Orthographic variation < Macau>/<Macao > and Macau identity

Abstract

This study examines the orthographic variation between the place name and in English texts in Macau and its interaction with social factors. Using Sebba’s framework of Orthographic Regimes, a statistical analysis was conducted to explore the usage of the two orthographic variants across three levels of orthographic regimes, namely, highly-regulated (HR) government writings, less-regulated (LR) school writings and lesser-regulated (LRR) online texts . As a means to collect data of LR regimes, a questionnaire was used to collect participants’ identities and elicit potential indexical relationships between the two variants and aspects of Macau identity, which we see as two place identities. Results show a strong connection between orthographic regimes and variant usage, with preferred in HR government writing while Macau is more commonly used in LR regimes where is not required. Furthermore, this study discusses a connection between language practices and Macau identity based on orders of indexicality, that is, the use of / and the duality of Macau identity (i.e. a nationalistic identity vs. an ethnocultural identity).

Keywords

• Sociolinguistics
• orthographic variation
• Macau
• spelling
• indexicality
• place identity