Xiangxiang dialect

The Xiangxiang dialect (Chinese: 湘乡话; pinyin: Xiāngxiānghuà) is a dialect of Xiang Chinese, spoken in Xiangxiang, Hunan province, China. It is part of a group of dialects called the Central Xiang dialects.^[1]

Xiangxiang dialect
湘乡话
Native to	China
Region	Xiangxiang, Hunan province
Language family	Sino-Tibetan Sinitic Xiang Loushao Xiangxiang dialect
Language codes
ISO 639-3	–
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Geographic distribution

The linguistic maps below are derived from the Digital Language Atlas of China,^[2] which is derived from the Language Atlas of China,^[3] the first atlas to comprehensively catalog and chart the distribution of Chinese dialects.^[4] This atlas refers to the two main dialects in Xiangxiang City and its surroundings as Changyi (长益片 / 長益片) and Loushao (娄邵片 / 婁邵片).

The division of Xiang into New Xiang and Old Xiang was introduced by Yuan Jiahua,^[5] but has been superseded by the Language Atlas of China classifications.^[6]

Dialect map of Hunan Province according to the Language Atlas of China[2]

The Language Atlas of China serves as the starting point for many efforts to further detail, map and classify Xiang dialects, including the many studies of Bao Houxing and Chen Hui.^[7][8]

Dialect map of Hunan Province according to Chen and Bao (2007)[9]

Linguistic map of Xianxiang City and surrounding counties[3]

Sample Locations of Xiangxiang Dialect Studies[1][3][10][11]

History and strategic value

The Xiang dialect group forms a transitional zone between northern and southern Chinese dialects.^[5]

Prehistorically, the main inhabitants were Ba, Nanman, Baiyue and other tribes whose languages cannot be studied. During the Warring States Period, large numbers of Chu migrated into Hunan. Their language blended with that of the original natives to produce a new dialect Nanchu (Southern Chu). The culture of Xiangxiang at the center of Hunan is considered to be mainly Chu. The language of Shaoshan, Loudi, Shuangfeng and Xiangxiang (Old Xiang) is considered as originating from a synthesis of Chu and the languages of original natives.^[12]

Migrations into Hunan can be divided into three periods . Before the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period, migrants came mainly from the North. Between the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period and the Ming dynasty, migrants came mainly from Jiangxi. In the early Ming dynasty, large numbers of migrants came from Jiangxi and settled in present day Yueyang, Changsha, Zhuzhou, Xiangtan, and Hengyang districts. Migrants from Jiangxi concentrated mainly in southeastern Hunan and present day Shaoyang and Xinhua districts. They came for two reasons: the first is that Jiangxi became too crowded and its people sought expansion. The second is that Hunan suffered greatly during the Mongol conquest of the Song dynasty, when there was mass slaughter,^[1] and needed to replenish its population. After the middle of the Ming dynasty, migration gradually became more diverse and economically and commercially motivated. Migrants who came from the North settled mainly in northern Hunan followed by western Hunan. For this reason northern and western Hunan are Mandarin districts.^[12]

Phonology

Comparison with Standard Chinese

Comparison of Xiangxiang Area Loushao and Changyi Dialects with Standard Chinese

Feature	Standard Chinese		Xiangxiang Locations				Ninxiang Location
	Dictionary[13]	Chao[14]	Chengguan[1]	Yueshan[11]	Jinsou[10]	Baitian[10]	Huitang[10]
Consonants and Initials	21	23	29	28	24	26	24
Vowels and Finals	35	37	37	38	42	37	38
Tones	4	4	7	5	6	6	6

General

These phonetic charts use IPA phonetic symbols with the addition of curly-tail alveolo-palatal symbols^[15] and follow the format set forth by Chao.^[14]

Consonants

Consonants of the Xiangxiang dialect^[1]

		bilabial	alveolar	denti-alveolar	alveolo-palatal	retroflex	velar
nasal		m	n		ȵ		ŋ
plosives	voiced	b	d				ɡ
	voiceless unaspirated	p	t				k
	voiceless aspirated	pʰ	tʰ				kʰ
fricatives	voiced						ɣ
	voiceless			s	ɕ	ʂ	x
affricates	voiced			dz	dʑ	dʐ
	voiceless unaspirated			ts	tɕ	tʂ
	voiceless aspirated			tsʰ	tɕʰ	tʂʰ
lateral approximants			l

Tones

Phonemically, Xiangxiang dialect has seven tones.^[1]

Tone chart of the Xiangxiang dialect

Tone number	Tone name	Tone contour	Description
1	yin ping (陰平)	˥ (55)	high
2	yang ping (陽平)	˩˧ (13)	extra low rising
2'	ci yang ping (次陽平)	˨˧ (23)	low rising
3	shang sheng (上聲)	˨˩ (21)	low
5	yin qu (陰去)	˦˥ (45)	high rising
5'	ci yin qu (次陰去)	˧˥ (35)	high rising
6	yang qu (陽去)	˧ (33)	mid

Jinsou Town^[10]

Consonants

Consonants of the Xiangxiang dialect, Jinsou Town

		bilabial	alveolar	denti-alveolar	alveolo-palatal	retroflex	velar	Laryngeal
nasal		m	n		ȵ		ŋ
plosives	voiced	b	d				ɡ
	voiceless unaspirated	p	t				k	Ø 油
	voiceless aspirated	pʰ	tʰ				kʰ
fricatives	voiced						ɣ
	voiceless			s	ɕ	ʂ		x
affricates	voiced			dz	dʑ	dʐ
	voiceless unaspirated			ts	tɕ	tʂ
	voiceless aspirated			tsʰ	tɕʰ	tʂʰ
lateral approximants			l

Yueshan Town

Tones

Tone chart of the Xiangxiang dialect, Yueshan Town^[11]

Tone number	Tone name	Tone contour	Description
1	yin ping (陰平)	˥ (55)	high
2	yang ping (陽平)	˩˧ (13)	low rising
3	shang sheng (上聲)	˨˩ (21)	low
4	yin qu (陰去)	˦˥ (45)	high rising
5	yang qu (陽去)	˨ (22)	mid

See also

• Xiang Chinese
• List of Chinese dialects