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Judging from these alarming top level official government proclamations, one might think that the Chinese language is going to hell in a handbasket, and it's all because of the deleterious effects of the internet, strict policing of which is absolutely necessary.

Rénmín wǎng: Rénmín rè píng: Jǐnfáng hēi huà làn gěng de yǐnxìng qīnshí 

Lín Fēng 2024 nián 10 yuè 13 rì 10:31 | Láiyuán: Rénmín wǎng-guāndiǎn píndào xiǎo zìhao jìnrì, zhōngyāng wǎng xìn bàn, jiàoyù bù yìnfā tōngzhī, bùshǔ kāizhǎn “qīnglǎng·guīfàn wǎngluò yǔyán wénzì shǐyòng” zhuānxiàng xíngdòng. Zhuānxiàng xíngdòng jùjiāo bùfèn wǎngzhàn píngtái zài rè sōu bǎng dān, shǒuyè shǒu píng, fāxiàn jīngxuǎn děng zhòngdiǎn huánjié chéngxiàn de yǔyán wénzì bù guīfàn, bù wénmíng xiànxiàng, zhòngdiǎn zhěngzhì wāi qǔ yīn, xíng, yì, biānzào wǎngluò hēi huà làn gěng, lànyòng yǐnhuì biǎodá děng túchū wèntí.

人民網 ：人民熱評：謹防黑話爛梗的隱性侵蝕
林 風
2024年10月13日10:31 | 來源：人民網-觀點頻道
小字號

近日，中央網信辦、教育部印發通知，部署開展“清朗·規范網絡語言文字使用”專項行動。專項行動聚焦部分網站平台在熱搜榜單、首頁首屏、發現精選等重點環節呈現的語言文字不規范、不文明現象，重點整治歪曲音、形、義，編造網絡黑話爛梗，濫用隱晦表達等突出問題。

People's Daily Online: People's Hot Comments: Beware of the Hidden Erosion of Slang and Bad Memes Lin Feng October 13, 2024 10:31 | Source: People's Daily Online – Viewpoint Channel Small font Recently, the Central Cyberspace Affairs Office and the Ministry of Education issued a notice to deploy a special action of "Clear and Standardized Network Language and Text Usage". The special action focuses on the irregular and uncivilized language and text presented in some websites and platforms in key links such as hot search lists, homepages, and discovery selections, focusing on rectifying prominent problems such as distortion of pronunciation, form, and meaning, fabrication of internet slang and bad memes, and abuse of implicit expressions.

(source)

A similar denunciation of the malign impact of the internet appeared in a sister publication of the central government:

Zhōngyāng wǎng xìn bàn bùshǔ kāizhǎn “qīnglǎng·guīfàn wǎngluò yǔyán wénzì shǐyòng” zhuānxiàng xíngdòng 2024 nián 10 yuè 11 rì 16:00 Láiyuán: Zhōngguó wǎng xìn wǎng [dǎyìn][jiū cuò] ànzhào 2024 nián “qīnglǎng” xìliè zhuānxiàng xíngdòng jìhuà ānpái, wèi zhěngzhì wǎngshàng guójiā tōngyòngyǔyán wénzì bù guīfàn shǐyòng luàn xiàng, sùzào yǒu lìyú wèi chéngnián rén jiànkāng chéngzhǎng de wǎngluò huánjìng hé yù rén shēngtài, jìnrì, zhōngyāng wǎng xìn bàn, jiàoyù bù yìnfā tōngzhī, bùshǔ kāizhǎn “qīnglǎng·guīfàn wǎngluò yǔyán wénzì shǐyòng” zhuānxiàng xíngdòng. Zhuānxiàng xíngdòng jùjiāo bùfèn wǎngzhàn píngtái zài rè sōu bǎng dān, shǒuyè shǒu píng, fāxiàn jīng xuǎn děng zhòngdiǎn huánjié chéngxiàn de yǔyán wénzì bù guīfàn, bù wénmíng xiànxiàng, zhòngdiǎn zhěngzhì wāi qǔ yīn, xíng, yì, biānzào wǎngluò hēihuà làn gěng, lànyòng yǐnhuì biǎodá děng túchū wèntí. Zhuānxiàng xíngdòng yāoqiú, gèdì wǎng xìn, jiàoyù bùmén yào qiánghuà xiétóng liándòng, xíngchéng yīfǎ guǎnlǐ hé zhèngmiàn yǐndǎo hélì, jiānchí wèntí dǎoxiàng, jùjiāo qúnzhòng fǎnyìng jízhōng de wèntí, jùjiāo wèi chéngnián rén děng tèshū qúntǐ quányì bǎohù, chàngtōng jǔbào qúdào, jízhōng qīnglǐ bù guīfàn, bù wénmíng wǎngluò yǔyán wénzì xiàng guān xìnxī, yángé luòshí zhěngzhì rènwù. Gǔlì gèdì jiéhé gōngzuò shíjì, jiāqiáng yǔyán wénzì xiàng guān fǎlǜ fǎguī kēpǔ xuānchuán, chàngdǎo wénmíng yòng yǔ yòng zì, yíngzào quán shèhuì zhòngshì hé cānyù de liánghǎo fēnwéi.

中央网信办部署开展“清朗·规范网络语言文字使用”专项行动
2024年10月11日 16:00 来源： 中国网信网
【打印】【纠错】

按照2024年“清朗”系列专项行动计划安排，为整治网上国家通用语言文字不规范使用乱象，塑造有利于未成年人健康成长的网络环境和育人生态，近日，中央网信办、教育部印发通知，部署开展“清朗·规范网络语言文字使用”专项行动。

专项行动聚焦部分网站平台在热搜榜单、首页首屏、发现精选等重点环节呈现的语言文字不规范、不文明现象，重点整治歪曲音、形、义，编造网络黑话烂梗，滥用隐晦表达等突出问题。

专项行动要求，各地网信、教育部门要强化协同联动，形成依法管理和正面引导合力，坚持问题导向，聚焦群众反映集中的问题，聚焦未成年人等特殊群体权益保护，畅通举报渠道，集中清理不规范、不文明网络语言文字相关信息，严格落实整治任务。鼓励各地结合工作实际，加强语言文字相关法律法规科普宣传，倡导文明用语用字，营造全社会重视和参与的良好氛围。

The Central Cyberspace Affairs Office deploys a special campaign of "Clear and Bright·Standardized Use of Online Language and Characters" October 11, 2024 16:00 Source: China Cyberspace Affairs Network [Print][Correction] According to the 2024 "Clear and Bright" series of special action plans, in order to rectify the irregular use of the national common language and characters on the Internet and create a network environment and education ecology that is conducive to the healthy growth of minors, the Central Cyberspace Affairs Office and the Ministry of Education recently issued a notice to deploy a special campaign of "Clear and Bright·Standardized Use of Online Language and Characters". The special campaign focuses on the irregular and uncivilized language and characters presented in key links such as hot search lists, homepages, and discovery selections on some website platforms, focusing on rectifying prominent problems such as distorted pronunciation, form, and meaning, fabricating online jargon, and abusing obscure expressions. The special action requires that local cybersecurity and informatization and education departments strengthen coordination and collaboration, form a joint force of legal management and positive guidance, adhere to problem orientation, focus on the issues that the masses have concentrated on, focus on the protection of the rights and interests of special groups such as minors, open up reporting channels, and centrally clean up information related to irregular and uncivilized online language and characters, and strictly implement rectification tasks. Localities are encouraged to strengthen the popularization of laws and regulations related to language and characters in light of their actual work, advocate civilized language and characters, and create a good atmosphere of attention and participation from the whole society.

(source)

The transcription and translation of both passages are thanks to Google Translate, with minor emendments by VHM.

If the cyberspace authorities in China could see what the raw face of the internet is like in America, they would be aghast / apoplectic.  No wonder they feel that they need the Great Firewall to protect the innocent eyes and ears of the people of China.  However, I guarantee that they are fighting a losing battle; people, especially young people, are just too creative and feisty.  They should also know that, in these crazy, chaotic times, one thing more than any other that helps me keep my sanity and, yes, JOY, are the super clever memes that I spend many hours perusing each week.  It might help the dour cyberspace authorities in China to loosen up a bit if they learned how to appreciate the brilliant memes that surround them, if only they'd open their eyes and ears.

Selected readings

• "Chinese Buzzwords of the year 2019: plagiarism / stealing a shtick" (1/8/20)
• "'Garbage time of history'" (7/31/24)
• "'Garbage time of history', part 2" (9/23/24)
• "Crab raccoon, part 2" (9/2/24)

[Thanks to shaing tai)

October 16, 2024 @ 9:35 pm · Filed by Victor Mair under Censorship, Etymology, Language on the internets, Pronunciation

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