People of the Fairy Island and their language

Author: Wang Zhaohui
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-07-01
Features: Wang Zhaohui's doctoral dissertation "The People of Xian Island and Their Language" holds theoretical and practical value in its selection. The endangerment of Xian Island language is a type of endangered language. The factors contributing to the endangerment of Xian Island language include ethnic division, migration, small population, lagging social development, social transformation, and language contact. However, the most important factor is ethnic division. Ethnic division has resulted in a small number of speakers of Xian Island language. Combined with several migrations, the Xian people are now scattered in various places, coming into contact with different ethnic groups, leading to a rapid decline in the functional scope of Xian Island language and its path toward endangerment. Understanding the process and current state of Xian Island language's endangerment holds certain value for endangered language research. The Xian people are a relatively underdeveloped ethnic group among the minorities in Yunnan Province, and their ethnic identity has long been unresolved. How to help them develop their economy, culture, and education more quickly, and how to address the use of their language, are tasks for ethnic work in Yunnan. Therefore, research on the language of the Xian people has practical value.