A Fieldwork-Based Study On Affricate-Fricative Series In Zhenhai

Previous studies show that Zhenhai distinguishes itself from the other dialects of Wu in that it retains three intact affricate-fricative series developed from Middle Chinese:alveolar series ([ts], [ts~h], [dz], [s], [z]), alveolo-palatal series ([(?)], [(?)~h], [(?)], [(?)], [(?)]),post-alveolar series ([(?)], [(?)~h], [(?)], [(?)], [(?)]), which are proposed to be in complementarydistribution. This fieldwork-based study investigates phonological variations of affricate-fricative series in Zhenhai and reports new findings. It aims to verify the hypothesis that affricate-fricative series in Zhenhai follow the same evolutionary trend as in Ningbo: thepost-alveolar series develops into the alveolar series ((?)→ts). A fieldwork is carried out withthis hypothesis. The data collected from 24 informants in 9 locations both in urban and suburban areas are dealt with in the framework of segmental phonology, especially Duanmu's Single-slot Theory, which insists that Chinese onset consonant -glide clusters can be analyzed as complex sounds, resulting in an increase in phonological simplicity. The data reveal new evolution in affricate-fricative series in Zhenhai: post-alveolar series has almost disappeared, leaving alveolar series and alveolo-palatal series, by comparison with previous studies. This result suggests that this study's verification is achieved.