"Xinhua Dictionary", a tool book that has accompanied the growth of countless Chinese, has recently been sued by a netizen. Netizens believe that some of the definitions and example sentences in the Xinhua Dictionary are inappropriate and violate legal and social values, and demand an apology and compensation from the publishing house. This incident has aroused widespread attention and discussion from all walks of life, and also let us see the public's attention and expectations for cultural inheritance and language norms. As an authoritative reference book for the Chinese language, Xinhua Dictionary plays an irreplaceable role in inheriting Chinese culture and promoting the standardization of the Chinese language. We should face this controversy with an open and inclusive attitude, and actively learn how to better inherit and promote Chinese culture and promote the improvement and development of Chinese reference books.
What is the reason for the netizen to sue?
It is understood that the netizen who sued "Xinhua Dictionary" is a man who claims to be a "Chinese lover", and he announced that he officially sued "Xinhua Dictionary" through **. He pointed out that in the 12th edition of the "Xinhua Dictionary", the interpretation of the word "倭" has only one "called Japan in ancient times", which writes off the historical crimes of the Japanese and violates Article 37 of the "Law of the People's Republic of China on Patriotic Education". He also pointed out that the word "play" in the "Xinhua Dictionary" lists the word "play", for example, "**sex", which is an insult and discrimination against women, in violation of Article 2 of the "Law of the People's Republic of China on the Protection of Women's Rights and Interests", and there is discrimination, insult and abuse of women. He also cited the word "tired" with the word "cumbersome", as an example of "the child is small and becomes a burden";One interpretation of the word "don't" is "to be stretched or stuck", and then there is a use case of "a pistol pinned to the waist" and other examples, which are considered to be content that does not conform to the core values of socialism, misleads young people, and harms the social atmosphere. He demanded that the Xinhua Dictionary Publishing House apologize and compensate him 100,000 yuan for mental damages.
What do legal experts and linguistics experts think?
Regarding the lawsuit of netizens, the legal counsel of Xinhua Dictionary Publishing House said that it will actively respond and reserve the right to pursue its legal responsibility. He believes that the netizen's lawsuit has no factual basis, is a malicious slander of Xinhua Dictionary, and an infringement of the reputation of the publishing house. He pointed out that the Xinhua Dictionary is a reference book that reflects the facts of the Chinese language, and its compilation follows the principles of science, standardization, and authority, and its content has undergone strict review and proofreading, and there is no illegal or improper content. He also said that "Xinhua Dictionary" is a reference book that is constantly updated and improved, and the publishing house welcomes reasonable opinions and suggestions from readers, but does not accept unreasonable accusations and false accusations.
Legal experts and linguistics experts have also expressed their opinions on the accusations made by netizens. They believe that the judgment of netizens is unprofessional and unobjective, and their opinions may confuse right and wrong and distort the facts.
With regard to the interpretation of the character "倭", legal experts pointed out that the premise of violating the law is the "existence" of illegal acts, and the "Xinhua Dictionary" only explains "倭" and does not describe it more, let alone the premise of "existence". The assertion of violating this provision is a typical "trumped-up" crime. Linguistic experts point out that the interpretation of the character "倭" is based on historical and linguistic facts, and is not a glorification or denial of Japan. "Xinhua Dictionary" as a small dictionary, focusing on the collection of words, from the 50s of the last century to the present, all editions, in the word "倭" has not included the word "倭寇", so the so-called "new version of the deletion" of the word is not true. The Modern Chinese Dictionary and Xinhua Dictionary published by the Commercial Press, as medium-sized dictionaries, have always included the word "倭寇" in each edition. The interpretation of the word "倭寇" in the 7th edition of the Modern Chinese Dictionary is: 14 In the 16th century, Japanese pirates repeatedly harassed and robbed the coast of Korea and China. During the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, the Japanese invaders were also called Japanese invaders. All this shows that the "Xinhua Dictionary" has not forgotten or denied history.
With regard to the compilation and revision of the Xinhua Dictionary, legal experts and linguistics experts have expressed their support for the attitude and practice of the Xinhua Dictionary Publishing House, believing that the Xinhua Dictionary is a constantly updated and improved reference book, which needs to keep pace with the times, reflect social changes, and meet the needs of readers. They suggested that the Xinhua Dictionary Publishing House should strengthen communication and exchanges with all sectors of society, listen to the opinions and suggestions of all parties, and conduct a comprehensive review and revision of the dictionary to make it more scientific, standardized, authoritative, and applicable.
This controversy over the interpretation of the Xinhua Dictionary is not only a legal battle, but also a cultural dialogue. It allows us to see the important position and role of Xinhua Dictionary in Chinese language and culture, and also shows us the public's attention and expectations for language and culture. It makes us think about how to correctly understand and use the Xinhua Dictionary, how to scientifically evaluate and improve the Xinhua Dictionary, and how to effectively inherit and carry forward the Xinhua Dictionary. It also makes us think about how to adapt to the changes of society and the times on the basis of respecting history and facts, promote the standardization and development of the Chinese language, and promote the innovation and prosperity of Chinese culture. These are all issues worthy of our in-depth research and study, and they are also our common responsibility and mission.