Is 'NBA' Chinese or English?: The current situation of English lettered words in Chinese. Issue 4 (10th July 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Xu, Mingwu; Tian, Chuanmao
• Is Part Of: English today. Volume 33:Issue 4(2017)
• Page Start: 33
• Page End: 39
• Publication Date: 2017-07-10
• Subjects: English language -- Periodicals; 420.5
• DOI: 10.1017/S0266078417000232
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0266-0784

Abstract

Abstract : In recent years, the use of foreign loanwords in Chinese has increased significantly. It has been estimated that there are currently about 3, 000 foreign words in Chinese, most of which are related to English (Zhang, 2006). Of these, more than 500 words are frequently used, together with their abbreviations and translations. In response to this situation, the Chinese government established the Inter-ministerial Joint Meeting on Chinese Language Translation and Writing Specifications (IJM-CLTWS) in 2012, consisting of ten state-level ministries and institutions such as the State Language Commission, the Central Compilation & Translation Bureau, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Education. Thus far, the expert committee of the IJM-CLTWS has identified four groups of foreign words and their standard Chinese translations.