Zhuang Language and Attitudes of Locals Regarding Its Usage: A Case Study of Yongle Village, Tiandeng County, Guangxi

With the further implementation of Putonghua Popularization Work and the influence of other factors, people in some ethnic minority areas gradually give up their own language. This study investigates and provides an analysis of both the Putonghua and local dialect usage in Yongle Village, Ninggan Township of Tiandeng County, Guanxi Province by the means of questionnaires, interviews and observation. The results of study show that the popularization rate of Putonghua in Yongle Village is quite high. The local people generally recognize the use of Putonghua, and the middle-aged and elders are still proficient in using the Zhuang language, but have no intention of protecting it. In the daily life, the phenomenon of code-switching is very common. Zhuang language is a popular local dialect, but its influence is weakening. This paper put forward some suggestions, hoping that people in ethnic minority areas can establish a scientific attitude towards language. That means promoting the use of Putonghua and at the same time improving the awareness of local dialect protection, and then becoming bilingual users, even multilingual users.