Huizhou Chinese (Chinese: 徽州话), or the Hui dialect (Chinese: 徽语), is a group of closely related Sinitic languages spoken over a small area in and around the historical region of Huizhou (for which it is named), in about ten or so mountainous counties in southern Anhui, plus a few more in neighbouring Zhejiang and Jiangxi.
Although the Hui area is small compared with other Chinese dialect groups, it displays a very high degree of internal variation. Nearly every county has its own distinct dialect unintelligible to a speaker from a few counties away. For this reason, bilingualism and multilingualism are common among speakers of Hui. It is estimated that there are around 4.6 million speakers of Huizhou varieties.[1]
Huizhou Chinese was originally classified as Lower Yangtze Mandarin but it is currently classified separately from it.[2] The Chinese Academy of Social Sciences supported the separation of Huizhou from Lower Yangtze Mandarin in 1987.[3] Its classification is disputed, with some linguists such as Matisoff classifying it as Wu Chinese, others such as Bradley (2007) as Gan, and still others setting it apart as a primary branch of Chinese.
History
During the Ming and Qing dynasties, Jianghuai speakers moved into Hui dialect areas.[4]
Some works of literature produced in Yangzhou, such as Qingfengzha, a novel, contain Jianghuai Mandarin. People in Yangzhou identified by the dialect they speak, locals spoke the dialect, as opposed to sojourners, who spoke other varieties like Huizhou or Wu. This led to the formation of identity based on one's dialect. Large numbers of merchants from Huizhou lived in Yangzhou and effectively were responsible for keeping the town afloat.[5] Merchants in the later imperial period also sponsored operas and performances in the Hui dialect.[6]
spoken in Jingde, Qimen (in and around Anling, Chengan, and Chiling), Shitai (Zhanda area), Yi County (Meixi, Kecun, and other northern towns), and Ningguo, Anhui province.
forms a thin corridor along the northern edge of the Hui group, carrying influence from Xuanzhou Wu.
Huizhou varieties differ from township to township.[9] People in different townships, towns, etc. (even in one county) often cannot speak with one another.
Many Hui dialects have diphthongs with a higher lengthened first part. For example, 話 ("speech") is /uːɜ/ in Xiuning County (Standard Chinese /xuɑ/), 園 ("yard") is /yːɛ/ in Xiuning County (Standard Chinese /yɛn/); 結 ("knot") is /tɕiːaʔ/ in Yi County (Standard Chinese /tɕiɛ/), 約 ("agreement") is /iːuʔ/ in Yi County (Standard Chinese /yɛ/). A few areas take this to extremes. For example, Likou in Qimen County has /fũːmɛ̃/ for 飯 ("rice") (Standard Chinese /fan/), with the /m/ appearing directly as a result of the lengthened, nasalized/ũː/.
Because nasal codas have mostly been lost, Hui reuses the 儿/-r/ ending as a diminutive. For example, in the Tunxi dialect, 索 "rope" appears as /soːn/ from /soʔ/ + /-r/.
References
^ abHuizhou at Ethnologue (18th ed., 2015) (subscription required)
^Barbara F. Grimes, ed. (2000). Ethnologue, Volume 1 (14th ed.). SIL International. p. 404. ISBN1-55671-103-4. Formerly considered to be part of the Jianghuai dialect of Mandarin, but now considered by many to be a separate major variety of Chinese. Dialects are reported to differ greatly from each other. Different from the Huizhou dialect of...
^Xiao-bin Ji, ed. (2003). Facts About China (illustrated ed.). H.W. Wilson. p. 70. ISBN0-8242-0961-3. For this reason, the Chinese Academy of Social Science suggested in 1987 that two new groups, the Jin and the Hui, be separated from the northwestern and the Jiang-Huai Mandarin subgroups. Distinctive Features: Mandarin dialects are...
^Hilary Chappell, ed. (2004). Chinese Grammar: Synchronic and Diachronic Perspectives (illustrated, reprint ed.). Oxford University Press. p. 17. ISBN0-19-927213-1. According to Hirata, however, Hui is composed of many layers: its dialects are spoken in an area originally occupied by the Yue i* tribe, suggestive of a possible substrate, later to be overlaid by migrations from Northern China in the Medieval Nanbeichao period and the Tang and Song dynasties. This was followed by the Jiang-Huai Mandarin dialects of the migrants who arrived during the Ming and Qing periods, and more recently by Wu dialects in particular, acquired by peripatetic Hui merchants who have represented an active...
^Margaret B. Wan (2009). "Local Fiction of the Yangzhou Region: Qingfengzha". In Lucie B. Olivová; Vibeke Børdahl (eds.). Lifestyle and Entertainment in Yangzhou. Issue 44 of NIAS studies in Asian topics, Nordisk Institut for Asienstudier København (illustrated ed.). NIAS Press. p. 184. ISBN978-87-7694-035-5. Some grammatical features of Yangzhou dialect are shared with Jianghuai Mandarin. Others may be of more limited usage but are used in Dingyuan County (the setting of Qingfengzha), which belongs to the same subgroup of Jianghuai.
^Guo, Qitao (2005). Ritual Opera and Mercantile Lineage: The Confucian Transformation of Popular Culture in Late Imperial Huizhou. Stanford, Calif.: Stanford University Press. ISBN0804750327.
^Yan, Margaret Mian (2006). Introduction to Chinese Dialectology. LINCOM Europa. pp. 222–223. ISBN978-3-89586-629-6.
^Kurpaska, Maria (2010). Chinese Language(s): A Look Through the Prism of "The Great Dictionary of Modern Chinese Dialects". Walter de Gruyter. p. 69. ISBN978-3-11-021914-2.
^孟庆惠; 安徽省地方志编纂委员会 [Anhui Place Almanac Compilation Committee]. (PDF). 方志出版社. p. 412. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-05-30.
External links
Huizhou Chinese test of Wikipedia at Wikimedia Incubator
Classification of Hui Dialects
December 27, 2022
huizhou, chinese, variety, spoken, huizhou, guangdong, 惠州, huizhou, dialect, chinese, 徽州话, dialect, chinese, 徽语, group, closely, related, sinitic, languages, spoken, over, small, area, around, historical, region, huizhou, which, named, about, mountainous, coun. For the variety spoken in Huizhou Guangdong 惠州 see Huizhou dialect Huizhou Chinese Chinese 徽州话 or the Hui dialect Chinese 徽语 is a group of closely related Sinitic languages spoken over a small area in and around the historical region of Huizhou for which it is named in about ten or so mountainous counties in southern Anhui plus a few more in neighbouring Zhejiang and Jiangxi Huizhou徽州話 徽州话Native toChinaRegionHuizhou southern Anhui neighbouring portions of Zhejiang and JiangxiNative speakers4 6 million 2000 1 Language familySino Tibetan SiniticHuizhouLanguage codesISO 639 3 a href https iso639 3 sil org code czh class extiw title iso639 3 czh czh a Glottologhuiz1242Linguasphere79 AAA da image reference needed This article contains IPA phonetic symbols Without proper rendering support you may see question marks boxes or other symbols instead of Unicode characters For an introductory guide on IPA symbols see Help IPA Huizhou ChineseSimplified Chinese徽州话Traditional Chinese徽州話Hanyu PinyinHuizhōuhuaTranscriptionsStandard MandarinHanyu PinyinHuizhōuhuaother MandarinXiao erjingﺧ ﻮ ﺟ ﻮ ﺧ ﻮ Yue CantoneseYale RomanizationFaijau WaJyutpingfai1zau1 waa6Alternative Chinese nameSimplified Chinese徽语Traditional Chinese徽語Hanyu PinyinHuiyǔTranscriptionsStandard MandarinHanyu PinyinHuiyǔYue CantoneseYale RomanizationFai YuhJyutpingfai1jyu5Although the Hui area is small compared with other Chinese dialect groups it displays a very high degree of internal variation Nearly every county has its own distinct dialect unintelligible to a speaker from a few counties away For this reason bilingualism and multilingualism are common among speakers of Hui It is estimated that there are around 4 6 million speakers of Huizhou varieties 1 Contents 1 Classification 2 History 3 Languages and dialects 4 Features 5 References 6 External linksClassification EditHuizhou Chinese was originally classified as Lower Yangtze Mandarin but it is currently classified separately from it 2 The Chinese Academy of Social Sciences supported the separation of Huizhou from Lower Yangtze Mandarin in 1987 3 Its classification is disputed with some linguists such as Matisoff classifying it as Wu Chinese others such as Bradley 2007 as Gan and still others setting it apart as a primary branch of Chinese History EditDuring the Ming and Qing dynasties Jianghuai speakers moved into Hui dialect areas 4 Some works of literature produced in Yangzhou such as Qingfengzha a novel contain Jianghuai Mandarin People in Yangzhou identified by the dialect they speak locals spoke the dialect as opposed to sojourners who spoke other varieties like Huizhou or Wu This led to the formation of identity based on one s dialect Large numbers of merchants from Huizhou lived in Yangzhou and effectively were responsible for keeping the town afloat 5 Merchants in the later imperial period also sponsored operas and performances in the Hui dialect 6 Languages and dialects EditZhengzhang Shangfang divided the Hui languages into five subgroups which are also used in the Language Atlas of China 7 8 Ji She spoken in Jixi She County Huizhou Jingde Hongchuan area in the west and Ningguo Hongmen area in the south Anhui province as well as Chun an Tangcun in the west etc Zhejiang province carries notable Wu influence Jixihua is the main Ji She variety Xiu Yi spoken in Tunxi Taiping Guocun in the southwest Xiuning Yi County and Qimen around Fufeng in the southeast as well as Wuyuan Jiangxi province Tunxihua is the main Xiu Yi variety Qi De spoken in Qimen and Dongzhi partially Anhui province as well as Fuliang Dexing and Wuyuan Jiangxi province greatly influenced by the surrounding Gan languages Yanzhou spoken in Chun an and Jiande formerly Yanzhou Prefecture Zhejiang province heavily influenced by Wu Jing Zhan spoken in Jingde Qimen in and around Anling Chengan and Chiling Shitai Zhanda area Yi County Meixi Kecun and other northern towns and Ningguo Anhui province forms a thin corridor along the northern edge of the Hui group carrying influence from Xuanzhou Wu Huizhou varieties differ from township to township 9 People in different townships towns etc even in one county often cannot speak with one another Features EditThis section does not cite any sources Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed December 2018 Learn how and when to remove this template message Phonologically speaking Hui is noted for its massive loss of syllable codas including i u and nasals Character Meaning Hui of Tunxi Wu of Shanghai Huai Jianghuai of Hefei Mandarin of Beijing燒 burn ɕiɔ sɔ ʂɔ ʂɑu 柴 firewood sa za tʂʰɛ tʂʰai 綫 line siːɛ ɕi ɕĩ ɕiɛn 張 sheet tɕiau tsɑ tʂɑ tʂɑŋ 網 web mau mɑ wɑ wɑŋ 檻 threshold kʰɔ kʰɛ kʰa kʰan Many Hui dialects have diphthongs with a higher lengthened first part For example 話 speech is uːɜ in Xiuning County Standard Chinese xuɑ 園 yard is yːɛ in Xiuning County Standard Chinese yɛn 結 knot is tɕiːaʔ in Yi County Standard Chinese tɕiɛ 約 agreement is iːuʔ in Yi County Standard Chinese yɛ A few areas take this to extremes For example Likou in Qimen County has fũːmɛ for 飯 rice Standard Chinese fan with the m appearing directly as a result of the lengthened nasalized ũː Because nasal codas have mostly been lost Hui reuses the 儿 r ending as a diminutive For example in the Tunxi dialect 索 rope appears as soːn from soʔ r References Edit a b Huizhou at Ethnologue 18th ed 2015 subscription required Barbara F Grimes ed 2000 Ethnologue Volume 1 14th ed SIL International p 404 ISBN 1 55671 103 4 Formerly considered to be part of the Jianghuai dialect of Mandarin but now considered by many to be a separate major variety of Chinese Dialects are reported to differ greatly from each other Different from the Huizhou dialect of Xiao bin Ji ed 2003 Facts About China illustrated ed H W Wilson p 70 ISBN 0 8242 0961 3 For this reason the Chinese Academy of Social Science suggested in 1987 that two new groups the Jin and the Hui be separated from the northwestern and the Jiang Huai Mandarin subgroups Distinctive Features Mandarin dialects are Hilary Chappell ed 2004 Chinese Grammar Synchronic and Diachronic Perspectives illustrated reprint ed Oxford University Press p 17 ISBN 0 19 927213 1 According to Hirata however Hui is composed of many layers its dialects are spoken in an area originally occupied by the Yue i tribe suggestive of a possible substrate later to be overlaid by migrations from Northern China in the Medieval Nanbeichao period and the Tang and Song dynasties This was followed by the Jiang Huai Mandarin dialects of the migrants who arrived during the Ming and Qing periods and more recently by Wu dialects in particular acquired by peripatetic Hui merchants who have represented an active Margaret B Wan 2009 Local Fiction of the Yangzhou Region Qingfengzha In Lucie B Olivova Vibeke Bordahl eds Lifestyle and Entertainment in Yangzhou Issue 44 of NIAS studies in Asian topics Nordisk Institut for Asienstudier Kobenhavn illustrated ed NIAS Press p 184 ISBN 978 87 7694 035 5 Some grammatical features of Yangzhou dialect are shared with Jianghuai Mandarin Others may be of more limited usage but are used in Dingyuan County the setting of Qingfengzha which belongs to the same subgroup of Jianghuai Guo Qitao 2005 Ritual Opera and Mercantile Lineage The Confucian Transformation of Popular Culture in Late Imperial Huizhou Stanford Calif Stanford University Press ISBN 0804750327 Yan Margaret Mian 2006 Introduction to Chinese Dialectology LINCOM Europa pp 222 223 ISBN 978 3 89586 629 6 Kurpaska Maria 2010 Chinese Language s A Look Through the Prism of The Great Dictionary of Modern Chinese Dialects Walter de Gruyter p 69 ISBN 978 3 11 021914 2 孟庆惠 安徽省地方志编纂委员会 Anhui Place Almanac Compilation Committee 安徽省志 方言志 第五篇 皖南徽语 PDF 方志出版社 p 412 Archived from the original PDF on 2011 05 30 External links Edit Huizhou Chinese test of Wikipedia at Wikimedia Incubator Classification of Hui Dialects Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Huizhou Chinese amp oldid 1124204424, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
