The Current Social Recognition and Use of Macao Local Words

Abstract

Macao local words mainly consist of loan words from Portuguese and some special words with regional characteristics. This study selected 87 Macao local words and conducted a semi-structured interview with 6 individuals in a higher institution in Macao where multilingualism is typical of its working environment. The result shows that the participants showed different perceptions and attitudes towards the local words. Their recognition of these words was generally poor. With the new development of Macau society, the trend of integration of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, and the increasingly diversified population of Macau, most of the Portuguese foreign words and Macau special words are continuing to withdraw from people’s language life. It is particularly evident in the multilingual working contexts. All language users in such an environment take a naturally accepted language attitude. Among the 87 Macao local words selected, only 12.6% of them currently have a high degree of recognition and are still widely circulated and used. These words have the linguistic "landmark" significance in the Macao local words.