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The Survey on the Distribution of MC Fei and Xiao Initial Groups in Chinese Dialects

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IALP 2020, Kuala Lumpur, Dec 4-6, 2020 The Survey on the Distribution of MC Fei and Xiao Initial Groups in Chinese Dialects Yan Li Xiaochuan Song School of Foreign Languages, School of Foreign Languages, Shaanxi Normal University, Shaanxi Normal University Xi’an, China /Henan Agricultural University e-mail: [email protected] Xi’an/Zhengzhou, China e-mail:[email protected] Abstract — MC Fei 非 and Xiao 晓 initial group discussed in this paper includes Fei 非, Fu groups are always mixed together in the southern 敷 and Feng 奉 initials, but does not include Wei part of China. It can be divided into four sections 微, while MC Xiao 晓 initial group includes according to the distribution: the northern area, the Xiao 晓 and Xia 匣 initials. The third and fourth southwestern area, the southern area, the class of Xiao 晓 initial group have almost southeastern area. The mixing is very simple in the palatalized as [ɕ] which doesn’t mix with Fei northern area, while in Sichuan it is the most initial group. This paper mainly discusses the first extensive and complex. The southern area only and the second class of Xiao and Xia initials. The includes Hunan and Guangxi where ethnic mixing of Fei and Xiao initials is a relatively minorities gather, and the mixing is very recent phonetic change, which has no direct complicated. Ancient languages are preserved in the inheritance with the phonological system of southeastern area where there are still bilabial Qieyun. The mixing mainly occurs in the southern sounds and initial consonant [h], but the mixing is part of the mainland of China. It is not only in simple. There are two different evolution processes Mandarin-speaking areas, but also in various of Fei initial group diverging from Bang 帮 initial dialect areas. It covers a wide range of China, group, one is evolving from [p], [b] to [pf], then [f]; including Sichuan, Yunnan, Shaanxi, Chongqing, the other is from [fu] to [hu] [1]. This could be easy Hubei, Hunan, Guizhou, Guangxi, Guangdong, to explain why MC Fei 非 initial group is read as Jiangxi, and so on. [x] in some Chinese dialects. Immigration is also one Many scholars have discussed the mixing of of the important reasons. Fei and Xiao initial groups. The most famous Key words — MC Fei 非 initial group; MC ones are Li Lan[2] and He Da’an [3]. The focus Xiao 晓 initial group; mixing; Chinese dialects of discussion is on the types and causes of mixing. I. INTRODUCTION Zhuang Chusheng [4][5] studied how MC Xiao initial group evolved into [f] in southern dialects. On March 15, 2019, an article was published However, up to now, no one has ever surveyed the in Science, which holds that the formation time of distribution of Fei and Xiao initial groups in all labiodental [f], [v] is very short, which is mainly Chinese dialects and there is no consensus in the caused by the change of human diet structure. academic circle on the reasons of mixing. Due to the development of agriculture, the hard food in modern human diet gradually decreased, II. THE CURRENT SITUATION OF MIXING OF FEI which led to the change of the occlusal 非 AND XIAO 晓 INITIAL GROUPS relationship between upper and lower teeth, The mixing of Fei and Xiao initial groups is resulting in labiodental sounds. This is also a mainly concentrated in the southern part of China. good explanation for the phenomenon that there It is bordered by Shaanxi, Shanxi, Henan, Anhui was no labiodental sound in ancient Chinese. and Jiangsu. In this large area, the more Then why do some places in China have [f] northward, the simpler the mixing is; the more initials and some places have [x] initials instead southward, the more complex it becomes, of [f] initials? This is involved in the evolution of especially in Sichuan, Hunan, Guangxi and other MC Fei and Xiao initial groups. MC Fei initial places. But if we continue to go south and 978-1-7281-7689-5/20/$31.00 c 2020 IEEE 326 southeast, it becomes simpler again, such as Xinpang district of Central Plains Mandarin in the Yunnan, Guizhou, Guangdong, Fujian, Zhejiang eastern and southeastern part, especially in and other places due to the barrier of high Zhoukou, Zhumadian and Xinyang, and the mountains and sea. mixing in Xinyang is the most complicated. There are about two kinds, one is that all of the third A. The Mixing in the Northern Area is Relatively class of Hekou (合口) in MC Xiao 晓 initial Simple group are merged into Fei 非 initial group which The north here refers to Shaanxi, Shanxi, are pronounced as [f]. This case mainly occurs in Henan, Anhui and Jiangsu. In this area, the Xinpang district of Central Plains Mandarin. The mixing of Fei and Xiao initial groups only exist other is that all of the third class of Hekou (合口) in a few places, e.g., only Hanzhong and Ankang in MC Xiao 晓 initial group changed into Kaikou in Shaanxi, Lvliang and Jinzhong in Shanxi, (开口) and the initials are pronounced as [f], Xinyang in Henan, the surrounding areas of while the Kaikou (开口) in Fei 非 initial group Huainan and Changfeng in Hefei, Anhui. In changed into Hekou (合口) and the initials are Jiangsu it mainly appears in the border area of pronounced as [x]. This phenomenon is called Central Plains Mandarin and Jianghuai Mandarin phonetic interchangeability which only occurs in in Northern Jiangsu. In the above-mentioned Shangshui dialect of Luoxiang district of Central places there doesn’t appear large-scale mixing of Plains Mandarin. Fei and Xiao initial groups. E.g., the mixing of The mixing is very special in three places of Fei and Xiao initial groups in Shaanxi Province Henan. The first case is Xi County dialect in mainly appears in Hanzhong and Ankang, near Xinyang where there is not only an evolution Chongqing and Sichuan. There are two cases of from Xiao 晓 initial group to Fei 非 initial group, mixing, one is that all of Fei initial group merge but also an evolution from Fei 非 initial group to into Xiao initial group, where there is no initial Xiao 晓 initial group. The co-existence of the two consonant [f], such as Hanyin dialect and evolutions in the case of the Xi County may be Zhenping dialect in Ankang. The other is Xiao due to the earlier evolution from Xiao 晓 initial initial group merged into Fei initial group before group to Fei 非 initial group. As for the evolution simple final [u] and is read as [f], e.g., Zhenba from Fei 非 initial group to Xiao 晓 initial group, dialect in Hanzhong, Ziyang dialect and Langao it may be a kind of external influence[8]. The dialect in Ankang. second one is Shangshui dialect in Zhoukou And the mixing of Fei and Xiao initial groups whose Fei 非 initial and Xiao 晓, Xia 匣 initials in Shanxi dialect mainly occurs in the central part show a kind of sound interchangeability in front of Bingzhou and the western part of Lvliang of of Hekou (合口). MC Xiao 晓, Xia 匣 initials in Jin dialects. In Lvliang, the mixing of Fei and front of Hekou (合口) are read as [f] instead of Xiao initial groups is everywhere, like Fangshan, [x], while MC Fei 非, Fu 敷, Feng 奉 initials in Xing County, Shilou, Wenshui, Jiaocheng, front of the third class of Hekou ( 合口) are Xiaoyi, and the mixing in Jinzhong is pronounced as [x] instead of [f]. Fei 非 initials are concentrated in the west close to Lvliang, that is, read as [x], while Xiao 晓 initials as [f]. This kind Pingyao, Qi County and other places where Fei of sound change is different from chain shift 非, Fu 敷 and Feng 奉 initials are pronounced sound change [9]. The third case is Shang City in as [x] and the finals also become corresponding the south of Xinyang where its dialects are quite Hekouhu(合口呼), e.g., “发(give out)” is read as different between south and north while Xiao 晓 [xuaʔ2] in Jiao City, [xuAʔ13] in Pinyao, [xuαʔ22] initial is pronounced as [f] in the south, and in the in Qi County, [xuaʔ2] in Xiaoyi, [faʔ2] in Taiyuan. central part, [f] and [x] are not mixed, but to the According to Cui Nana[6], at the beginning of the north, Fei 非 initial is pronounced as [x][10]. 20th century, Fei 非, Fu 敷 and Feng 奉 initials In Anhui, the mixing is very few. The cases are pronounced as [f], and later they are combined of mixing mainly concentrate on the areas of with Xiao 晓 and Xia 匣 initials which are Central Plains Mandarin in Huai River, which pronounced as [x] in the Xing County dialect of includes the surrounding areas of Huainan City, Lvliang. In the dialect of Western Shanxi where that is, Huainan City and Fengtai to the West, Xing County is located, there is no initial [f] in Shou County and Huoqiu in Liu’an, Meng City the dialects of Lishi, Fangshan, Zhongyang, (part of it) in Bozhou, Funan (in the areas of Shilou, Xi County, Yonghe and other counties. Fangji) in Fuyang, Changfeng in Hefei in The same is Wenshui County, but [f] and [x] are Jianghuai Mandarin Area and other places. In not mixed in Xicaotou dialect, the southernmost these places, Fei 非 initial is pronounced as part of the county [7]. guttural fricative [h] or velar fricative [x][11].
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  • Toponymic Culture of China's Ethnic Minorities' Languages

    Toponymic Culture of China's Ethnic Minorities' Languages

    E/CONF.94/CRP.24 7 June 2002 English only Eighth United Nations Conference on the Standardization of Geographical Names Berlin, 27 August-5 September 2002 Item 9 (c) of the provisional agenda* National standardization: treatment of names in multilingual areas Toponymic culture of China’s ethnic minorities’ languages Submitted by China** * E/CONF.94/1. ** Prepared by Wang Jitong, General-Director, China Institute of Toponymy. 02-41902 (E) *0241902* E/CONF.94/CRP.24 Toponymic Culture of China’s Ethnic Minorities’ Languages Geographical names are fossil of history and culture. Many important meanings are contained in the geographical names of China’s Ethnic Minorities’ languages. I. The number and distribution of China’s Ethnic Minorities There are 55 minorities in China have been determined now. 53 of them have their own languages, which belong to 5 language families, but the Hui and the Man use Chinese (Han language). There are 29 nationalities’ languages belong to Sino-Tibetan family, including Zang, Menba, Zhuang, Bouyei, Dai, Dong, Mulam, Shui, Maonan, Li, Yi, Lisu, Naxi, Hani, Lahu, Jino, Bai, Jingpo, Derung, Qiang, Primi, Lhoba, Nu, Aching, Miao, Yao, She, Tujia and Gelao. These nationalities distribute mainly in west and center of Southern China. There are 17 minority nationalities’ languages belong to Altaic family, including Uygul, Kazak, Uzbek, Salar, Tatar, Yugur, Kirgiz, Mongol, Tu, Dongxiang, Baoan, Daur, Xibe, Hezhen, Oroqin, Ewenki and Chaoxian. These nationalities distribute mainly in west and east of Northern China. There are 3 minority nationalities’ languages belong to South- Asian family, including Va, Benglong and Blang. These nationalities distribute mainly in Southwest China’s Yunnan Province.