Studies On Xinhua Dialect's Appellation Terms

Xinhua dialect features the Xiang dialect's distribution with Gan dialect's characteristics. As an important aspect of the Xinhua dialect, the appellation system embodies the entire characteristics of Xiang dialect as well as its own features. By using the method of description, analysis and comparison, this thesis studies the appellation system of Xinhua dialect based on the following aspects:Firstly, based on the record of Xinhua dialect's kinship terms, an elaboration of this dialect has been made from the aspects of face to face address and indicative address, order of generation and age, addressing others as a younger generation as his/her children or grandchildren, gender-mixed kinship appellation terms and imitative kinship terms. Based on the comparison with other dialects, we find out that the kinship terms of Xinhua dialect uses comparatively older methods. At the same time, there are some special phenomena, such as using inflection to differentiate between close and distant kinships, together with gender-mixed appellation terms.Secondly, a study of the social appellation system of Xinhua dialects has been carried out from the aspects of Xinhua dialect's features, suffix, and phonetics. Rhetoric is one of the ways which can embody local characteristics best and the selection of images reflects people's daily lives and thinking activities. Suffix, which expresses colorful additional meanings and has been influenced by phonetics' option, is a very important constituent part of appellation terms of Xinhua dialect.Thirdly, discussion of the function division has been carried out regarding the quantifiers "ge" and "zhi" as well as the additional meanings and syntax function of quantifier reduplication.Fourthly, processed from the cultural angle, we have discussed some words'meaning based on the analysis of the appellation terms which has been used in literary works and folk songs. The analysis of appellation terms in literature works and folk songs reveals that Xinhua dialect has a close relationship with Miao, Yao language and Gan dialect.