ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses social stratification theories, the social and historical contexts of author's research, and the linguistic complexity of modern Chinese society. As China increasingly participates in globalisation, English becomes an important linguistic resource and represents yet another layer of the linguistic complexity of Chinese society. Despite the state's efforts to limit the impacts English is believed to have on the Chinese languages, people are motivated to learn English and private English tutoring is becoming a lucrative business in urban China. Turning to linguistic complexity and linguistic resources can therefore lead us straight to the heart of social stratification in China. Max Weber's contribution to social stratification theory includes two further dimensions: status and party. Modern functional theories follow É mile Durkheim's comparison of society to a biological organism and view social stratification and inequality as necessary for a society's function. The functionalists' arguments that social stratification and inequality are necessary and inevitable are often criticised by the conflict theorists.
