The Research On Phonologic System Of The Speeches In Yanting And Its Neighborig6Counties In Sichuan Province

Abstract:As Xuezhen Huang stated in The Distribution of Southwestern Mandarin (Draft), the dialects of six Sichuan counties-Yanting, Shehong, Xichong, Pengshan, Qingshen and Jiajiang-are under the category of Minjiang dialect according to the distribution of modern Chinese dialects, and Minjiang Dialect is subordinate to Guanchi dialect, Southwestern Mandarin. The dialects of the six counties, which contain ancient Chinese characters with entering tone, are different from Chengdu-Chongqing dialect in terms of the phonetic system, particularly the consonant, vowel and tone. Based on objective field research on dialects, the author makes a synchronic comparative study of the dialects of the six counties mentioned above, Chengdu dialect and Beijing dialect.The dissertation is divided into six parts. The introduction part reviews the present research on the dialects of the six counties, and describes the research approaches to the phonetic research materials and indicates the meaning of different signs used in the dissertation. The second part provides basic information of the six counties including physical geography, history and demographic changes etc. The author discusses the effects of immigrants and natives exerted on the dialects when he refers to the immigration into Sichuan in the early Qing Dynasty and the Nanlu dialect in southwestern Sichuan. In the third section, the author gives an introduction to the phonetic systems of the dialects from the aspects of consonant, vowel and tone. The fourth section is concerned with the comparison of phonetic systems of these dialects, Chengdu dialect and Beijing dialect by means of lists and forms. This is followed by a summary of the similarities and differences of the dialects and their characteristics. In the fifth part, the author elaborates on the phonologic characteristics shared by these dialects and the Nanlu dialect. This is complemented by the discussion of the phonetic features of the areas mentioned above and the Minjiang dialects. The dissertation ends up with an appendix, namely a map showing the administrative areas of the six counties.Combining the theories and research methods of Chinese Dialectology and Historical Comparative Linguistics with synchronic and diachronic explanations, the author conducts field research and studies on the differences among Chengdu dialect, Beijing dialect and the dialects of six Sichuan counties on both micro and macro levels. Focusing on the phonetic systems-the consonant, vowel, and tone in particular-the author aims to explore the phonetic rules of the dialects and phonology in the areas synchronically and diachronically.