China, English in

Kingsley Bolton; Werner Botha; Zhang Wei

doi:10.1002/9781119518297.eowe00228

China, English in

Kingsley Bolton, Werner Botha, Zhang Wei

College of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Entry for encyclopedia/dictionary › peer-review

Abstract

This entry provides an overview of the status, functions and features of English in mainland China. This topic is first contextualised with reference to the history of language contact in China, and then proceeds to a discussion of the current situation. Since the opening of China in the late 1970s, English has been officially promoted as a key to modernisation. Today, official attitudes to the language seem to be less enthusiastic than the recent past, but, despite this, the popularity of learning English appears to be undiminished among China's growing middle classes.

Original language	English
Title of host publication	The Wiley Blackwell Encyclopedia of World Englishes
Editors	Kingsley Bolton
Publisher	Wiley-Blackwell
Number of pages	13
ISBN (Electronic)	9781119518297
ISBN (Print)	9781119518310
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1002/9781119518297.eowe00228
Publication status	Published - 11 Mar 2025

Keywords

English speakers
China

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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10.1002/9781119518297.eowe00228Licence: In Copyright

Cite this

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China, English in

Abstract

Keywords

UN SDGs

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