Abstract
This thesis aims to examine vogue expressions used by youngsters in Taiwan. Various types of vogue expressions used in Taiwan are discussed in this thesis, such as initialisms, numeral expressions, Huo Xing Wen, expressions presented in bo-po-mo symbols, and emoticons, etc. This thesis discusses the formation of vogue expressions and classifies vogue expressions based on their semantic contents: (1) expressions related to a person or a group, (2) expressions used to denote an action or a state, (3) expressions used to modify an action, and (4) others (including fusion words and Huo Xing Wen). Furthermore, linguistic constraints for the formation of vogue expressions are examined. These include phonological constraints, semantic constraints, and pragmatics constraints. Youngsters use vogue expressions mainly for peer identity. Vogue expressions used by youngsters are creative and changeable in nature. Although there are various forms of vogue expressions, vogue expressions still need to be constrained by phonological, semantic, and/or pragmatic factors. By studying the formation of vogue expressions, the following observations are made. First, Taiwanese grammatical rules have entered in vogue expressions, e.g. the construction [bu cuo + monosyllable verb]. Second, X hen da is a new phrasal structure that has been created in vogue expressions. Third, a new construction X2X1-le is present in vogue expressions. Fourth, there is neutralization of nasals ([ŋ] and [n]) in word-final position. Fifth, due to fast transfer of information, some vogue expressions are created for the purpose of easy typing, e.g. initialisms, numeral expressions, and zu yin wen, etc.