Tianjin, known as one of the four cities directly administered by the central government of China, is becoming a modern metropolis in the northern coastal area of China. However, the Tianjin dialect, being unique and not influenced by any of the other nearby dialects, is often considered a cultural thing. I will talk about my experiences as a Tianjiner. Also, different opinions and reviews are given from my point of view. I was born in Tianjin and lived in Tianjin until I went to college in Shanghai. Even though we were taught Standard Chinese (Mandarin) to meet the requirements of the Department of Education during the 18 years of compulsory education, teachers continued to combine the Tianjin dialect in the classrooms to some extent. So it is natural that students speak Mandarin with the Tianjin dialect. On the other hand, children are greatly influenced by their parents, who also speak the Tianjin dialect. In this case, educated people more or less keep their Tianjin accent. In my memory, adults can speak dialect even in formal situations such as wedding ceremonies or corporate meetings. It might seem strange to you, but sometimes using the Tianjin dialect correctly could make others feel close and comfortable. My parents had a great influence on my learning the language. Both were born and raised in Liaoning province but not in Tianjin (Dalian countryside and Yingkou countryside, respectively). After graduating from local high schools, they went to Harbin for college, which also belongs to Northeast China. According to my interviews, during their first 22 years my parents spoke a very rural “东北话” (northeastern dialect). Until they were deployed to work in Tianjin, it seemed that they had a chance to become government officials. Q...... middle of paper ......this could be the regional identity caused by different cultures. Then their dialects become two signs of identification. Once there was a parade in Tianjin and everyone involved, football fans or not, shouted "国安傻逼" which means "Guoan players are assholes", which is really rude... And now this saying it is popular throughout the country and becomes a famous joke of Tianjin dialect…Some sayings of Tianjin dialect are gradually disappearing as the use is not frequent, however, the remaining ones are still developed into a more modern state than before. Having known and spoken Tianjin dialects for so many years, I would feel quite warm and happy listening to them in an exotic country. Tianjin citizens' love for Tianjin dialect is irreplaceable and unique; The Tianjin dialect plays and will play a rather important role in representing the culture of Tianjin.
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