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Chapter 5 Assessing Beijing’s foreign language environment

  • Jie Zhang
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Language Policy and Planning for the Modern Olympic Games
This chapter is in the book Language Policy and Planning for the Modern Olympic Games

Abstract

Given the enormous size of the Olympic Games and the complexity of its participating members and events, any attempt at language management poses a very serious challenge. An important factor supporting China’s language management in the Games is the strong authority of the central government in implementing its policy. In order to improve the overall foreign language level of Beijing citizens and enhance Beijing’s international image in the preparation for the 2008 Olympic Games, the Organising Committee for the BSFLP carried out a series of activities in the host city, based on the Action Plan for the Beijing Speaks Foreign Languages Programme (2003-2008). The national pride in hosting the Olympic Games greatly aroused the enthusiasm of Beijing citizens to learn and speak foreign languages. After five years of preparation, the Office of the Leading Group on Foreign Affairs of the Beijing Municipal Party Committee of the CPC, the Foreign Affairs Office of Beijing Municipal Government, and the Organising Committee of BSFLP commissioned the Datasea Market Research Company to conduct an assessment of Beijing’s foreign language environment. On 1 August 2008, a week before the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympic Games, the Follow-up Survey and Analytical Report on Foreign Language Environment of Beijing (Office of the Leading Group on Foreign Affairs of the Beijing Municipal Party Committee of the CPC et al. 2008) was officially released. In this chapter, I comment on ‘Beijing’s foreign language environment’ in the run-up to the Beijing Olympic Games based on this official report and my research data.

Abstract

Given the enormous size of the Olympic Games and the complexity of its participating members and events, any attempt at language management poses a very serious challenge. An important factor supporting China’s language management in the Games is the strong authority of the central government in implementing its policy. In order to improve the overall foreign language level of Beijing citizens and enhance Beijing’s international image in the preparation for the 2008 Olympic Games, the Organising Committee for the BSFLP carried out a series of activities in the host city, based on the Action Plan for the Beijing Speaks Foreign Languages Programme (2003-2008). The national pride in hosting the Olympic Games greatly aroused the enthusiasm of Beijing citizens to learn and speak foreign languages. After five years of preparation, the Office of the Leading Group on Foreign Affairs of the Beijing Municipal Party Committee of the CPC, the Foreign Affairs Office of Beijing Municipal Government, and the Organising Committee of BSFLP commissioned the Datasea Market Research Company to conduct an assessment of Beijing’s foreign language environment. On 1 August 2008, a week before the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympic Games, the Follow-up Survey and Analytical Report on Foreign Language Environment of Beijing (Office of the Leading Group on Foreign Affairs of the Beijing Municipal Party Committee of the CPC et al. 2008) was officially released. In this chapter, I comment on ‘Beijing’s foreign language environment’ in the run-up to the Beijing Olympic Games based on this official report and my research data.

Chapters in this book

  1. Frontmatter I
  2. Preface: The paradox of the concomitant rise of China and English V
  3. Acknowledgement IX
  4. Contents XI
  5. List of abbreviations and acronyms XVII
  6. Chapter 1 The Modern Olympic Games as linguistically complex events 1
  7. Chapter 2 Remaking China in the Olympic spotlight 28
  8. Chapter 3 Researching the LPP for the 2008 Beijing Olympics 40
  9. Chapter 4 Beijing’s commitment – international language environment 62
  10. Chapter 5 Assessing Beijing’s foreign language environment 104
  11. Chapter 6 Imagined communities and identity options in Beijing Olympic English textbooks 144
  12. Chapter 7 The linguistic landscape of the Olympic city 167
  13. Chapter 8 China’s Olympic language services – legacy, transformation and prospect 199
  14. Chapter 9 Conclusion 226
  15. Bibliography 229
  16. Appendix 1: List of interview participants 251
  17. Appendix 2: Key to transcription conventions 255
  18. Index 257
https://doi.org/10.1515/9781614514954-005

Chapters in this book

  1. Frontmatter I
  2. Preface: The paradox of the concomitant rise of China and English V
  3. Acknowledgement IX
  4. Contents XI
  5. List of abbreviations and acronyms XVII
  6. Chapter 1 The Modern Olympic Games as linguistically complex events 1
  7. Chapter 2 Remaking China in the Olympic spotlight 28
  8. Chapter 3 Researching the LPP for the 2008 Beijing Olympics 40
  9. Chapter 4 Beijing’s commitment – international language environment 62
  10. Chapter 5 Assessing Beijing’s foreign language environment 104
  11. Chapter 6 Imagined communities and identity options in Beijing Olympic English textbooks 144
  12. Chapter 7 The linguistic landscape of the Olympic city 167
  13. Chapter 8 China’s Olympic language services – legacy, transformation and prospect 199
  14. Chapter 9 Conclusion 226
  15. Bibliography 229
  16. Appendix 1: List of interview participants 251
  17. Appendix 2: Key to transcription conventions 255
  18. Index 257
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