The Routledge Encyclopedia of the Chinese Language will truly meet the academic, linguistic and pedagogical needs of those who are interested in the Chinese language in different capacities and for different reasons, such as Sinologists, Chinese linguists, and teachers and learners of Chinese as a second language. The Encyclopedia includes research on the changing landscape of the Chinese language by 66 eminent academics in the field; from research on oracle bone and bronze inscriptions, to Chinese language acquisition, to the language of the mass media. This reference will be the most up to date and authoritative on the market; it will offer an a guide to shifts over time in thinking about the Chinese language as well as providing an overview of contemporary themes, debates and research interests.The editors and contributors are assisted by an editorial board comprised of the best and most experienced sinologists world-wide. The reference includes an introduction, written by the editor, which places the assembled texts in their historical and intellectual context. The Routledge Encyclopedia of the Chinese Language is destined to be valued by scholars and students as a vital research resource.