Unit 2: The Influence of Language and Culture on Identity

Identity (in this unit)

How you understand yourself and how others understand you, including visible categories (e.g., age, gender) and less visible ones (e.g., values, roles, belonging).

Constructed identity

The AP idea that identity is built through experiences and choices over time.

Performed identity

The AP idea that identity is shown through what you do and say (especially language choices).

Relational identity

Identity as dependent on who you are with; the same person may speak/act differently in different relationships.

Social roles (as identity)

Positions like student, child, friend, customer that shape expected language and behavior.

孝顺 (filial piety/being filial)

Valuing respect and care for parents/elders, including emotional consideration and practical support, not just obedience.

懂事 (considerate/sensible)

A trait highlighting socially appropriate behavior and consideration for others, often emphasized through roles and responsibilities.

有责任感 (responsible)

An identity-describing quality emphasizing duties and accountability in social relationships.

Cultural products

Tangible or institutional cultural items (e.g., books, apps, clothing, food, school systems, family names).

Cultural practices

Repeated cultural behaviors (e.g., greeting styles, gift-giving, holiday routines, polite refusals).

Cultural perspectives

Underlying values that shape products and practices (e.g., harmony, respect for elders, saving face).

Language shapes identity

The idea that language not only communicates identity but also provides categories, respect strategies, and shared references that influence how people see relationships.

Register

A style level of language (e.g., formal vs casual) chosen to fit relationship and context.

Chinese as a group of related varieties

The idea that “Chinese” includes multiple related language varieties rather than a single uniform form.

普通话 (Mandarin as standard speech)

The standard spoken form commonly used in education and media in mainland China in many AP contexts.

方言 (regional varieties)

Regional speech varieties often called “dialects” in everyday usage; they have social meaning and cultural history.

Accent (as identity marker)

Pronunciation differences that can signal where someone is from and which community they identify with.

In-group closeness (through local speech)

A sense of intimacy/belonging that can be created by speaking a local variety at home or with community members.

Standard language ideology (status/opportunity)

The social tendency to associate standard speech with education/professionalism and to judge nonstandard accents unfairly.

Tonal language

A language where pitch (tone) changes meaning; in Chinese, the tone can change the meaning of a syllable.

Code-switching

Switching between languages or language varieties within a conversation or across situations, often natural for bilinguals.

Bilingual identity tension

Feeling “not X enough” in different settings (e.g., not Chinese enough in one place, not American enough in another) due to language expectations.

Simplified characters

A writing system that can index where someone learned Chinese and which community/media they connect with.

Traditional characters

A writing system whose use can signal community background, schooling, and cultural connection, especially in some regions/overseas contexts.

Chinese characters (as cultural heritage)

One of the world’s oldest writing systems, often described as originating from pictograms and combining shape, sound, and meaning.

Oracle bone script (甲骨文)

The earliest mature form of Chinese characters found today, associated with the Shang Dynasty.

Six Books (六书)

An ancient framework describing character formation/usage categories (including 象形, 指事, 会意, 形声, 转注, 假借).

象形 (pictography)

A character-formation method that draws physical characteristics of an object using strokes/lines.

指事 (indicatives)

A character-formation method that represents abstract ideas through marks or symbols.

会意 (associative compounds)

A method that combines two or more components/characters to express meaning (会意字).

形声 (phono-semantic compounds)

A method combining a meaning component (radical) with a sound component to form a character.

转注 (transfer notes)

A 六书 category often described as a method of using/relating words rather than creating entirely new ones.

假借 (false borrowing)

A 六书 category where an existing character is borrowed for a new use/meaning; often treated as “using words” rather than creating them.

Stroke (笔画)

The smallest compositional unit of a Chinese character.

Stroke order rules

Conventional writing rules such as top-to-bottom, left-to-right, horizontal-then-vertical, outside-then-inside-and-seal, and middle-first-then-sides.

Calligraphy (书法)

The art of writing Chinese characters as a visual art form that can express personality, taste, and emotion (identity symbol).

Four Treasures of Wenfang (文房四宝)

Traditional calligraphy materials: brush (笔), ink (墨), rice paper (宣纸), and inkstone (砚).

Family name first convention

A naming pattern (e.g., 王小明) where the surname comes first, reflecting emphasis on family line and collective belonging.

Nickname (as identity marker)

A name like 小王 or 明明 that can signal closeness, affection, or age hierarchy.

Address terms

Words/titles (e.g., 老师, 阿姨, 您) that encode relationship, respect, distance, and role recognition.

你 vs 您

A pronoun choice that sets social distance and respect; using the right one signals relationship awareness.

Face (面子)

A person’s social image (respectability/competence/dignity) that people try to protect for themselves and others in interaction.

Indirectness (as politeness strategy)

Using softeners, partial agreement, or reasons to balance honesty with harmony and face-saving.

Softening phrases

Phrases like 可能, 也许, 我觉得 that reduce bluntness and perform politeness/maturity.

Modesty response (to compliments)

A common response style that downplays praise (e.g., 没有没有，还差得远呢), especially in more traditional/formal contexts.

关系 (relationships/network)

The idea that social connections are important and can be maintained through symbolic acts (e.g., gift-giving and ritual politeness).

Gift-giving ritual politeness (推让)

A practice of politely refusing once or twice or saying 太客气了 to show understanding of social norms and respect.

Gaokao (高考)

China’s National College Entrance Examination; a highly competitive, identity-defining milestone affecting university admission.

C9 League

A group label for some of China’s most prestigious universities within tertiary education.

Great Firewall of China

A broad censorship system using legal/technical measures to restrict access to politically sensitive or harmful content online.