Language Policy and Identity in Chinese Classrooms: The Case of Mandarin and Local Dialects

Abstract

This paper explores the intersection of language policy and identity formation in Chinese classrooms, focusing on the dominance of Standard Mandarin (Putonghua) and its impact on students who speak local dialects such as Cantonese, Shanghainese, Hokkien, and others. While national language policies have promoted linguistic unification as a means of fostering national identity and socioeconomic mobility, these policies often marginalize regional linguistic identities. Drawing from sociolinguistic theory and a review of policy documents and existing literature, this study examines how students experience language regulation in educational settings and how their linguistic identities are shaped, negotiated, or suppressed in the process. The paper argues for a more inclusive approach to language education that acknowledges linguistic diversity as a cultural asset rather than a barrier to national cohesion.