This book explores the nature of tones in Zhangzhou, an under-described Southern Min variety, based on quantitative analyses of data from 21 native speakers. It will interest students and linguists studying tone in languages of China and elsewhere in the world, in particular as an exemplar in the use of statistical methods to test and establish phonological categories in language. The study finds that realisations of Zhangzhou tones are multidimensional and that Zhangzhou has eight tones, overturning previous studies of seven tones based on the preservation of Middle Chinese tonal categories. The results presented here also suggest that the nature of Zhangzhou tones is morphological. The relationship between sandhi and citation tones is shown to be morphophonemic, while the relationship between phrase-final and citation tones is allophonic.

What happens when language wars are not about hurling insults or quibbling over meanings, but are waged in the physical sounds and shapes of language itself? Native and foreign speakers, mother tongues and national languages, have jostled for distinction throughout the modern period. The fight for global dominance between the English and Chinese languages opens into historical battles over the control of the medium through standardization, technology, bilingualism, pronunciation, and literature in the Sinophone world. Encounters between global languages, as well as the internal tensions between Mandarin and other Chinese dialects, present a dynamic, interconnected picture of languages on the move. In Sound and Script in Chinese Diaspora, Jing Tsu explores the new global language trade, arguing that it aims at more sophisticated ways of exerting influence besides simply wielding knuckles of power. Through an analysis of the different relationships between language standardization, technologies of writing, and modern Chinese literature around the world from the nineteenth century to the present, this study transforms how we understand the power of language in migration and how that is changing the terms of cultural dominance. Drawing from an unusual array of archival sources, this study cuts across the usual China-West divide and puts its finger on the pulse of a pending supranational world under “literary governance.”

Taiwanese Grammar: A Concise Reference is an unprecedented guide delivering clear, straightforward explanations of Taiwanese grammar while offering insightful comparisons to Mandarin. Designed to be both functional and accessible, the text makes searching for topics quick and easy with fully cross-referenced entries and a comprehensive index. Topics covered range broadly from parts of speech (nouns, verbs, adverbs, etc.) to grammatical topics (aspect, negation, passive voice, etc.) to special topics (terms of address, pronunciation, time, etc.). This text is ideal for self-study and enables students at all levels to learn Taiwanese by building a solid foundation in grammar. Taiwanese (also known as Hokkien, Fookien, Amoy, Southern Min, or Fukienese) along with its variants is spoken by over 40 million people worldwide and is a member of the Chinese language family. Features of this text include: • Easy-to-use reference guide with cross-referenced entries and a comprehensive index • 1000+ example sentences using everyday vocabulary rendered in Taiwanese, Mandarin Chinese, and English • Character script for Taiwanese in accordance with the official selection of Taiwanese Characters by the Taiwanese Ministry of Education (2007) • Romanization provided for both Taiwanese (Pe̍h-ōe-jī) and Mandarin Chinese (Hànyǔ Pīnyīn) • In-depth guide to pronunciation using English approximations and full explanations on rules for changing tones (tone sandhi) Tags: learn Taiwanese, learning Taiwanese, Taiwanese language, Taiwanese grammar, Taiwanese, Hokkien, learning Hokkien, Amoy, Southern Min, Fukienese, Fookien, Min nan

This book investigates the diachronic change of the tone sandhi of Southern Min Chinese, which is known for its synchronic arbitrariness and opacity. It argues that in final-prominent tone sandhi, the change of final tones and the change of non-final tones can be highly independent and essentially different from each other. Accordingly, it proposes a new position-based diachronic approach to study the separate evolution of tones occurring at different positions. This book is the first study to rigorously and systematically explore the diachrony of Southern Min tone sandhi.

Examines writings on China's oceanic piracy wars of the sixteenth century

This volume intends to tackle two problems. The first is the historical framework of imperialism - until now widely applied by Western and Chinese scholars as an approach to the Christian evangelization movement in China. The theological aspect of the missionary action is seldom taken into account, nor is religion treated as an authentic human experience. In this volume two authors try to place the position of the Christian mission in its broader context. Scott Somers reflects on the changing image of the Japanese occupation in Taiwan, based on protestant missionary sources; Koen De Ridder discusses the early diplomatic contacts between China and Belgium and the position of the Belgian missionaries. A second problem dealt with is that of the native Christians. While Jessie Lutz attempts to sketch a profile of the Chinese Protestant evangelizers, Jean-Paul Wiest focuses his attention on the Roman Catholics among the Chinese Hakka minority. Gary Tiedemann explains the material, spiritual and political incentives for conversion among the inhabitants of North China, paying special attention to the socio-political profile of the converts. In the contribution of Ann Heylen we return to Taiwan, where we are offered a better understanding of the Protestant contribution to the study of the Min language. Finally, Karel Steenbrink describes the changing religious affiliation of assimilated Chinese in Indonesia during the period 1900-1942.