方言与身份认同 Dialects and Identity

中国Zhōngguó地域dìyù辽阔liáokuò，方言fāngyán种类zhǒnglèi繁多fánduō，从cóng广东话Guǎngdōnghuà到dào上海话Shànghǎihuà，几乎jīhū每个měi ge地方dìfang都dōu有yǒu自己zìjǐ独特dútè的de口音kǒuyīn。

China's territory is vast and its dialects are numerous — from Cantonese to Shanghainese, almost every place has its own unique accent.

然而rán'ér，随着suízhe普通话pǔtōnghuà教育jiàoyù的de普及pǔjí，越来越yuèláiyuè多duō的de孩子háizi从小cóngxiǎo只zhǐ说shuō普通话pǔtōnghuà，方言fāngyán正在zhèngzài渐渐jiànjiàn消失xiāoshī。

However, as Mandarin education has spread, more and more children speak only Mandarin from a young age, and dialects are gradually disappearing.

有人yǒurén担心dānxīn，一旦yídàn方言fāngyán消失xiāoshī，与yǔ它tā相关xiāngguān的de地方dìfang文化wénhuà和hé历史lìshǐ记忆jìyì也yě会huì随之suízhī消失xiāoshī。

Some worry that once a dialect disappears, the local culture and historical memory associated with it will disappear along with it.

我wǒ表姐biǎojiě在zài广州Guǎngzhōu长大zhǎngdà，她tā说shuō只有zhǐyǒu说shuō粤语Yuèyǔ的时候de shíhou，才cái觉得juéde自己zìjǐ真正zhēnzhèng“回到huídào了le家jiā”。

My cousin grew up in Guangzhou; she says only when she speaks Cantonese does she truly feel she has "returned home."

对duì她tā来说lái shuō，方言fāngyán不仅bùjǐn是shì一种yì zhǒng交流jiāoliú工具gōngjù，更gèng是shì一种yì zhǒng身份shēnfèn的de象征xiàngzhēng。

To her, dialect is not only a tool for communication, but even more a symbol of identity.

与此相反yǔ cǐ xiāngfǎn，也yě有人yǒurén认为rènwéi，推广tuīguǎng普通话pǔtōnghuà有助于yǒuzhùyú不同bùtóng地区dìqū的de人rén顺利shùnlì沟通gōutōng，从而cóng'ér促进cùjìn社会shèhuì的de融合rónghé。

On the contrary, some believe that promoting Mandarin helps people from different regions communicate smoothly, thereby promoting social integration.

近年来jìnniánlái，一些yìxiē城市chéngshì开始kāishǐ在zài学校xuéxiào开设kāishè方言fāngyán课程kèchéng，希望xīwàng通过tōngguò教育jiàoyù让ràng年轻niánqīng一代yí dài重新chóngxīn认识rènshi自己zìjǐ的de“乡音xiāngyīn”。

In recent years, some cities have begun offering dialect courses in schools, hoping that through education the younger generation will rediscover their own "hometown accent."

归根结底guīgēn jiédǐ，方言fāngyán和hé普通话pǔtōnghuà并不是bìng bú shì非此即彼fēi cǐ jí bǐ的de选择xuǎnzé，二者èrzhě完全wánquán可以kěyǐ在zài日常rìcháng生活shēnghuó中zhōng共存gòngcún。

In the final analysis, dialects and Mandarin are not an either-or choice; the two can completely coexist in daily life.

🔊 Audio uses your device's Chinese voice for now — teacher recordings are coming. Tap any word to see its meaning.

Key words 生词

方言fāngyándialect

辽阔liáokuòvast

独特dútèunique

身份shēnfènidentity

融合rónghéintegration; fusion

共存gòngcúnto coexist

Grammar note 语法点

一旦…，…也会…

'Once..., ... will also...' sets up a hypothetical trigger and its consequence.

一旦方言消失，与它相关的地方文化也会随之消失。 — Once a dialect disappears, the local culture associated with it will also disappear along with it.

不仅…，更…

'Not only..., but even more...' — the second clause outweighs the first in importance.

方言不仅是一种交流工具，更是一种身份的象征。 — Dialect is not only a tool for communication, but even more a symbol of identity.

Check yourself 小测验

1. What is happening to dialects as Mandarin education spreads?

2. What does the cousin from Guangzhou feel when she speaks Cantonese?

3. What is the text's final conclusion about dialects and Mandarin?

After this reading

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方言与身份认同Fāngyán yǔ shēnfèn rèntóngDialects and Identity

Key words 生词

Grammar note 语法点

Check yourself 小测验

Reading is the easy part. Speaking is where you get stuck.

More HSK 5 reading practice