A corpus-based research of Guangzhou’s city image in Guangzhou International (2023-2024)
基于语料库的Guangzhou International中广州城市形象的研究（2023-2024）

摘要

广州是中国南方的重要城市。在全球化浪潮中，城市形象已成为城市核心竞争力的关键要素。因此，打造并传播良好的城市形象，是提升城市吸引力与竞争力的有效途径。本研究以“Guangzhou”为检索词，在广州市人民政府门户网（英文版）上收集了2023年1月1日至2024年7月1日的对广州的新闻报道，自建语料库。使用AntConc3.5.9版本的语料库检索软件，结合费尔克劳夫的三维分析方法，对该语料的高频词及其索引行与词丛进行分析，总结广州在2023年1月1日到2024年7月1日的最新广州国际城市形象。分析结果显示：广州是一座与祖国和国际城市保持紧密联系的城市；广州是一座全球经济和贸易繁荣的城市；广州是一座文化之城。结合城市形象的分析与广州当下的情况，提出广州未来国际城市形象的塑造建议，本研究认为，广州享有“食在广州”的美食之城市的称号，但在语料库检索出来的数据中，并没有明显体现出该特点，因此，本研究建议广州本地外宣媒体应当多宣传广州的岭南美食文化，丰富广州城市形象。

Abstract

Guangzhou, a prominent city in southern China and the capital of Guangdong Province, serves as a vital hub for domestic economy, trade, and transportation. Its strategic location in the Pearl River Delta has made it a gateway for international trade and a key player in China’s economic development. In the era of globalization, the image of a city has become a critical component of its core competitiveness, acting as both a driving force for modern city development and a central arena for inter-city competition. Therefore, building and effectively disseminating a positive city image is essential for enhancing a city’s attractiveness and global standing. This study focuses on Guangzhou’s international image by collecting news reports from the official English website of the Guangzhou International between January 1, 2023 and July 1, 2024. Using “Guangzhou” as the search term, a self-built corpus was constructed. The research employs AntConc 3.5.9, a corpus analysis tool, alongside Fairclough’s three-dimensional framework from critical discourse analysis, to examine high-frequency words, concordance lines, and clusters within the corpus. The findings highlight Guangzhou’s latest international image in the two years following the pandemic (2023–2024). The analysis reveals that Guangzhou is a city deeply connected to both the nation and the global community, a thriving center for global economy and trade, and a cultural hub with a rich historical heritage.