A Study on university Students' Cognition, Attitudes toward Usage and Preservation of Chinese Dialects in Xinjiang: A Sustainability-Oriented Perspective

Abstract As a fundamental carrier of regional culture, dialects are currently encountering a significant challenge marked by the declining proficiency among younger generations. The multilingual linguistic ecology in Xinjiang underscores both the urgency and the distinctive significance of research on dialect preservation and cultural continuity.This study involved 501 university students from Xinjiang as participants and employed a self-developed questionnaire titled “university Students' Dialect Cognition, Usage and Preservation Questionnaire” (KMO = 0.894, cumulative variance explained = 76.45%) to systematically examine their perceptions across three dimensions: dialect cognition, usage and preservation.The study revealed consistent patterns across gender and age groups among university students in Xinjiang regarding their cognition, usage and preservation attitudes toward dialects (P > 0.05). Additionally, students enrolled in language-related majors demonstrated significantly higher levels of dialect usage compared to those in non-language majors (p < 0.05).university students from Xinjiang (particularly those originating from southern Xinjiang) exhibit significantly higher levels of dialect cognition and usage compared to their counterparts from outside Xinjiang (p < 0.05), reflecting a clear pattern of regional differentiation. In contrast, attitudes toward dialect protection demonstrate a high degree of consistency across groups, with no statistically significant differences observed (P > 0.05).From a sustainability perspective, this study proposes differentiated strategies: for university students in Xinjiang, enhancing the promotion and educational initiatives related to dialect culture. for university students outside Xinjiang, fostering greater awareness of dialect preservation. It further advocates for collaborative efforts among government, educational institutions, and society to establish a long-term protection mechanism, aiming to ensure the dynamic transmission and sustainable development of Xinjiang's dialect culture.