摘 要

近年来，随着互联网文化的蓬勃发展，在中国，一些土味情话出现了。由于年轻人是土味情话的创作和使用主体，在网络和现实中，土味情话的应用范围都越来越广泛，并被列入为2018年十大网络用语。土味情话独特的语言表达方式可以透露含蓄的感情，也可以释放外露的热情。同样，英语中也有很多类似的表达方式，作为情话的一种，它们的主要用途是表达情感。但即使同为类似的表达方式，它们所产生的不同社会环境，使土味情话的形式也表现出了相似与不同两个方面。

在这样一个相对较新的领域，相关的研究是相对薄弱的。本文运用社会语言学的相关理论，通过对比分析，探讨中英文土味情话的异同，同时探讨不同文化背景下这种流行文化的形成及其产生原因。研究发现，人们对于“土味”这一概念的理解已经发生了变化。中英土味情话之间的相似主要体现在结构和语义上，而不同主要体现在所蕴含的文化因素上。相似性主要来源于相似的语言结构、情感需要以及网络语言创造力。而差异性则主要是由地理位置、宗教信仰、思维习惯、习俗和生活方式等所引起的。

关键词：土味情话；中文和英文；原因分析；社会语言学

Abstract

With the thriving of Internet culture, cheesy pick-up lines have been created in China in recent years. As young people are the main body of creation and use of cheesy pick-up lines which have become more and more widely used on the Internet and in reality, and have been listed as one of the top ten Internet terms of 2018. There are various forms of cheesy pick-up lines using diverse linguistic devices which enable the expression of affection implicitly or explicitly. Similar phenomena also exist in English as a sort of honey words for people to express their affection. But as similar expressions originated in different social basis, the forms of cheesy pick-up lines show two aspects of similarities and differences.

In such a relatively new field, relevant studies are limited. Thus a comparative analysis is proposed to compare cheesy pick-up lines between two languages, English and Chinese. This paper analyses differences and similarities of cheesy pick-up lines in Chinese and in English based on theories in sociolinguistics to explore the formations and underlying reasons of production of this pop culture in different cultural background. The study found that people's understanding of the concept of "cheesy" has changed. As similarities are embodied mainly on structures and meanings, differences are reflected primarily on cultural factors. Similarities mainly come from similar language structure, emotional needs and network language creativity. However, the differences are mainly caused by geographical location, religious belief, thinking habits, customs and lifestyle.

Key Words: Cheesy pick-up lines; Chinese and English; reason analysis; sociolinguistics

Contents

1 Introduction 1

2 Co-variation theory and the change of cheesy pick-up lines 3

2.1 Co-variation Theory 3

2.2 Tu Wei” or “Cheesy” 3

2.3 “Qing Hua” or Honey words 4

3 Similarities between Chinese and English cheesy pick-up lines and the underlying reasons 6

3.1 The similarities between Chinese and English cheesy pick-up lines 6

3.1.1 Use of homonymy, polysemy and rhymes 6

3.1.2 Use of question forms 7

3.1.3 Use of semantic reversal 8

3.1.4 Use of rhetorical device 8

3.2 The underlying reasons for their similarities 9

3.2.1 Similar language structure 9

3.2.2 Language creativity orginated from network development 10

3.2.3 Expression of emotional needs 11

4 Differences between Chinese and English cheesy pick-up lines and the underlying reason 12

4.1 The differences between Chinese and English cheesy pick-up lines 12

4.1.1 Geographical discrepancy 12

4.1.2 English unique use of religious factors 13

4.1.3 Chinese unique use of quotations 13

4.1.4 Discrepancy of cultural products 14

4.2 The underlying reasons for their differences 15

4.2.1 Language variety and register 15

4.2.2 Impact of geographical differences 16

4.2.3 Differences in religious belief 16

4.2.4 Differences in thinking habits 17

4.2.5 Impact of differences in customs and lifestyles 18

5 Conclusion 20

References 21

Acknowledgements 23

The comparative study of English and Chinese cheesy pick-up lines from the perspective of sociolinguistics

1 Introduction

As the development of Internet technology, network broadcasts, applications for short videos such as Dou Yin, Kuai Shou, and especially for the explosively arising talent shows, cheesy pick-up lines have appeared, increased and popularized in China. Originally, they have been applied widely among young people, especially on the web. They are now becoming more and more widely used and have changed their patterns of manifestation from virtual Internet to face-to-face communication. So they are more frequently used in real life.

But as a new phenomenon listed in top 10 Internet terms in 2018, literature concerning this field is limited. Relevant study concerning honey words as Tentative Interpretation of Popular Honey words by Fang Xiumin inspired me a lot. There are also some scholars who have studied cheesy pick-up lines in different perspectives, such as from the view of Meme Transmission Mechanism and Emotional Construction (Yuan Yuan, Zhang Juwen, 2019), and subculture (Guo Yuning, 2019). In the field of sociolinguistics, Dao Han (2019) analyzed the definition, characteristics, existence value and the reason of popularity of the cheesy pick-up lines. Meanwhile, similar expressions also exist in English, so there is a comparative study of their structural mechanism between English and Chinese (Huang Xiaoyun, Liu Wei, 2019). But studies of this kind are extremely rare. Certainly, as a common phenomenon in both language, a comparative study is of value.

The purpose of this paper is to explore the formative similarities and differences between cheesy pick-up lines so as to find out elements as well as devices used in structuring these two kinds of expressions, as a part of parole analysis of natural linguistic facts in linguistic study. By exploring reasons of appearance concerning cheesy pick-up lines in English and Chinese, this paper aims to dig out their social roots of formation respectively on the basis of co-variation theory and some knowledge in sociolinguistics. Through the comparative study of their formative reasons, readers can taste the cultural diversity and experience how different cultural elements can impact language expressions as well as how the different patterns of languages can reflect their distinctions. Another purpose for this study is to reveal how this kind of linguistic expression can help people, especially young people to communicate and express emotional needs.

The significance of this study mainly lies in the three aspects. Firstly, this study is beneficial to people’s interpersonal interactions. By listing some cheesy pick-up lines in the paper and summarize their patterns of that expression, readers can have a better use of this expression so as to use them more appropriately in their communication. Secondly, it can help to understand the users’ psychological process which shed light on their way of thinking. As cheesy pick-up lines are products of the youth in town, it’s a sort of expression that can reflect their pursuits of affection in certain degree. Finally, this study may fill the void of comparative study of English and Chinese cheesy pick-up lines and by using knowledge in sociolinguistics, a new perspective may broaden the angle of this study.

2 Co-variation theory and the change of cheesy pick-up lines

2.1 Co-variation Theory

The co-variation of language and society, providing a basis for the production of Chinese and English cheesy pick-up lines, is a fundamental concept in the co-variation theory of sociolinguistics. American linguist William Bright first put forward the theory of "Co-variation" in 1964. The two variables of language and society influence, interact and restrict each other, so there is a co-variation relationship between them.

Language is a social phenomenon, which is always restricted by social factors and changes with the changes of social life. (Jia Wei, 2019) The primacy of society determines language, and the development and changes of society have a certain impact on language. The similarities and differences in the social environment between China and Western counties have resulted in the similarities and differences in the expression forms of cheesy pick-up lines. Mutual phenomena like language structure, Internet development and arising emotional needs of people in both society are the basis for the sameness of cheesy pick-up lines. Diverse cultural backgrounds as geographical factors, religious belief, thinking habits, as well as customs and lifestyles are elements reflecting the primacy of society to language in terms of cheesy pick-up lines according to the theory.