| dc.description.abstract | The theme ＂A Study on Language Distribution and Hakka Phonological Variation in Yangmei, Taoyuan＂ is divided into five chapters. Chapter One serves as the introduction, providing an overview of the research motivation and objectives. The literature review section discusses relevant Hakka literature on Yangmei, as well as literature on Si-hoi dialect(四海話) and Optimality Theory. Additionally, it explores literature on Hakka phonological variation. The chapter concludes with an introduction to other related research theories and methods. The research methods used in this study are classified as ＂field investigation method,＂ ＂comparative research method,＂ and ＂application and analysis of Geographic Information System (GIS).＂ The chapter also includes a discussion of research limitations, an explanation of the research process, and an introduction to research theories.
Chapter Two provides a detailed introduction to the Si-rhen Hakka dialects (四縣客語) and Hoi-liuk Hakka dialects(海陸客語) in Yangmei, Taoyuan, Taiwan. It covers their phonological systems, including initial consonants, finals, tones of individual words, and tone sandhi rules. The information is presented in tables and bullet points for clarity.
Chapter Three, the author utilized Geographic Information System (GIS) application and analysis to organize the distribution of Hakka language in the Yangmei region. In the first section, the author conducted field surveys and interviews to ascertain the knowledge of Hakka language usage among the residents, leading to the creation of maps representing the distribution of Si-rhen Hakka and Hoi-liuk Hakka within Yangmei. Furthermore, by questioning approximately seventy local residents about their usage of Hakka vocabulary, language geographic maps were generated to further illustrate the distribution characteristics of the vocabulary formation.
Chapter Four, the author explores the geographical distribution of Hakka language in the Yangmei area through diachronic and synchronic studies. The chapter begins by discussing the phenomenon of the voiced fricative initial [ʒ] in the Si-rhen Hakka dialect. The occurrence of [ʒ] as an initial consonant is not only due to the phonetic reinforcement of the sound itself but also influenced by language contact with neighboring dialects, specifically the Hoi-liuk Hakka dialects. The author found that in the Puxin region(埔心地區), in addition to the [ʒ] initial, there is also a fronting of the sound to an apical [z] initial. Furthermore, in the Hoi-liuk Hakka dialects, there is a common occurrence of the nasal final [-m] being pronounced as [-ŋ]. The author speculates that this phenomenon is related to the phonetic development of the language. However, the study indicates that this phonetic phenomenon does not seem to be widespread in the Yangmei area. According to the author′s field notes, it is only found in the Fengye village(豐野里) in the Fugang region(富岡地區).
Chapter five delves into the distribution of diminutive terms and personal pronouns within the Yangmei region. Firstly, the author presents an explanation and analysis of the variations and affix changes of diminutive terms in the Miaoli Si-ien Hakka dialects (苗栗四縣客語) and Hsinchu Hoi-liuk Hakka dialects(新竹海陸客語) Subsequently, the usage and distribution of diminutive terms are explored based on Hakka vocabulary. In the Yangmei Si-rhen Hakka, some entries display diminutive affix changes, mostly occurring in the departing tone, where the original tone is high level and the changed tone is high level falling (552 tone). Additionally, the author investigates the tonal changes in the first-person pronoun 〔ŋai〕 based on the distribution of Hoi-liuk Hakka phonetics. This shift is indicated to have an early form in the rising tone, followed by later forms in level and falling tones. Lastly, the second-person pronoun in Hoi-liuk Hakka is also discussed, and the presence of several dialectal points for the second-person pronoun 〔n̩〕 in Yangmei Hoi-liuk Hakka is believed to have arisen from language contact, with the borrowing from the Si-rhen Hakka dialects into the Hoi-liuk Hakka.
Chapter six serves as the conclusion, wherein the previous chapters are synthesized and the distinctive features of the phonetics in the four major areas of Yangmei are categorized and organized. Furthermore, demarcation lines and lexical divergence lines are illustrated in the vocabulary representation. | en_US |