Research on the Phonology of Tongtai Dialect

Author: Gu Qian
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2001-06-01
Features: The Tongtai Dialect Area is located in central Jiangsu and serves as a transitional zone between Jianghuai Mandarin and Wu dialect. Its dialectal characteristics lie between the two, exhibiting highly complex phonetic phenomena with significant academic value. This book is the first to divide it into three sub-regions based on internal differences, providing detailed discussions on the nature and features of the Tongtai dialect from the perspectives of phonology, phonetics, and tones. It describes its synchronic distribution, compares spatial variations, and reconstructs the early phonological system. Additionally, it explores the relationships between the Tongtai dialect and Wu dialect, as well as dialects in western Jin, southern Jiangxi, and northern Fujian. Historically, the area between Jianghuai was part of the Wu dialect zone, and the Tongtai dialect now belongs to Jianghuai Mandarin but retains a Wu substratum. The Tongtai dialect shares many similarities with dialects in western Jin, southern Jiangxi, and northern Fujian, as they all share a common origin and are considered "descendants" of northern Chinese dialects from the 3rd to 4th centuries. The western Jin dialect remained in the central plains, while the other three migrated southward.