Southern Min - Comparative Phonology and Subgrouping

Southern M¿n refers to a group of Chinese dialects spoken mainly in Southeast China and Taiwan. This group occupies a special position in the study of Chinese dialects, not only because of its large population of speakers (around 48 million) but also because of its preservation of various archaic linguistic features long lost in other dialects. In this book, B.C. Kwok applies the comparative method on new fieldwork data to reconstruct the common sound system of 'Proto-Southern M¿n', from which all modern Southern M¿n varieties emerged. The syllable initials, finals and tonal categories of Proto-Southern M¿n are illustrated by more than 500 examples. In addition, this book offers an alternative view on the subgrouping of 12 Southern M¿n varieties. It proposes that the Quánzh¿u dialect and the Zh¿ngzh¿u dialect form the two main branches of the dialect group. This book should be of great interest to advanced students and scholars in the fields of historical linguistics and Chinese dialectology.

List of contents

1. Background and Methodology 2. Proto-Southern Mǐn initials 3. Proto-Southern Mǐn finals 4. Proto-Southern Mǐn tonal categories 5. Subgrouping Southern Mǐn 6. Conclusion

About the author

Bit-Chee Kwok is currently Associate Professor of Chinese Language and Literature at the Chinese University of Hong Kong. His research interests lie primarily in historical linguistics, contact linguistics and Chinese dialectology.

Summary

This book adopts a phylogenetic perspective in explaining the linguistic diversity within the major Chinese dialect group of Southern Min. This book advances our knowledge of not only the linguistic importance of Southern Min, but also the methodology of Chinese dialect classification.

Product details

• Authors: Bit-Chee Kwok, Bit-Chee (City University of Hong Kong Kwok
• Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd.
• Languages: English
• Product format: Paperback / Softback
• Released: 31.12.2019
• EAN: 9780367874575
• ISBN: 978-0-367-87457-5
• No. of pages: 218
• Series: Routledge Studies in East Asian Linguistics
• Subjects: Humanities, art, music > Linguistics and literary studies > Other languages / Other literatures; LANGUAGE ARTS & DISCIPLINES / General, LANGUAGE ARTS & DISCIPLINES / Linguistics / General, Chinese, Language: reference and general, Regional / International studies, Dialect, slang & jargon, Phonetics, phonology, Grammar, syntax and morphology, Literature: history and criticism, Dialect, slang and jargon