China’s Ministry of Education: Official Documents Shouldn’t Be Filled With Internet Slang

Watch out, dear! An example of over-familiar internet slang in China spreading to more official channels. (Image source: shjnet.cn)

In recent years, the Chinese internet has seen an explosion of what are called “fonts” (for lack of a better translation); often-satirical slang-like styles of writing that go viral. The most famous of these is the shouting font, but there’s also a Taobao font, a method of writing based on the colloquial language that has become common on the e-commerce site Taobao. (For example, the Taobao font will always include the use of the term “dear” to refer to whoever is reading the text).

Yesterday, China’s Ministry of Education published a report on new Chinese terms that have emerged over the past year. In this report, it paid special attention to the Taobao font, saying that it supported the adoption and development of new styles of internet language. But it also said that the government and affiliated organs should not use the Taobao font in official documents. I guess the government calling people “dear” feels just a little too personal.

Actually, this admonishment was likely based on a number of incidents last year in which official organs used popular internet slang in official press releases and weibo posts. The Foreign Ministry, for example, used a number of internet slang terms in an official weibo post last August. Shanghai police used Taobao language like “dear” in — of all things — a public wanted notice, and the Nanjing Institute of Technology sent admission letters to accepted applicants last year that were written in the Taobao font (“Congratulations, dear! You’ve been admitted to N.I.T.! Pretty good, huh!”).

It’s always fun to see how major communities like Taobao evolve their own linguistic conventions — yes, I’m a nerd, shut up — but it’s even more interesting when those new language forms move beyond the boundaries of the internet. Perhaps using Taobao-speak in wanted notices isn’t the best idea, and it seems a little bit cheapening to put it on a university acceptance letter. But in general, I say the more the merrier. If governments want to use Taobao-speak, we should let them.

And while we’re at it, maybe the government should introduce a Taobao-like ratings system so that citizens can leave reviews and feedback for the people who govern them.

[Beijing Daily via Sina Tech]