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Translation and Foreign Language Learning

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ArticleMulti-perspective Studies of Foreign Languages Learning http://dx.doi.org/10.26855/tfll.2025.10.029

The Chinese Ecosphere of Language: A Bibliometric Mapping of Research Evolution, Hotspots, and Trajectories

Jinzi Zheng1,*, Xin Wang2, Huimin Jia1

1School of Foreign Languages, Taizhou University, Taizhou 318000, Zhejiang, China.

2International Exchange Center, Hebei Petroleum University of Technology, Chengde 067000, Hebei, China.

*Corresponding author: Jinzi Zheng

Published: October 31, 2025

Abstract

The sustainable relationships among human beings, between humans and other species, and between humanity and the natural environment are profoundly shaped by language. While ecolinguistics has attracted sustained scholarly inter-est globally, few studies have systematically examined its development within specific national contexts. This paper offers a comprehensive overview of the status, core themes, emerging trends, and future directions of ecolinguistics research in China, with the aim of contributing to global ecolinguistic scholarship and promoting sustainable development in the field. Based on a bibliometric analysis of 972 relevant articles retrieved from the China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) database between 1999 and 2025, this study employs knowledge mapping techniques to visualize and assess the contributions of key researchers and institutions, identify research hotspots, and trace developmental trajectories. The results reveal that the landscape of ecolinguistics in China is structured around four major thematic clusters: ecolinguistics theory, ecological discourse analysis, ecological teaching approaches, and language ecology and preservation. Building on current research fronts, the paper concludes by proposing potential pathways for future scholarly inquiry.

Keyword

Ecolinguistics; language ecology; sustainable development; CiteSpace

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How to cite this paper

The Chinese Ecosphere of Language: A Bibliometric Mapping of Research Evolution, Hotspots, and Trajectories

How to cite this paper: Jinzi Zheng, Xin Wang, Huimin Jia. (2025). The Chinese Ecosphere of Language: A Bibliometric Mapping of Research Evolution, Hotspots, and Trajectories. Translation and Foreign Language Learning1(3), 564-577.

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.26855/tfll.2025.10.029