Lexical borrowing, retention and innovation a study of the Chinese - language edition of Saigon Giai Phong Newspaper

Abstract

The Sai Gon Giai Phong Chinese-language edition is the only newspaper in Vietnam using Huayu – a regional variety of Global Chinese shaped by contact with local languages and cultures. This study investigates three salient lexical phenomena in the newspaper’s Huayu usage: borrowing, preservation, and innovation. Borrowing demonstrates the adoption of terms from Chinese dialects and Vietnamese to adapt to local sociocultural contexts. The preservation of archaisms demonstrates a tendency to maintain classical linguistic elements for the purpose of establishing a formal register and safeguarding cultural identity. Lexical innovation reveals the dynamic adaptability of Huayu to represent contemporary Vietnamese realities through context-driven neologisms. The findings help identify the unique lexical characteristics of Vietnamese Huayu and contribute to broader discussions on the evolution of Chinese as a global language in multilingual environments.