Semantic and Lexical Change of Expressions of Sexualities in Taiwan Mandarin Chinese

• Main Authors: Yang, Yao-lin, 楊曜璘
• Other Authors: 廖秀娟
• Format: Others
• Language: en_US
• Published: 2013
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/78287293114409713637

碩士 === 國立清華大學 === 語言學研究所 === 101 === This thesis aims to examine lexical and semantic change of terms expressing sexuality in Taiwan Mandarin. Various categories of sexuality expressions in Taiwan Mandarin are discussed: (1) expressions related to sexual identity; (2) expressions related to sexual desire. In order to discuss expressions related to sexual identity, I compare the frequency of use of several modern expressions of homosexual and expressions that lesbian and gay used to express their own identities on the newspaper. By observing and comparing terms expressing homosexual through years, we can find out that even though several expressions are used to express a similar idea, they have been created in different periods, used in different contexts, and/or identified with different connotations. For instance, 同性戀 tongxinglian, 同志 tongzhi, 玻璃 boli, 酷兒 kuer, and 斷背 duanbei can be used to refer to homosexual, but their developments, frequency, and popularity are greatly different. In order to discuss expressions related to sexual desire, terms related to lesbian and gay’s sexual behavior or tools are considered. By observing the use of such terms through years, we can find out that there are a number of metaphorical uses related to homosexual’s sexual behavior regardless of when, where, and to which group these terms are used. For example, metaphors include the simile of sexual behavior with certain instruments or other actions (e.g. 磨豆腐  mo-doufu and 雞姦 jijian) and the use of pictographic description (e.g. 10 yi-ling and 69 liou-jiou). Change in different categories of expressions referring to different sexualities are ordered according to chronological order and discussed in this thesis. Through studying the development of sexuality expressions diachronically, some observations can be made. First, several new expressions (e.g. 拉子 lazi and 同志 tongzhi) are created by homosexual people. Second, social practice and historical background can play a role in semantic change of terms expressing sexuality. Third, polysemy, an important stage in semantic change, can be found in semantic change of terms expressing sexuality. Fourth, various kinds of strategies are employed to create new terms for expressing sexuality, including metaphor, borrowing, back-formation, etc. Finally, although the interpretations of terms expressing sexuality may be fixed by the dominant mainstream culture, minority communities may still have their own unique interpretations of these terms.