Study in Words and Characters Use and Contents of the Opening Addresses by Chinese University Presidents

Abstract

This paper selects 213 opening addresses by Chinese university presidents between 2003 and 2015, synchronically and diachronically, this paper has devoted itself to the study of the usage of words and characters in those addresses, the contents as a whole. The location and the time those speeches were delivered have also been taken into consideration. By comparing the words and characters used in those addresses to Lexicon of Common Words in Contemporary Chinese, this paper shows that vocabulary used in addresses doesn’t change dramatically with time going diachronically, and the themes and focuses of the speeches tend to vary from time to time. This paper classifies the speeches into certain types according to the frequently and individually used words, analyzes the features of their contents. The conclusion is that universities have put more emphasis on cultivating spirits, quality, ability and virtue.