| dc.description.abstract | Some phonological phenomena in Wuhua(五華), a Hakka dialect in Guangdong province, draw our attention— retroflexed initials in Zhi(知) series, Xiao(曉)group, as well as part of Xi(溪), poor usage of medials in Grade III and closed rhymes, Shang tone(上聲) in ancient Qu(去聲) with voiced initials, and latter-word tone sandhi. These arouse our interest in deeper investigation of this dialect. So starts this research.
We focus mainly on phonology. In Chapter 2 and 3, we discussed the phonology of Wuhua dialect,separately from synchronic and diachronic point of view. The outcome seems like a plentiful harvest. Wuhua dialect owns all common characteristics of Hakka dialect basically, and beyond that, it has another four distinguished phonological features in initials, finals, and tones. However, all phonological characteristics are not consistent from place to place in Wuhua. Roughly, in consequence, there should be a south-north separation in it.
Taiwan as well abides Wuhua people who came from south Wuhua in Qing dynasty. The data got in Guangdong serves as a comparison to Wuhua dialect in Taiwan. We find that Taiwan Wuhua has changed much in initials, finals, and lexicons, possessing much similarity with neighboring Sixian(四縣) and Hailu(海陸). Only tones conserve as in Guangdong. Languages tend to assimilate with authoritative ones, and we see this in Wuhua dialect of Taiwan.
One thing unexpected is seen when talking about lexical differences in Chapter 5. We found that lexically it shows east-west separation in Wuhua, which is quite different from the phonological point of view. And outwardly, lexicons in Wuhua show that Wuhua dialect is on the diaglossia that separates east and middle Guandong, and that distinguishes coast-side dialects from inland ones.
Wuhua dialect is transitional; no matter we see it historically(as discussed in Chapter3) or geographically.
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