Constructing Stance and Interpersonal Meaning in Mandarin Pop Lyrics: A Corpus-Pragmatic Analysis of Jay Chou’s Songs

This study investigates the pragmatic functions of recurring linguistic patterns in Mandarin pop lyrics through a corpus-based analysis of Jay Chou’s discography. As a prominent figure in Mandopop, Chou’s lyrics provide a valuable case for examining how stance, identity, and emotional resonance are...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Corpus pragmatics : international journal of corpus linguistics and pragmatics Vol. 10; no. 1
Main Author: Chang, Chen-An
Format: Journal Article
Language:English
Published: Cham Springer International Publishing 01.12.2026
Subjects:
Computational Linguistics
Computer Appl. in Arts and Humanities
Linguistics
Pragmatics
Semantics
Social Sciences
Deixis
Interpersonal narrative
Lexical bundles
Stance
Corpus pragmatics
Song lyrics
ISSN:2509-9507, 2509-9515
Online Access:Get full text
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Summary:This study investigates the pragmatic functions of recurring linguistic patterns in Mandarin pop lyrics through a corpus-based analysis of Jay Chou’s discography. As a prominent figure in Mandopop, Chou’s lyrics provide a valuable case for examining how stance, identity, and emotional resonance are linguistically encoded. The Jay Chou Corpus (JCC), comprising 160 songs released between 2000 and 2023, was analyzed using #LancsBox and AntConc to identify frequent lexical items, collocations, and four-word lexical bundles. Results reveal a strong preference for verb phrase-based bundles involving personal pronouns and communication verbs such as shuo (“say”), which serve key interpersonal and emotive functions. Referential bundles often foreground spatial imagery, reinforcing place-based and experiential themes. Compared to studies on Western artists like Taylor Swift, Chou’s lyrics favor conversational verbs and direct address, creating a more interactive lyrical style. While similar to BTS in the use of verb phrase bundles, Chou’s lyrics show a greater tendency toward spatially oriented referential expressions. This study contributes to corpus pragmatics by demonstrating how formulaic language operates within Mandopop to construct interpersonal meaning and emotional appeal.
ISSN:2509-9507
2509-9515
DOI:10.1007/s41701-025-00205-5