Comment on Bilingual Features of the NYT and Reuters

There is the usage of cross-reference in NYT news. Throughout the article, there are some phrases or words that are blue in line. When we click on the words, there is a link to pop out. For example, “the recent trial of Bo Xilai”,” journalists jammed behind the police cordons”, “said in an interview with Phoenix television”. If readers click on the link of “the recent trial of Bo Xilai”, an original new of the Bo Xilai’s incident titled “As Surprisingly Open Trial Begins in China, Fallen Politician Shows Defiancein” from New York Times online pop outs. The link does not only include text but also pictures and video. It adopts a multimedia element. For example, when readers click on “journalists jammed behind the police cordons”, a picture from sina.com is shown immediately. If “said in an interview with Phoenix television” is clicked, a video of the prominent Chinese Lawyer Chen Youxi, is analyzing the case of Li Tianyi. Using the cross-reference makes the news more authentic and reliable. People always want to know more information. This can increase their knowledge and satisfy their curiosity. This also shows the diversity of multimedia in mediascape.

 

Both of the news do not adopt linguistic code, or mixed code, which means second language in a particular text. The common language use is the national language - English only. However, only Reuters offer different types of languages at the top of the column, such as in France, Canada and Spain edition. The New York Times has lesser language options to choose, which have global, US and China edition. So in this region, we can say news in Reuters is more likely to have linguistic diversity and NYT is more linguistic homogeneity. Since NYT have English and Chinese language only, we can probably call it a bilingual media discourse. Moreover, no language-mixing or code-switching are observed in both of the news too.

 

Under the new era of amateur, everyone can be involved in the internet with the technology advancement. When internet users visit both pieces of news online, they can have some follow-up actions in terms of sharing, comment or click a “like” on social networking sites. This undeniably increases the interaction between the readers and the writer. Their national identity can be increased by their engagement and participation on the news. Gradually the people participating in such social network can be called as “social actors” or even “cultural translators”. These people are having symbolic capital, which is the relationships and social network they create online and later, they will be changed as concrete capital after a period of time. The internet users will create a speech community unintentionally. It means a community which shares the same speech. The computer-mediated communicaton technology facilitates the establishment of the speech community. According to“ the virtual community: Homesteading on the electronic frontier” by Rheingold, H., Community includes both communication ( a group of people who shared interests) and communion ( which is spiritual, emotional, a “human” feeling that comes from the communicative coordination of oneself with others and the environment). When browsing the comment corner from the news, the online users have shared their own view and feelings towards the Li Tianyi’s case. Therefore, speech community is established. It’s not necessarily to be too large.

 

Context

Both of the news focused on the scandal of the political figures of the Communist Party. However, NYT report the news in more different aspects by reporting the view of Mr Li (the prosecutor) and Ms Lu and also it compares with the recent trial of Bo Xilai. Reuters adds many facts and focuses more in the bloggers. It shows that the internet users are social actors and they concern about their society. They build up their identity in China.

 

Posted by Catherine Lo Tsz ChinThis shows the internet users in China are very keen on and concern about this.