The linguosemiotic vector in Russian as a foreign language textbook series “Getting to know Modern China”

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Introduction

Chinese colleges and universities at different stages of state development have been using different approaches to teaching materials for training specialists with knowledge of foreign languages. The dynamics of Russian language textbooks with different focuses is explicitly or indirectly presented in the articles of Chinese specialists in Russian language studies. They analyze the issues of university teaching of Russian language in the aspect of modern trends (Balykhina, Zhao, 2010; Liu, 2014; Gao, 2016; Zhang, 2020; Hui, Petrova, 2021; etc.). Contemporary Russian language studies in China mentions the need “for textbooks on Russian as a foreign language oriented to new contingents of learners and new learning goals and conditions” (Farysenkova, Zhellali, 2020: 427), corresponding to “the level of native language and cultural background of those who use these textbooks” (Li, 2024: 14).

In 2016, the wish to participate in global governance necessitated training professionals with a clear understanding of Chinese national conditions and fluent foreign language skills, those who are aware in international rules and basic aspects of international negotiation. The transformed concept of foreign language education in China changes the traditional perception of Eastern educational tradition where “the contemplative student’s learning behavior lacks active information interpretation and processing, as well as the expression of new knowledge personal perception and evaluation, <...> does not form subjective motivation and does not stimulate involvement in the process of mastering new knowledge” (Noreyko, 2021: 53).

The new era of higher foreign-language education in China and the period of innovations in training highly qualified specialists with Russian language knowledge were conditioned by the One Belt One Road initiative (2013), which determined the new goal and conceptual renewal of education. Besides fruitful multifaceted contacts with Russia, China effectively cooperates “with five Central Asian countries, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan” (Wan, 2019: 124). Russian as an intermediary language in business negotiations substantiated “the model of integrated training ‘Russian language + specialty’” (Zhang, 2020: 24–25). The new concept of foreign language education is aimed at forming Chinese students’ linguistic personality and correlates with the linguodidactic model of linguistic personality of G.I. Bogin, its linguistic-cognitive structure (Bogin, 1980). The training of talented students with professional knowledge of business Russian has actualized didactic goals and activated Chinese teachers to rationally plan the knowledge system, purposefully design teaching and learning activities, and apply “a suitable way of teaching” (Zhang, 2018: 261).

At the end of 2019, China organized “Three aspects of implementing the multilingual version of Xi Jinping’s book ‘On Governance”^[1]. The “Three Aspects of Implementation” means “implementation in universities, implementation in teaching material, and implementation in the classroom”. In 2021, the Propaganda Department of the CPC Central Committee justified the need to develop standardized textbooks and identified teaching material as the basis of learning activities. The result of the “Three Aspects of Implementation” was the release of the “Getting to Know Modern China” series of textbooks in ten foreign languages, which represent the discourse of the new-age socialist system with Chinese characteristics through the linguosemiotic systems of English, Russian, German, French, Spanish, Arabic, Japanese, Italian, Portuguese, and Korean languages.

In each language, the series includes four textbooks: “Reading and Writing”, “Public Speaking”, “Practical Translation Course” (for undergraduate students), and “Advanced Translation Course” (for postgraduate students). It is an effective way to update and improve the foreign language teaching system in China (Zhang, Liu, 2022: 91). The linguodidactic model of each textbook is abstract and aims at both language acquisition through a new system of teaching materials and the formation of a conceptual knowledge system to introduce modern China to the world. This is due to not only concrete basic concepts, but also abstract concepts as abstract categorizing concepts or generalized cognitive-semiotic models because “both concrete and abstract concepts can have a symbolic component and transcend worldview meanings” (Shelestyuk, 2021: 37). The textbook series “Getting to Know Modern China” is based on two interrelated factors: 1) modern China is experiencing the best period of its development; 2) there is an extraordinary demand for highly qualified international specialists with profound knowledge of foreign languages because of the significance of “the intercultural component of foreign language communicative competence, which allows an individual to use available knowledge, skills and abilities in a certain cultural context” (Obdalova, Levashkina, 2020: 223).

For a long time, Chinese higher foreign language education has been focused on introducing China to the world and entering a new era. The new mission of this education is to develop talents who can not only read “Western books”, translate “Western scientific papers” and learn “Western languages” within the framework of modern foreign language education, but also become responsible for introducing modern China to the world. This attracts interest to the new linguistic-semiotic vector of the Russian as a Foreign Language textbook series “Getting to Know Modern China”.

The aim of our paper is to identify the basic linguistic-semiotic elements of the new era socialist system with Chinese features as a vector in forming the ability to interpret Chinese political discourse in Russian.

Materials and methods

The material for the study was four textbooks of the series “Getting to Know Modern China” (hereinafter referred to as “Russian Textbook Series”): “Reading and riting” (for the third year)^[2]; “Public Speaking” (for the fourth year)^[3]; ”Practical Translation Course (for undergraduate students)”^[4], and Advanced Translation Course (for Master’s students)”^[5]. These books are based on Xi Jinping’s ideas of the new era socialism with Chinese features. This choice is justified by “the basic principles of linguodidactics, the idea of didactic significance of linguistic phenomena, when language as a semiotic system is understood as an object and at the same time as a means of learning” (Shaklein, 2008: 40).

The teaching materials of the Russian Textbook Series overcome the traditional distinction between textbooks forming linguistic skills and textbooks giving ideological knowledge; it organically combines foreign language teaching and the study of knowledge in the aspect of modern political discourse of China.

This determines the focus of our study in the aspect of linguosemiotics. We consider the sign systems in language and international communication. Linguosemiotic analysis as the main methodological vector is chosen due to the modern concepts of training professionals in Chinese universities able to fulfill their mission in interpreting linguistic-semiotic elements of politics, to transmit linguistic and cultural traditions as an integral part of the Chinese cultural and historical context, and to render modern Chinese political concepts in Russian. The analysis of the texts mainly from General Secretary Xi Jinping’s writings “Governing China”, “Resolutions”, “Speeches”, teaching materials and instructions identifies the peculiar reflection of cultural stereotypes and ideas.

Continuous sampling method was used to collect linguistic material with the components ‘Chinese’ and ‘with Chinese features’. This was specific research material including word combinations, sentences, and text fragments from the ‘Russian Textbook series’. The statistical method identified the quantitative component of variative use of the concept ‘socialism with Chinese features’ in the series.

Results

The article describes the linguodidactic model of teaching socio-political vocabulary on the material of four textbooks of the “Russian series of textbooks”. Its structure is typical and oriented both to language acquisition through a new system of teaching materials and to the formation of knowledge system to acquaint the world with China. Optimal implementation of the ideological and political curriculum concept which consists of the triad, value formation, knowledge transfer, and ability development is determined.

The interpretive range of the lexeme ‘Chinese’ in linguodidactic modeling is presented. The results of the study are confirmed in the statistical analysis of the micro-language of the “Russian Textbook Series” and in prevalence of political expressions with the component ‘Chinese’ as a linguosemiotic element organizing the linguodidactic basis of the analyzed textbooks.

The semiotic groups integrating linguistic-cultural and linguodidactic aspects of the expression ‘with Chinese features’ have been revealed. The frequency of the integral component ‘with Chinese features’ shows its value characteristics as a structural-semantic element of linguistic units of different levels for mastering macro- and micro-strategies of the text, “seeing the small in the big and the big in the small”, starting from the perspective of political discourse, understanding the macro-foundation, purpose, internal logic, and the text as a whole. Repetition of one structural-semantic element at different linguistic levels helps to understand the paragraphs, parse their parts and details, solve key and difficult problems relevant for linguodidactic purpose and meaning of the full text, style and linguistic range.

We establish the ideological aspect of the linguistic world picture integrated in the process of mastering Chinese political discourse in the Russian language under the conditions of the Chinese classroom and linguodidactic comprehension of the Chinese student’s secondary linguistic personality formation.

Discussion

Interpretative range of the lexeme ‘Chinese’ in linguodidactic modeling

Every textbook contains an introduction and 10 thematic units. The introduction presents the linguistic characteristics of Chinese documents on contemporary political events. The thematic units are focused on studying important aspects of Xi Jinping’s ideas on socialism with Chinese new-age features and understanding the main content and essential connotation. For example, the structure and content of the textbook module “Public Speech” is as follows:

• Introductory Statement (Introduction): a brief background of the topic and its representation.
• Learning Aim (Learning Objectives) includes three dimensions: topic content, presentation skills, and critical thinking ability.
• Pre-text exercises: content, introduction to the main part of the main text and other exercises.
• Training (warm-up exercises) includes oral tasks on the topic. The exercises are done individually or in groups with the use of relevant content which is found and read during the pre-training.
• Understanding Modern China introduces the topic content. Students read, understand, discuss texts from volumes 1, 2, 3 of Xi Jinping: Governing China, and understand modern China’s concept of governance, problem-solving methods and experiences.
• Tell the World about China integrates speech strategies, explains important speech skills, and, based on speech examples, develops targeted exercises to practice relevant speech skills. Special attention is paid to students’ personal opinions expressed in speeches, as well as to the culture of the country they represent.
• Thematic vocabulary (thematic vocabulary library): basic concepts related to the module topic and key sentences provide language support for the speech tasks of lesson section. The Russian expressions in this part of the vocabulary are mainly based on the translated texts of the The Russian vocabulary expressions are primarily based on the translations presented in this lesson.

The teaching material of the Russian Textbook Series is selected and developed for Chinese students and focuses on topics which capture the basic values of socialism with Chinese features. The cognitive-pragmatic use of authoritative translations of classical Chinese texts as instructional texts creates discourse with Chinese features. The rationale for this unique approach is substantiated in Yu.N. Karaulov’s idea about the interdependence of linguistic personality and language teaching models. If language teaching models “are limited to the systemic representation of language itself and do not intrude into the structure of the individual, the linguistic personality, they remain external, alien to the student who learns the language. <...> it is impossible to create an effective language teaching model without taking into account the linguistic personality, its multilevel organization, and principles of its formation and structure, in particular its intelligence” (Karaulov, 2010: 49).

The “Russian Textbook Series” aims at training international communication specialists with a deep basic knowledge of Russian language and differences in vocabulary, syntax, discourse, logic, narrative, and other levels of the discourse systems of Chinese and Russian political literature. Chinese socio-political vocabulary is distinctive and requires “political flair as well as linguistic literacy to convey the connotations and undertone of political vocabulary in a way that is understandable and readable by the receiver of the message” (Hu, Yuan, 2023: 49).

The lexeme ‘Chinese’ is the most frequent in word combinations. Linguistic units with this component have an aspectual characteristic of V.M. Shaklein’s principles of Russian as a foreign language description which are specific for Chinese audience, conditioned by the national linguistic-cultural situation and determined by the ideological discourse. These are principles of “the acquisition of ‘instructional language’ and its interpretation in terms of various aspects: the description of initial units (basic minimum); active and passive aspects; functional and passive aspects of the teaching language” (Shaklein, 2008: 8).

The concepts with the linguosemiotic element ‘Chinese’ in their structure reproduce the true essence of China’s political and cultural features, express “the main ideas of the modern development of Chinese society and external relations, embody the conceptual meaning, expression and content of the specific Chinese political discourse” (Hamiti, 2021: 26–27).

Each section of the Russian Textbook Series contains cross-cultural interpretation without absolute assessments in the form of “standard answers” and a variety of interpretations based on different teaching methods that effectively transfer thematic ideas.

Thus, linguodidactic principles are influenced by subjective factors in the key ideologemes of “Chinese political discourse as a means of forming public opinion and influencing the audience” (Koshkarova, Bugueva, Epimakhova, 2022: 122–123). The example of word combinations with the component ‘Chinese’ in the analyzed textbooks presents their variation in the linguosemiotic modeling of ‘Beautiful China’ and a detailed interpretation of the conceptual meaning of the identified basic concepts within the module topics (see Fig. 1).

Figure 1. The ‘Beautiful China’ linguo-semiotic model
Source: was created by L.G. Zolotykh based on the original research corpus using Canva, an online graphic design tool Retrieved on August 12, 2024 from https://www.canva.com/ 

The dynamics of political vocabulary with Chinese features illustrates the social interdependence of language development and state policy, reflects linguistic changes due to the historical peculiarities. Thus, contexts with the component ‘Chinese’ contribute to the understanding of the ideological content of the topical concept ‘Beautiful China’ in the texts: “<...> the Chinese people and the Chinese nation managed to change their historical destiny and achieve today’s successes in the new time”^[6]; ”Remembering our roots, borrowing from the outside and orienting towards the future, we need to actively nurture the Chinese spirit and Chinese strength, to form Chinese values as a spiritual guide for the people. <...> to develop the best achievements of Chinese traditional culture”^[7].

The Reading and Writing textbook demonstrates the prevalence of neutral words in modern political literature; they usually do not render strong personal emotions in expressing public opinion or personal attitudes, including evaluation and criticism. Civic and humanistic orientation characterizes word combinations with the component ‘Chinese’. For example, a high evaluation of the ‘spirit of the Great Campaign’ is expressed in the words with rational and calm coloring: “The spirit of the Great Campaign is a living reflection of the revolutionary spirit of the Chinese Communists and their people’s army, a concentrated manifestation of the Chinese nation moral foundations on its path to self-improvement, and the highest embodiment of the national spirit with patriotism as its essence”^[8].

So, the teaching material with its information capacity and social efficiency is in line with the general didactic principles; this provides training specialists in translation and international communication, promotes China’s development, helps China better understand the world and helps world better understand China.

Integration of linguistic-cultural and linguodidactic aspects of the expression ‘with Chinese features’

Mastering foreign language socio-political vocabulary includes knowledge of the main characteristics of “the lexical corpus of political linguistics, including political communication, political discourse, political language, political text, political speech, and political concept”. It aims at revealing the underlying “relationship between language, politics, and national culture” (Guan, 2024: 13). The Russian Textbook Series emphasizes the following principles: 1) explaining in Russian the characteristics of modern China and concepts of governance; 2) mastering basic methods and major ways of international communication to spread knowledge about China. Despite the studies on the linguistic features and cognitive laws of foreign languages, particularly Russian, there are certain problems of using political vocabulary with Chinese features.  That is why to understand the significance of ideologemes “in the political discourse of the PRC, one should remember that political reality is closely connected with the cultural and linguistic landscape” (Koshkarova, Bugueva, Epimakhova, 2022: 123).

One of the linguosemiotic codes in the nuclear zone of the political lexicon reflecting the modern ideology of Chinese society is the ideologeme ‘with Chinese features. In this part of the study, it is an object of linguistic-cultural and linguodidactic description. The literal meaning of 中国特色 is ‘Chinese specificity’. The synonyms feature, peculiarity, specificity, uniqueness, originality are not semantically different in Chinese: ‘a characteristic, distinctive property, quality, attribute of someone, something’. However, only ‘features’ is used in reference to socialism. In Russian translation, the ideologeme 中国特色社会主义 is used only in one variant, ‘socialism with Chinese features’.

Political combinations with the analyzed component are grouped according to their structural features and discursive features. The integration of pragmatics and grammar of the combinations with the ideologeme “socialism with Chinese features” according to their grammar type, word combinations with the control connection, is presented in Fig. 2.

Figure 2. The integration of pragmatics and grammar in combinations with the ideologeme ‘Socialism with Chinese features’
Source: was created by L.G. Zolotykh based on the original research corpus using Canva, an online graphic design tool Retrieved on August 12, 2024 from https://www.canva.com/

There is a semantic stability in the models with the ideologeme under study when the basic component ‘socialism’ is replaced by contextual synonyms. See examples in Fig. 3.

Figure 3. The integration of pragmatics and grammar in combinations with the ideologeme ‘Socialism with Chinese features’
Source: was created by L.G. Zolotykh based on the original research corpus using Canva, an online graphic design tool Retrieved on August 12, 2024 from https://www.canva.com/

The rational function is manifested in the modeling of political combinations with the ideological component ‘socialism with Chinese features’. The models are presented in Figure 4.

Figure 4. Rational function of the ideological component ‘Socialism with Chinese features’ ‘Socialism with Chinese features’
Source: was created by L.G. Zolotykh based on the original research corpus using Canva, an online graphic design tool Retrieved on August 12, 2024 from https://www.canva.com/

The frequency of the ideological component in thematic blocks in the textbook “Practical Translation Course” is presented in Fig. 5.

Figure 5. Frequency of the concept ‘with Chinese characteristics’ by thematic blocks in the ‘Practical Translation Course’ textbook
Source: the data was calculated by L.G. Zolotykh based on the research corpus collected by the authors

We mention both the frequency and density of variative use of the component ‘with Chinese features’. Thus, the following text fragments in different contexts show a wide semantic variation by means of the linguosemiotic model (code) ‘socialism with Chinese features’ with linguistic and stylistic specificity due to Chinese political realities.

1. The interpretation of the theory of socialism with Chinese features is presented 6 times in different contexts on the example of a text of less than 20 lines: “it is necessary to uphold and develop socialism with Chinese features. This year marks the 31st anniversary of Comrade Deng Xiaoping’s concept of building socialism with Chinese features. Comrade Deng Xiaoping laid the foundation for socialism with Chinese features. <...> only socialism with Chinese features will give China the opportunity to develop. <...> With the continuous development of socialism with Chinese features, our system is undoubtedly becoming more and more perfect <...>. We must strengthen our conviction in the rightness of the path, theory and social system of socialism with Chinese features”^[9].
2. The components of the concept of socialism with Chinese features and their meaning in a 22-line text fragment are represented with the structural-semantic interpretation of the analyzed concept 8 times: “The concept of socialism with Chinese features includes four components <...>. The path of socialism with Chinese features is the inevitable path to socialist modernization and the inevitable path leading the Chinese people to create a beautiful life. The theoretical system of socialism with Chinese features is the right theory leading the Party and the people along the path of socialism with Chinese features to the great revival of the Chinese nation <...>. The socialist system with Chinese features is the basic institutional guarantee for the development and progress of modern China; it is an advanced system with distinctly Chinese features <...>. Socialist culture with Chinese features contains the deepest spiritual aspirations of the Chinese nation <...>. By combining theory with practice, socialism with Chinese features has exemplarily solved the basic problem, namely, how and what kind of socialist state can be built in such a huge, populous, and economically backward eastern country”^[10].

Such interdependence of language and culture as an integral system predetermines attention to comparative aspects of different linguistic cultures and integration of linguistic-cultural and linguodidactic factors in teaching. The future consideration of the material of this article in the aspect of geo cultural linguistics could “develop methods of in-depth comparative analysis of civilizational aspects and whole linguistic cultures of different outlying regions of the world” (Shaklein, 2016: 567). Thus, the cultural and linguistic stereotypes representing Chinese political realities and different ways of their interpretation in the teaching materials and students’ perception revealed in the linguosemiotic analysis of the “Russian textbook series” realize specific didactic goals.

Conclusion

This article is focused on establishing and studying the verbal-sign representation of the discourse of the new era socialist system with Chinese features in the training of specialists with knowledge of the Russian language in higher education institutions of China. This focus is conditioned by the peculiarities of the linguosemiotic system formed under the influence of extralinguistic indicators. The modern state concept of foreign language education represented in the series of textbooks “Getting to Know Modern China” (2022) is considered in the aspect of the linguodidactic model of teaching Chinese students Chinese socio-political vocabulary. The study established the basic linguosemiotic elements of the socialist system of the new era with Chinese features as a vector in forming the ability to interpret Chinese political discourse in Russian.

The analysis of the teaching material of the “Russian Textbook Series” in the aspect of Chinese socio-political vocabulary identified such linguodidactic components as ‘Chinese’ and ‘socialism with Chinese features’. The integration of Chinese and Russian languages from the position of ideological connotation of original Chinese political literature is aimed at improving the knowledge of language features and differences in the structure of Chinese and Russian discourse.  In-depth representation of the main concepts and key statements of modern socialist thought with Chinese features in the Russian language contributes to the formation of internal logic and development of theoretical thinking of the secondary linguistic personality.

The linguodidactic comprehension of the Chinese student secondary linguistic personality formation is aimed at analyzing the ideological aspect of the linguistic world picture in the process of mastering Chinese political discourse in Russian under the conditions of the Chinese classroom. “Russian textbook series” determines not only ideological orientation, but also the undoubted potential of Sino-Russian relations in a wide range of directions.

This study clarifies the ideas about the secondary linguistic personality of the Chinese student, actualizes methodological approaches to their training taking into account both the system of discourse with Chinese features and the formation of intercultural communication skills.

 

 

_{¹ Xi, J. (2014). Xi Jinping: The governance of China (Vol. 1). Foreign Languages Press.}

_{Xi, J. (2017). Xi Jinping: The governance of China (Vol. 2). Foreign Languages Press.}

_{Xi, J. (2020). Xi Jinping: The governance of China (Vol. 3). Foreign Languages Press.}

_{Xi, J. (2022). Xi Jinping: The governance of China (Vol. 4). Foreign Languages Press.}

_{²  Liu, H., Tian, X., Yang, K., Wang, G., Li, R., & Fei, J. (2022). Reading and writing (A textbook series “Introduction to Contemporary China” for students of higher education in foreign languages and literature, Russian language textbook series). Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press.}

_{³ Liu, H., Huang, M., Wang, Z., Song, F., Lao, H., & Dong, L. (2022). Public speaking (A textbook series “Introduction to Contemporary China” for students of higher education in foreign languages and literature, Russian language textbook series). Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press.}

_{⁴ Liu, H., Xu, H., Peng, W., Zheng, M., Qian, Q., & Du, H. (2022). Practical translation course (for undergraduate students) (A textbook series “Introduction to Contemporary China” for students of higher education in foreign languages and literature, Russian language textbook series). Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press.}

_{⁵ Liu, H., Huang, D., Wang, J., Liang, X., Song, Q., & Wang, L. (2022). Advanced translation course (for postgraduate students) (A textbook series “Introduction to Contemporary China” for students of higher education in foreign languages and literature, Russian language textbook series). Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press.}

_{⁶  Liu, H., Huang, D., Wang, J., Liang, X., Song, Q., & Wang, L. (2022). Advanced translation course (for postgraduate students) (A textbook series “Introduction to Contemporary China” for students of higher education in foreign languages and literature, Russian language textbook series). Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press. P. 14.}

_{⁷ Liu, H., Xu, H., Peng, W., Zheng, M., Qian, Q., & Du, H. (2022). Practical translation course (for undergraduate students) (A textbook series “Introduction to Contemporary China” for students of higher education in foreign languages and literature, Russian language textbook series). Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press. P. 72.}

_{⁸ Liu, H., Tian, X., Yang, K., Wang, G., Li, R., & Fei, J. (2022). Reading and writing (A textbook series “Introduction to Contemporary China” for students of higher education in foreign languages and literature, Russian language textbook series). Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press. P. 110.}

_{⁹ Liu, H., Huang, D., Wang, J., Liang, X., Song, Q., & Wang, L. (2022). Advanced translation course (for postgraduate students) (A textbook series “Introduction to Contemporary China” for students of higher education in foreign languages and literature, Russian language textbook series). Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press. Pp. 181–182.}

_{¹⁰ Liu, H., Huang, M., Wang, Z., Song, F., Lao, H., & Dong, L. (2022). Public speaking (A textbook series “Introduction to Contemporary China” for students of higher education in foreign languages and literature, Russian language textbook series). Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press. Pp. 5–6.}

About the authors

Lidiia G. Zolotykh

Sichuan University

Author for correspondence.
Email: scu1959rus@mail.ru
ORCID iD: 0000-0002-1425-5405
SPIN-code: 7721-2060
Scopus Author ID: 57222506155
ResearcherId: KYP-1368-2024

Doctor of Philology, Professor, Professor of the Russian Language Faculty, Institute of Foreign Languages and Culture

29 Vangqianqlu St, Chengdu, 610065, People’s Republic of China

Svetlana I. Elnikova

RUDN University

Email: elnikova-sv@yandex.ru
ORCID iD: 0000-0002-2313-9211
SPIN-code: 1630-4066

Candidate of Philology, Associate Professor, Deputy Director of the Institute of Russian Language

6 Miklukho-Maklaya St, Moscow, 117198, Russian Federation

Olga Yu. Kosmacheva

Astrakhan State University named after V.N. Tatishchev

Email: olga_ast@list.ru
ORCID iD: 0000-0002-3722-3131
SPIN-code: 5314-9461
Scopus Author ID: 58317814400
ResearcherId: KVB-1275-2024

PhD in Philology, Associate Professor of the Department of Philology and Journalism

20a Tatishchev St, Astrakhan, 414056, Russian Federation

References

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