscope rich in lessons. This work shows that in the age of social networks the party-state continues to play a central role – this role has even increased since the arrival of Xi Jinping to power in 2012 – but that it is far from ‘be exclusive. The Chinese have indeed become masters in the art of circumventing censorship, just as the “little big brothers of delivery” (an affectionate term which designates couriers) have been able to develop a thousand and one stratagems to escape the algorithms which dictate their daily. Cooperative marriages and educational apartments Many expressions testify to a very competitive society, very technologically developed but socially conservative. There we come across xinghun, cooperative marriages popular with homosexuals looking for a heterosexual partner to reassure parents. There we discover peidu mama, mothers who accompany their children in their studies, including going to live in the West with them, and xuequfang, educational apartments located near the best educational establishments in the country. You have 26.33% of this article left to read. The rest is reserved for subscribers.
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Author : News7
Publish date : 2025-01-15 11:41:52
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