Skip to Main Content
 

Global Search Box

 
 
 
 

Files

File List


Mayer Thesis 4-18-2019.pdf (944.02 KB)

ETD Abstract Container

Abstract Header

Conventionalized Expressions and Audience Perception in Chinese Discourse

Mayer, Anzia Rae
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1555574961326469

Abstract Details

2019, Master of Arts, Ohio State University, East Asian Languages and Literatures.
The present study explores whether the use of conventionalized expressions—proverbs, idioms, and other fixed sayings—makes a message more persuasive in Chinese discourse. Two surveys were designed to include substantively the same 10 statements in Chinese, but one survey conveyed the statements with the use of conventionalized expressions, while the other conveyed them in plain prose. The surveys were distributed to two separate groups of participants, consisting of more than 250 Chinese university students each. Participants were asked to rate their agreement with each statement on a scale of 1-10. Although the inclusion of conventionalized expressions did not lead to uniformly higher agreement levels, it did lead to different ones. This study concludes that conventionalized expressions draw attention and weight to certain features of a situation over others, and that audience opinion of an overall message hinges on their reaction to its highlighted features. These findings have implications not only for Chinese language pedagogy, but also for diplomacy and other venues of cross-cultural communication. This study suggests that to win audience agreement in Chinese discourse, it is not enough simply to incorporate any relevant conventionalized expressions, but rather, the key is to find the right expressions that highlight those aspects of the message with which the audience likely already agrees.
Xiaobin Jian (Advisor)
Jianqi Wang (Committee Member)
72 p.
Asian Studies; Foreign Language; Pedagogy
Chinese proverbs; Chinese idioms; foreign language pedagogy; cross-cultural dialogue

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Mayer, A. R. (2019). Conventionalized Expressions and Audience Perception in Chinese Discourse [Master's thesis, Ohio State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1555574961326469

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Mayer, Anzia. Conventionalized Expressions and Audience Perception in Chinese Discourse. 2019. Ohio State University, Master's thesis. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1555574961326469.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Mayer, Anzia. "Conventionalized Expressions and Audience Perception in Chinese Discourse." Master's thesis, Ohio State University, 2019. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1555574961326469

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

osu1555574961326469
413
© 2019, all rights reserved.
This open access ETD is published by The Ohio State University and OhioLINK.