Cross-generational changes in the lexicon of Chongqinghua native speakers

Abstract

 This paper attempts to study the cross-generational changes of the lexicon used by Chongqinghua native speakers born and raised in Chongqing, China. Two groups of Chongqinghua native speakers are studied: (1) those who are now 20-25 years old, and (2) those who are now 50-55 years old. In this research, picture naming tasks are conducted to investigate if linguistic changes on lexical inventories happen over time in this speech community of Chongqinghua native speakers. The results are presented based on the comparison of the lexical items used by two generations of Chongqinghua native speakers. In addition, follow-up individual interviews are conducted to explore the reasons driving the cross-generational changes of the lexical inventories. Some quotes from the participants worth considering are presented in this paper. It is found that the lexicon of younger-generation Chongqinghua native speakers is different from that of the older-generation speakers to various degrees. Moreover, the lexicon of younger-generation Chongqinghua native speakers is more like the lexicon of Putonghua than that of the older-generation Chongqinghua native speakers. Reasons that may cause such generational changes in the participants’ lexical inventories are discussed. Previous studies investigated the changes in Chongqinghua lexicon in general, but they did not take a cross-generational speaker-oriented view to examine individual lexical changes and how language attitudes and other factors correlate with the changes. It is expected that this paper can shed light on the cross-generational changes in the lexicon of Chongqinghua native speakers and on the current state of Chongqinghua.