Southern Min Grammar in Areal Perspective

• Main Authors: Chen, Yen-Ling, 陳彥伶
• Other Authors: Tsao, Feng-Fu
• Format: Others
• Language: en_US
• Published: 2010
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/73527096869173955902

碩士 === 國立清華大學 === 語言學研究所 === 98 === This study aims to explore Southern Min from an areal perspective in order to identify certain linguistic traits shared by Minnan and Tai-Kadai stock as well. Some shared traits in Southern Min, such as reversed modification and comparatives, have been revealed to be retentions of Chinese in the ancient times, instead of Tai-Kadai interference. In contrast, some linguistic features shared by Southern Min and Tai-Kadai, such as the grammatical pathways of ‘give’, are indeed influenced substratum effect. Moreover, different word choices of grammaticalized ‘give’ in southern Sinitic languages are suggested to result from different substratum Yue groups belonging to different branches within the Tai-Kadai language family. This thesis consists of six chapters. Chapter 1 is the introduction, Chapter 2 provides the historical and linguistic orientation, and gives a brief account of how different ethnicities have dwelled together in south China while Chapter 3, 4 and 5 describe and discuss Southern Min from an areal perspective. Chapter 6 is the conclusion, which also deals with the direction for further research.