Ep10: Dialects & Accents
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In this episode, we’ve talked about Taiwanese dialects, regional differences, and a bit on Taiwan’s early immigrants and development. (These show notes use tables and rich formatting. Please visit the episode webpage for an optimal viewing experience.) Since there are several dialects and accents in Taiwan, what you hear from one native speaker may sound quite different from another. This could be challenging when you learn Taiwanese. We hope this lesson will guide you through different regional accents and give you some historical background as well. ORIGIN: THE TWO MAJOR DIALECT GROUPS In the 17th century, immigrants from southern Fujian province in China started to arrive in several waves to Taiwan. Specifically, most came from two different regions: “Tsuân-tsiu 泉州” (Quanzhou) and “Tsiang-tsiu 漳州” (Zhangzhou). The two dialects are closely related and both belong to the Southern Min language. Over time, they began to intermingle and different dialects sprang up that were a mixture of these two types. In addition, these dialects received some influences from other languages such as Hakka, Aboriginal Languages, Japanese, and Mandarin. The two groups represent the two ends of a whole dialect continuum called “Tsiang-tsuân-lām 漳泉濫”, literally “Tsiang-Tsuan-mix”. Different local accents are called “khiunn 腔” or “khiunn-kháu 腔口”. Origin & traditional name Geographical description Tsuân-tsiu khiunn 泉州 腔 (Quanzhou accent) Hái-kháu khiunn 海口 腔 (Seaport accent) Phian-tsuân khiunn 偏泉 腔 (Quanzhou-leaning accent) Phian-hái khiunn 偏海 腔 (Seaport-leaning accent) Phian-tsiang khiunn 偏漳 腔 (Zhangzhou-leaning accent) Phian-lāi khiunn 偏內 腔 (Inland-leaning accent) Tsiang-tsiu khiunn 漳州 腔 (Zhangzhou accent) Lāi-poo khiunn 內埔 腔 (Inland accent) REPRESENTATIVE DIALECTS AND COMMON ACCENTS 1. The two ends: Lukang & Yilan The Lo̍k-káng khiunn 鹿港 腔 (Lukang dialect) usually held up to be most representative of the Hái-kháu 海口 (Seaport) group. On the flip side, the Gî-lân khiunn 宜蘭 腔 (Yilan dialect) is a typical example of the Lāi-poo 內埔 (Inland) group. 2. Two common accents: North (Taipei) & South (Tainan, Kaohsiung) Except for those ones on the two ends, most Taiwanese dialects fall in the two categories in the middle, which are the basis for the two general or common accents, or the so-called “Thong-hîng khiunn 通行 腔”. Urban areas, media and younger people tend to use one of the common accents. What is perceived as the “common” accent also differs in Tíng-káng / Pak-pōo 頂港 / 北部 (the North) and Ē-káng / Lâm-pōo 下港 / 南部 (the South). In Northern and Central Taiwan, there is a greater distinction between the Seaport and the Inland groups. The Tâi-pak khiunn 台北 腔 (Taipei dialect) is often considered the representative of the common Northern accent and historically it is more Phian-tsuân 偏泉 (Quanzhou-leaning). The South has a well-mixed hybrid of the two dialect groups and generally has more Phian-tsiang 偏漳 (Zhangzhou-leaning) characteristics. The most representative of the common Southern accent are the Tâi-lâm khiunn 台南 腔 (Tainan dialect) and the Ko-hiông khiunn 高雄 腔 (Kaohsiung dialect). Taiwanese Dialects Map For Bite-size Taiwanese podcasts, we generally use the “Common Southern” or “Inland-leaning” accent and also provide alternate pronunciations when they are very common. In our written materials like the Workbook, we follow the Ministry of Education convention of prioritizing the Southern dialect as the main pronunciation followed by the Northern dialect as a second pronunciation. DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE TWO COMMON ACCENTS Let’s look more closely at the differences between the Common Southern Inland-leaning and the Common Northe
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