Abstract: “Yangjingbang” English, a kind of hybrid English, is also known as Pidgin English. The name is originated from a place near one of the concessions once in Shanghai and it is a language for the Chinese, Portuguese and English businessmen to communicate with each other. With the deepening of globalization, the cultural exchanges between countries are increasingly strengthened. Language, as a carrier of culture, plays an important role in cross-cultural communication. This paper attempts to discuss the Pidgin English in Shanghainese from the perspective of linguistic variation with the purpose of studying the influence of the integration of the local dialects and the foreign language on both Chinese and English and to draw attention to the Pidgin language, protecting and carrying forward the essence of such local traditional culture so as to strengthen cross-cultural exchanges.

Key words: Pidgin English; Shanghai dialect; language variation; determination on variation

Contents

Abstract

摘要

1. Introduction-1

2. Language Variation-2

  2.1 Rupturing Variation-3

  2.2 Underway Transformation-4

  2.3 Finished Transformation-5

3. The Characteristics of Pidgin English in Shanghai Dialect-6

  3.1 All-English Pidgin English-6

  3.2 Mixed Forms of Pidgin English-8

4. The Determination on the Variation of Pidgin English in Shanghai Dialect-10

  4.1 Areas of Pidgin English Users-10

  4.2 Continuity in the Variation Process-12

  4.3 Influence on the Language System-12

5. The Influence of Pidgin English Variation on Chinese and English-13

  5.1 The Influence on Chinese-14

  5.2 The Influence on English and English Learning-15

6. Conclusion-17

References-19