Dialect Lingshou Jin Dialect Transitional Characteristics

Lingshou local dialect belongs to Zhangjiakou and Huhehaote dialect of Jin dialect. Since it is in a transition zone from Jin dialect to the Mandarin, most of its features embody the characteristics of the transition. The present paper proceeds with the research on Jin dialect, then choose several representative features of Jin dialect, and study their presentations in Lingshou dialect.The present paper describes the features of Lingshou dialect from five perspectives, that is, the entering tone, words with separate syllables, words with the prefix"圪", the first Chinese tone, and nasal coda. The analysis is as follows:(1)The entering tone in Lingshou dialect shows the transitional features from Jin dialect to Mandarin. It is a separate tone, evolving from the glottal stop ending in Jin dialect, then it becomes the third tone in Mandarin, and finally its separate tone disappear.(2)the number of words with separate syllables in Lingshou dialect is decreasing. And their features are also different from those of Jin dialect. Their features are as follows: the first syllable is no longer syllable with the entering tone and glottal stop ending; the tone pitch changes from the entering tone to the smooth tone; and the additional tone of words with separate syllables is also under some changes.(3)Compared with the central area of Jin dialect, the number of words with the prefix"圪"in Lingshou dialect is also decreasing, and their word formations and meanings take on their own features.(4)There is no classification of high level tone and high rising tone in Lingshou dialect, but there is coexistence in shijiazhuang district, which is adjoining to Lingshou. Therefore, with the knowledge of dialect geography, a line of same dialect is delimited according to the concrete conditions of Lingshou dialect and Shijiazhuang dialect. (5)Lingshou dialect shows its transitional feature. With Taitou village serving as the boundary, in the adjoining area of western Shanxi, the shen and zhen she( a larger unit of classification; words with same ending of a final, same or similar vowels belong to the same she) are combined with that of zeng, geng, and tong, while in the eastern adjoining area of Mandarin, there is no confluence of dialect. The present paper delimit a line of same dialect according to the merge of nasal endings[-n],[-?]in Lingshou dialect, and draw up a map of dialects.By way of the description of the features of Lingshou dialect, and the comparison between Jin dialect and Mandarin, the present paper intends to provide detailed materials and the clue of development for the research on the transition fron Jin dialect to Mandarin. It is also significant in the exact mastery of features of Jin dialect and the Mandarin's process of formation.