Sociolinguistics Approaches to the Learning of Chinese as an Additional Language Research

This chapter reviews sociolinguistic inquiries into the learning of Chinese as an additional language (CAL). The Chinese-speaking world is complex, with many different linguistic varieties. Chinese language and discourse further intertwine in myriad ways with the Chinese identity in transnational contexts. This chapter begins with a brief introduction that defines the scopes of sociolinguistic research and of CAL. It is then followed with a review that identifies five settings in which sociolinguistic approaches have played a significant role in our understanding of Chinese language education. The first one is learning Chinese as a heritage language in diaspora families and communities. The second setting is Chinese language classrooms, where teachers and students redistribute, transmit, or contest sociolinguistic conventions through talk. The third setting is study abroad, in which learners' language can evoke affect, identities, and ideologies in the local community. The review of the fourth setting focuses on Chinese learning in global trade and (im)migration. The fifth part delves into the experience of learning Chinese among ethnically minoritized individuals in places where Chinese is an official language. The chapter concludes with implications that call for more critical sociolinguistic awareness in the curriculum, teacher development, and research.