Register Variation in Chinese English and Language Variation between Chinese English and American English: A Case Study of Perhaps and Maybe

Abstract

The study aims to explore the register variation in Chinese English and language variation between Chinese English and American English. A corpus-based and comparative methodology was used to analyse the discourse features of Chinese English in the use of the lexical items perhaps and maybe. The major findings of the study can be stated as follows: 1) the more formal word perhaps is used more frequently than the informal word maybe in all the four genres in Chinese English. This shows that the text of Chinese English is generally in a more formal style. 2) In the Chinese English text, the ratios of the standard frequency of perhaps to maybe are greater than those in American English in the all the four genres. This indicates that the text in Chinese English is generally in a more formal style than that in American English. 3) In the Chinese English text, the informal word maybe is used less frequently than in the American English text. This is a sign that Chinese English is more formal than American English.