自一开始，教育界的国语运动便与中国的现代国家建构处在多层次的立体交缠中。它既服务于后者，也是后者的一部分，同时又具体而微地集中展示了后者所具有的一些基本特点。从国语运动中可以看到，现代中国的国家建构，追随着两条线索展开，一是民族主义，一是现代主义。作为近代中国御侮救亡的手段，国语运动力图从语言文字方面营建民族国家的疆域，也积极参与了国际文化竞争；对内，国语运动服务于国家统一的目标，致力于提升民众的心智素养，也为国民争取平等权利提供了必要条件。除了民族主义外，国语运动还标示出中国民族国家建设追求“现代性”的一面。

There was a multi-level kink in the pattern of growth of National Language Movement and state-building in modern China. As part of the latter, the National Language Movement serviced for state-building, and clearly demonstrated some basic features of it as well. From the perspectives of National Language Movement, we can trace two state-building clues, which were nationalism and modernism. As a means of “save the nation from subjugation and ensure its survival”, the National Language Movement sought to construct national territory through words and language. Of course, the Movement also took part in the international competition for culture. At home, the Movement was committed to improve people’s mental and intellectual accomplishment, which was not only one of the aims of the country’s national unity, but also was the prerequisite to the people’s liberty fighting. In addition, the Movement also showed that the modernity was Chinese state-building value.