网络热词的语言模因论分析_英语论文

A Memetic Study of Internet Buzzwords

摘要

近年来，网络流行语中出现了一类诸如“人艰不拆”的四字格热词，引起学界高度关注。基于模因论，本研究探讨了四字格网络热词“人艰不拆”作为一个语言模因被广泛复制并传播的动因，周期及机制，发现：（1）“人艰不拆”得以广泛复制传播受到人们语用目的驱动；（2）和绝大多数的模因一样，“人艰不拆”模因经历了同化、记忆、表达和传播四个阶段；（3）“人艰不拆”作为语言模因有两种主要复制传播方式，即基因型和表现型。

关键词： 网络热词；模因论；动因；周期；机制

Abstract

In recent years, a kind of four-character internet buzzwords like Ren Jian Bu Chai appears as a main part of internet language which attracts the attention of the linguistic field. Based on Memetics, this study analyzes the motivation, periodicity and mechanism behind the wide imitation and transmission of Ren Jian Bu Chai as a language meme, which highlights the following three major findings: (1) the pragmatic uses of Ren Jian Bu Chai motivate its wide transmission and imitation; (2) Ren Jian Bu Chai as a meme undergoes four stages which are assimilation, retention, expression and transmission; (3) Ren Jian Bu Chai is widely transmitted and copied through two ways, namely the genotype and phenotype.

Key words: internet buzzword; Memetics; motivation; periodicity; mechanism  

Contents

1 Introduction 1

1.1 Background of the study 1

1.2 Need for the study 1

1.3 Overall structure of the thesis 2

2 Literature Review 2

2.1 Definition of four-character internet buzzwords 2

2.2 Previous studies 3

2.3 Perspective of this thesis 4

3 Theoretical Foundation 5

3.1 Concepts of main terms of Memetics 5

3.1.1 Meme and Memetics 5

3.1.2 Language meme 6

3.2 Memetic Theories 6

3.2.1 The transmission process of a meme 6

3.2.2 Ways of transmission and imitation 6

4 A Memetic Study of Internet Buzzwords 7

4.1 Pragmatic motivation 8

4.2 Transmission periodicity 8

4.2.1 Assimilation 9

4.2.2 Retention 9

4.2.3 Expression 9

4.2.4 Transmission 10

4.3 Mechanism behind the transmission and imitation 10

4.3.1 The genotype way 10

4.3.2 The phenotype way 11

5 Conclusion 12

5.1 Major findings 12

5.2 Limitations 13

References 14