METALANGUAGE THEORY: INTERPRETATION OF ZI-SHU-NV’S MARRIAGE BELIEF

Abstract

The relevance of the study is determined by the necessity to understand the mechanisms of formation within a society of socially significant ideas, beliefs and behavioral strategies. The aim is to interpret the notions of marriage that existed in China’s Pearl River Delta region among Zi-Shu-Nv girls who were known for choosing not to marry. Materials and methods. The article deals with the semiotic approach to the analysis of Zi-Shu-Nv marriage belief in Chinese culture. This belief is interpreted as a cultural text, part of semio-sphere. The method of analysis was the interpretation of the phenomenon based on deconstruction from the perspective of metalanguage theory with a focus on contextual metalanguage, interpretive competence metalanguage and textual metalanguage. Results. Each metalanguage is characterized by its own codes and rules. The article underlines the role of each metalanguage in the origin and development of Zi-Shu-NVs’ marriage belief. The authors come to the conclusion that this belief is an inevitable outcome under the influence of social, personal and textual peculiarities of its time. Practical implications. The results can be used in the interpretation of social phenomena in modern society.