Comparing nominal address forms in Chinese and Vietnamese from a sociolinguistic perspective

Abstract

Language is an essential medium for the transmission of human culture. Differences in social and cultural contexts across nations are reflected in their linguistic systems. Forms of address represent interpersonal relationships and embody socio-cultural values. Chinese features an exceptionally rich system of address forms. Its highly complex structure mirrors the intricate relationship networks and hierarchical order characteristic of traditional Chinese society. As Chinese and Vietnamese belong to two distinct linguistic systems, their nominal address forms also exhibit differences that reflect unique cultural traits and language-use conventions of China and Vietnam. From a sociolinguistic perspective, this paper employs statistical, classificatory, descriptive, and comparative methods to examine similarities and differences in nominal address forms in Chinese and Vietnamese.