The implications of mismatched personal pronouns in Chinese

Abstract

This article examines the phenomenon of variation of number in Chinese pronouns. The data used for analysis is the eighteenth-century classic Chinese novel Hong Lou Meng Dream of the Red Chamber'. Research on Indo-European pronouns has shown that variation of number is the most widespread phenomenon employed to convey degrees of respect or social distance. This social meaning conveyed through variation of number in pronouns has not been studied in Chinese. The data from the novel shows that there are plural pronouns referring to singular individuals and vice versa. Although in most languages, non-singularity indicates respect and politeness, it is the contrary in Chinese. An individual of inferior social status uses the plural first-person pronoun for self-reference when conversing with someone of superior social status. The plural pronoun used by the inferior individual conveys humility. On the other hand, individuals of superior social status use the second- or third-person singular pronouns to refer to a group of individuals of inferior status. The superior individuals view the group of inferior individuals as negligible and therefore refer to them using the singular. It is evident that social meaning is conveyed through variation in number of Chinese pronouns