Problems in Comparative Chinese Dialectology: The Classification of Miin and Hakka (review)

The basis of this study is the extensive fieldwork conducted by David Branner in the township of Wann’an in the western part of China’s Fukien province. The aims of his study are, first, to investigate diagnostic rules proposed by Jerry Norman for identifying two Chinese dialects, Miin and Hakka, and second, to determine whether these dialects as defined by those rules constitute mutually exclusive groups. The book touches upon a wide variety of problems ranging from fieldwork methods to specific features of the investigated dialects to the goals of Chinese dialectology and the impact that the study of dialects has on our knowledge of the early stages of the Chinese language.

Ch. 1 begins with an overview of the goals and methods of dialect classification, outlining the characteristic features of the Chinese language. Here B reflects upon field research methodology, providing many useful tips for those embarking on a fieldtrip. Ch. 2 contains information about the township of Wann’an, including its location, geography, and major sights. This is followed by an overview of Norman’s diagnostic rules and of his hypothesis of a mutually exclusive relationship between Miin and Hakka. Ch. 3 demonstrates how the Wann’an dialects fit into the diagnostic rules. In this chapter, B also touches upon the identity of the Hakka people and the Hakka language and mentions prospects for future research in this field. Ch. 4 discusses features of the Wann’an dialects which, controversially, only partially exhibit typical Miin traits. Ch. 5 shows the value of the Wann’an data for the study of Common Miin and discusses several issues in Miin phonology on the basis of Wann’an evidence. Ch. 6, a general conclusion, begins with an overview of the difficulties encountered in the reconstruction of a single ancestor to modern Chinese dialects and argues that modern Chinese dialect groups must have been formed in a number of separate phases rather than originating from one common ancestor language.

Three appendixes to the book exhibit a list of morphemes defining the Common Wann’an phonological system. The list is organized along the lines of traditional Chinese rhyme books. The appendixes contain 2007 entries divided into 37 rhymes and an index of forms listed by English gloss.

The book is easy to read; it carefully avoids esoteric terminology and unique conventions which characterize the work of other specialists in the field and is, therefore, suitable for students not only of Chinese, but also of other branches of linguistics and even for nonspecialists. The Gwoyeu Romatzyh transcription, developed by the linguist Yuen Ren Chao, is used throughout the book instead of the Wade-Giles or Pinyin system normally employed in reference works and textbooks dealing with Chinese. A detailed and easy-to-follow guide to the transcription is provided at the end of the book together with a summary of the system advantages as compared to other transcription systems. The book also supplies a list of medieval Chinese forms presented in a transcription system developed by the author. It ends with a detailed bibliography, an index to glosses, and an index to subjects.