Visual Representation of Taiwanese Language in Cinemas

• Main Authors: PAN, YI-HSIEN, 潘逸嫻
• Other Authors: Liu,Cheng-Yuan
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 2017
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/74w2xb

碩士 === 國立高雄師範大學 === 臺灣歷史文化及語言研究所 === 105 === Abstract How the images of Taiwanese language are represented and constructed in cinemas? How the language status and language attitude in social context are represented in cinemas? Are Taiwanese speakers represented as "the Other"? To answer the question above, 13 movie trailers were selected and visual textual analysis was conducted with the Semiotic approach . Results showed that code-switching of Taiwanese speakers in the context reflects the weakness of the Language Vitality of Taiwanese language. Over 70% of Taiwanese speakers are middle-aged and elderly people; over 70% of Taiwanese speakers are males; Taiwanese language is often used in both vulgar and informal ways of the context, which may reflect the language attitude in Taiwan culture. Besides, Taiwanese language and Taiwan Mandarin speakers are represented as "the Other"— they are low-class, funny, ignorant or violent. Moreover, the study shows that those who speak Taiwanese in comedies are old-fashioned and less elegant. Also, Taiwanese is the main language code used by the mafia and villains in cinemas which highlight the opposition between the righteous and the wicked. Constructed as a sign of certain characters, becoming a sign of certain characters, Taiwanese language is stereotyping as a sign of negative stereotypes, which is strengthened through the spread of mass communication.