Abstract:
A survey concerning language use and language identity of Miao language in the West of Hunan shows that although Maio language still remains dynamic and active,the number of people speaking Miao language is decreasing continuously and the area where people speak Miao language is shrinking.Apparently,there appears a significant intergenerational differences in the use of Maio language.The weakening of the mother tongue and the widespread use of Chinese dialects by Miao people profoundly reflects the features that the mother tongue identity of Miao nationality is weakening and Chinese language identity is instrumentally and practically strengthening.It is of great significance to grasp the mechanisms and characteristics of language identity so as to understand language identity of the Miao nationality and carry out the work of language rotection in Western Hunan Province.Keywords: the Miao nationality in the West of Hunan; language competence; language use; language identitynationality in western Hunan shows that, although the Miao speech is still vigorous, the number of people using it continuously shrinks, that the scope of its use steadily lessens and that differences between generations occur. The reduction of competence of using the Miao mother tongue and extensive of the Han dialect reveal the weakening of the Miao speech identity and instrumental and practical Chinese identity. Therefore it is of great significance to grasp the mechanism and distinction of language identity for a proper understanding of language identity of the Miao nationality in western Hunan and preservation of the Miao speech.
