A Comparative Study of 10 Peripheral Yue Dialects: Contribution to Chinese Linguistics (CERG project funded by RGC of HKSAR)

Recent research on Cantonese, a major dialect group of China, has drawn attention to some uncommon and salient features of linguistic variation compared with other Chinese dialects. They also raise questions on the history and development of Cantonese and so of the Chinese language. The present project has identified 10 little documented Yue dialects peripheral to the Pearl River Delta Hubs, and proposes to examine at least 6 such uncommon linguistic features to achieve a better understanding of: (1) a fuller range of Yue dialects found in the north and west of the Pearl River Delta and in Guangxi, as well as newly discovered Yue dialects in Hainan, (2) the linguistic history of Cantonese in the light of possibly competing contributions from internal change and from its extensive contact with non-Sinitic languages, and the contribution this could make to the historical development of the Chinese language, and (3) the general nature of linguistic development which may be influenced by external factors such as language contact and by internal factors such as contiguous development with the language, and the interaction of such factors.

Funding Source: RGC - Competitive Earmarked Research Grant