Panpan Cao

Panpan Cao

27 Feb. 2023

Memetics, Genotype, Phenotype, College catchphrase variation.

Memetics offers a new perspective to analyze the variation of college catchphrase. In the framework of memetic transmission mechanism, variation of college catchphrase can be found both in memetic genotype and in memetic phenotype. In genotype, based on the same information transmitted in the same form, variation of college catchphrase is displayed in the direct quotation of popular TV serials, lines in popular movies and songs as well as net-speak, while based on the same information transmitted in different forms, variation of college catchphrase is mainly manifested in synonymy, homophonic characters or numbers as well as Chinese-English code mixing. In phenotype, according to analogy with the same sound, variation of college catchphrase occurs at the phrase and sentence level, according to analogy with the same form, variation of college catchphrase happens at the phrase and discourse level and according to analogy with the same structure, variation of college catchphrase takes place at all the levels from word, phrase, sentence and discourse.

© 2023, the Authors. Published by ISCCAC

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