Meixian dialect
{{Short description|Dialect of Hakka Chinese}}
{{Infobox language
| name = Meixian
| nativename = {{lang|zh-Hant|梅縣話}}
| states = Guangdong, Taiwan, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia
| region = Meixian
| speakers = ?
| familycolor = Sino-Tibetan
| fam2 = Sinitic
| fam3 = Chinese
| fam4 = Hakka
| fam5 = Yue-Tai Hakka
| fam6 = Mei-Hui section
| isoexception = dialect
| script = Chinese characters
| glotto = yuet1238
| glottorefname = Meixian
| lingua = 79-AAA-gam
| pronunciation = {{IPA|[moi˩ jan˥ fa˥˧]}}
}}
The Meixian dialect ({{zh|t=梅縣話}}; Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: Mòi-yan-fa; IPA: {{IPA|[moi˩ jan˥ fa˥˧]}}), also known as Moiyan dialect, as well as Meizhou dialect ({{lang|zh|梅州話}}), or Jiaying dialect and Gayin dialect, Kayin dialect{{Cite book |last=Maciver |first=D. |title=A Chinese-English Dictionary: Hakka-Dialect as Spoken in Kwang-Tung Province}} is the prestige dialect of Hakka Chinese. It is named after Meixian District, Meizhou, Guangdong. Sixian dialect (in Taiwan) is very similar to Meixian dialect.
Phonology
=Initials=
There are two series of stops and affricates in Hakka, both voiceless: tenuis /{{IPA|p t ts k}}/ and aspirated /{{IPA|pʰ tʰ tsʰ kʰ}}/.
class=wikitable style=text-align:center |
colspan=2| |
---|
colspan=2 |Nasal
|/{{IPA link|m}}/ {{angle bracket|m}} |/{{IPA link|n}}/ {{angle bracket|n}} |[{{IPA link|ɲ}}] {{angle bracket|ng(i)}}* |/{{IPA link|ŋ}}/ {{angle bracket|ng}} | |
rowspan=2|Plosive
!{{small|tenuis}} |/{{IPA link|p}}/ {{angle bracket|b}} |/{{IPA link|t}}/ {{angle bracket|d}} |[{{IPA link|c}}] {{angle bracket|g(i)}}* |/{{IPA link|k}}/ {{angle bracket|g}} |({{IPA link|ʔ}}) |
{{small|aspirated}}
|/{{IPA link|pʰ}}/ {{angle bracket|p}} |/{{IPA link|tʰ}}/ {{angle bracket|t}} |[{{IPA link|cʰ}}] {{angle bracket|k(i)}}* |/{{IPA link|kʰ}}/ {{angle bracket|k}} | |
rowspan=2|Affricate
!{{small|tenuis}} | |/{{IPA link|ts}}/ {{angle bracket|z}} | | | |
{{small|aspirated}}
| |/{{IPA link|tsʰ}}/ {{angle bracket|c}} | | | |
colspan=2 |Fricative
|/{{IPA link|f}}/ {{angle bracket|f}} |/{{IPA link|s}}/ {{angle bracket|s}} |[{{IPA link|ç}}] {{angle bracket|h(i)}}* | |/{{IPA link|h}}/ {{angle bracket|h}} |
colspan=2|Approximant
|/{{IPA link|ʋ}}/ {{angle bracket|v}} |/{{IPA link|l}}/ {{angle bracket|l}} | | | |
= Rimes =
Moiyan Hakka has seven vowels, {{IPAslink|ɹ̩}}, {{IPAslink|i}}, {{IPAslink|e}}, {{IPAslink|a}}, {{IPAslink|ə}}, {{IPAslink|ɔ}} and {{IPAslink|u}}, that are romanised as ii, i, ê, a, e, o and u, respectively.
class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
! !Out !Back |
align="center"
|{{IPAslink|ɹ̩}} {{angle bracket|ii}} |{{IPAslink|i}} {{angle bracket|i}} | |{{IPAslink|u}} {{angle bracket|u}} |
Mid
| |{{IPAslink|e̞}} {{angle bracket|ê}} |{{IPAslink|ə}} ({{IPAslink|ɘ}}) {{angle bracket|e}} |{{IPAslink|ɔ}} {{angle bracket|o}} |
---|
align="center"
!Open | | |{{IPAslink|a}} {{angle bracket|a}} | |
==Finals==
Moreover, Hakka finals exhibit the final consonants found in Middle Chinese, namely {{IPA|[m, n, ŋ, p, t, k]}} which are romanised as m, n, ng, b, d, and g respectively in the official Moiyan romanisation.
class="wikitable" |
rowspan="2"|nucleus
! rowspan="2"|medial ! colspan="9"|coda |
---|
-∅
!{{IPA |
i}}
!{{IPA |
u}}
!{{IPA |
m}}
!{{IPA |
n}}
!{{IPA |
ŋ}}
!{{IPA |
p}}
!{{IPA |
t}}
!{{IPA |
k}} |
rowspan="3" |
a-
!∅- |{{IPA|a}} |{{IPA|ai}} |{{IPA|au}} |{{IPA|am}} |{{IPA|an}} |{{IPA|aŋ}} |{{IPA|ap}} |{{IPA|at}} |{{IPA|ak}} |
{{IPA|j-}}
|{{IPA|ja}} |{{IPA|jai}} |{{IPA|jau}} |{{IPA|jam}} |{{IPA|jan}} |{{IPA|jaŋ}} |{{IPA|jap}} |{{IPA|jat}} |{{IPA|jak}} |
{{IPA|w-}}
|{{IPA|wa}} |{{IPA|wai}} | | |{{IPA|wan}} |{{IPA|waŋ}} | |{{IPA|wat}} |{{IPA|wak}} |
rowspan="3" |
e-
!∅- |{{IPA|e̞}} | |{{IPA|e̞u}} |{{IPA|e̞m}} |{{IPA|e̞n}} | |{{IPA|e̞p}} |{{IPA|e̞t}} | |
{{IPA|j-}}
|{{IPA|je̞}} | | | |{{IPA|je̞n}} | | |{{IPA|je̞t}} | |
{{IPA|w-}}
|we̞ | | | |{{IPA|we̞n}} | | |{{IPA|we̞t}} | |
-i-
!∅- |{{IPA|i}} |wi | |{{IPA|im}} |{{IPA|in}} | |{{IPA|ip}} |{{IPA|it}} | |
rowspan="3"|{{IPA |
o-}}
!∅- |{{IPA|o}} |{{IPA|oi}} | | |{{IPA|on}} |{{IPA|oŋ}} | |{{IPA|ot}} |{{IPA|ok}} |
{{IPA|j-}}
|{{IPA|jo}} |joi | | |{{IPA|jon}} |{{IPA|joŋ}} | | |{{IPA|jok}} |
{{IPA|w-}}
|{{IPA|wo}} | | | |{{IPA|won}} |{{IPA|woŋ}} | | |{{IPA|wok}} |
rowspan="2"|{{IPA |
u-}}
!∅- |{{IPA|u}} | | | |{{IPA|un}} |{{IPA|uŋ}} | |{{IPA|ut}} |{{IPA|uk}} |
{{IPA|j-}}
| |{{IPA|jui}} |ju | |{{IPA|jun}} |{{IPA|juŋ}} | |{{IPA|jut}} |{{IPA|juk}} |
{{IPA |
ə-}}
!∅- | | | |{{IPA|əm}} |{{IPA|ən}} | |{{IPA|əp}} |{{IPA|ət}} | |
colspan="2"|Syllabics
|{{IPA|ɹ̩}} | colspan="2" style="background: #aaa;"| |{{IPA|m̩}} |n̩ |{{IPA|ŋ̩}} | colspan="3" style="background: #aaa;"| |
=Tone=
Moiyan Hakka has six tones. The Middle Chinese fully voiced initial syllables became aspirated voiceless initial syllable in Hakka. Before that happened, the four Middle Chinese 'tones', ping, shang, qu, ru, underwent a voicing split in the case of ping and ru, giving the dialect six tones in traditional accounts.
class="wikitable"
|+ Moiyan tones | ||
Tone number | Tone name
! Hanzi ! Tone letters ! number ! English | |
---|---|---|
1
| yin ping | {{lang|zh-Hant|陰平}} | {{IPA|˦}}
|44 | high level |
2
| yang ping | {{lang|zh-Hant|陽平}} | {{IPA|˩}}
|11 | low level |
3
| shang | {{lang|zh-Hant|上}} | {{IPA|˧˩}}
|31 | low falling |
4
| qu | {{lang|zh-Hant|去}} | {{IPA|˥˧}}
|53 | high falling |
5
| yin ru | {{lang|zh-Hant|陰入}} | {{IPA|˩}}
|2 | low checked |
6
| yang ru | {{lang|zh-Hant|陽入}} | {{IPA|˥}}
|5 | high checked |
These so-called yin-yang tonal splittings developed mainly as a consequence of the type of initial a Chinese syllable had during the Middle Chinese stage in the development of Chinese, with voiceless initial syllables {{IPA|[p- t- k-]}} tending to become of the yin type, and the voiced initial syllables {{IPA|[b- d- ɡ-]}} developing into the yang type. In modern Moiyan Hakka however, part of the Yin Ping tone characters have sonorant initials {{IPA|[m n ŋ l]}} originally from the Middle Chinese Shang tone syllables and fully voiced Middle Chinese Qu tone characters, so the voiced/voiceless distinction should be taken only as a rule of thumb.
Hakka tone contours differs more as one moves away from Moiyen. For example, the Yin Ping contour is {{IPA|˧}} (33) in Changting and {{IPA|˨˦}} (24) in Sixian ({{lang|zh|四縣}}), Taiwan.
;Entering tone
Hakka preserves all of the entering tones of Middle Chinese and it is split into two registers. Meixian has the following:
- {{lang|zh-Hant|陰入}} [ ˩ ] a low pitched checked tone
- {{lang|zh-Hant|陽入}} [ ˥ ] a high pitched checked tone
Middle Chinese entering tone syllables ending in [k] whose vowel clusters have become front high vowels like [i] and [e] shifts to syllables with [t] finals in modern Hakka{{Cite web |last=Sung |first=Dylan W. H. |date=2000 |title=Chinese Numerals: A Comparison of Readings from China, Korea, Japan, and Vietnam |url=http://dylansung.tripod.com/sapienti/cjkvnum.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170901021129/http://dylansung.tripod.com/sapienti/cjkvnum.htm |archive-date=1 September 2017 |access-date=24 April 2018 |website=dylansung.tripod.com}} as seen in the following table.
class="wikitable" style="text-align: left"
! Character ! Middle Chinese ! Hakka ! Main meaning in English |
{{lang|zh-Hant|職}}
|{{lang|zh-Hant|之翼切}} |tɕĭək |tsit˩ |vocation, profession |
---|
{{lang|zh-Hant|力}}
|{{lang|zh-Hant|林直切}} |lĭək |lit˥ |strength, power |
{{lang|zh-Hant|食}}
|{{lang|zh-Hant|乗力切}} |dʑʰĭək |sit˥ |eat, consume |
{{lang|zh-Hant|色}}
|{{lang|zh-Hant|所力切}} |ʃĭək |set˩ |colour, hue |
{{lang|zh-Hant|德}}
|{{lang|zh-Hant|多則切}} |tək |tet˩ |virtue |
{{lang|zh-Hant|刻}}
|{{lang|zh-Hant|苦得切}} |kʰək |kʰet˩ |carve, engrave, a moment |
{{lang|zh-Hant|北}}
|{{lang|zh-Hant|博墨切}} |pək |pet˩ |north |
{{lang|zh-Hant|國}}
|{{lang|zh-Hant|古或切}} |kuək |kuet˩ |country, state |
==Tone sandhi==
For Moiyan Hakka, the yin ping and qu tone characters exhibit sandhi when the following character has a lower pitch. The pitch of the yin ping tone changes from {{IPA|˦}} (44) to {{IPA|˧˥}} (35) when sandhi occurs. Similarly, the qu tone changes from {{IPA|˥˧}} (53) to {{IPA|˦}} (55) under sandhi. These are shown in red in the following table.
class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; margin:1em auto 1em auto"
|+ Moiyen tone sandhi ! ! + {{IPA|˦}} Yin Ping ! + {{IPA|˩}} Yang Ping ! + {{IPA|˧˩}} Shang ! + {{IPA|˥˧}} Qu ! + {{IPA|˩ʔ}} Yin Ru ! + {{IPA|˥ʔ}} YangRu ! + Neutral |
{{IPA|˦}} Yin Ping +
| {{IPA|˦.˦}} | {{IPA|˧˥}}{{IPA|.˩}} | {{IPA|˧˥}}{{IPA|.˧˩}} | {{IPA|˧˥}}{{IPA|.˥˧}} | {{IPA|˧˥}}{{IPA|.˩ʔ}} | {{IPA|˦.˥ʔ}} | {{IPA|˧˥}}{{IPA|.˧}} |
---|
{{IPA|˥˧}} Qu +
| {{IPA|˥˧.˦}} | {{IPA|˥}}{{IPA|.˩}} | {{IPA|˥}}{{IPA|.˧˩}} | {{IPA|˥}}{{IPA|.˥˧}} | {{IPA|˥}}{{IPA|.˩ʔ}} | {{IPA|˥˧.˥ʔ}} | {{IPA|˥}}{{IPA|.˧}} |
The neutral tone occurs in some postfixes. It has a mid pitch.
Internal variation
The Meixian dialect can be divided into four accents, which are:
Meicheng accent: Most of the townships in the central part of Meixian County (including present-day Meijiang District)
Songkou accent: Songkou, Longwen, Taoyao.
Meixi accent: Meixi.
Shejiang River accent: Shejiang River in the southwest of Meixian County.
References
{{Reflist}}
Further reading
- {{cite JIPA |author=Lee, Wai-Sum & Zee, Eric |title=Hakka Chinese |printdate=2009 April |volume=39 |issue=1 |pages=107-111 |doi=10.1017/S0025100308003599 }}
{{Sino-Tibetan languages}}
{{Chinese language}}