Qin–Lian Yue


The Qin–Lian language is a southern branch of Yue Chinese spoken in the coastal part of Guangxi, including 3 main cities: Beihai, Qinzhou, Fangchenggang, and four subject counties: Hepu, Pubei, Lingshan, Dongxing.

Etymology

Qin–Lian refers to Qinzhou and Lianzhou, the latter being the former name of Hepu and the historical prefecture of Guangdong it commanded. Other collective names for these areas include 'Beihai-Qingzhou-Fangchenggang' and 'Beibu Gulf Area'.

Characteristics

Middle Chinese had a series of voiced initials, but voicing has been lost throughout Yue and most other modern Chinese varieties apart from Wu and Old Xiang.
The reflexes of the voiced stops and affricates are often used to classify Chinese varieties.
In most Qin–Lian varieties, these consonants develop into aspirates in all tones, a pattern also found in Wu–Hua Yue and Hakka, which is also the traditional criterion of Qin-Lian Yue. However, in urban Qin–Lian varieties they yield aspirates in the level and rising tones, and non-aspirates in the departing and entering tones, the same pattern found in the Guangfu, Siyi and Gao-Yang branches of Yue. In spite of distinguishable but tiny differences on phonology and vocabulary, there is high mutual intelligibility and a great number of common colloquial words in the urban varieties and furthermore, in some varieties of Yong-Xun and Gao-Yang. Those features along with its scattered speaking zones may reflect the influence of intercity commercial communication in history, and lead to a lasting debate on its classification.

Subgroups

The transitional Qinlian-Gaoyang-Yuehai dialects spoken by some minorities in Beihai. In this dialects group, the speakers have significantly personal characters. The elder may but not all traditionally possess accents of Yuehai or West Guangdong's as the language core, alongside the elements of Beihai accent. The young and middle age are tend to be naturalized by native Beihai accent with some obvious accents elements from Yuehai.
  • *Naamhong dialect, is only spoken in the downtown of Town of Nankang, Beihai. This dialect is closer to Gao-Yang and Yuehai more than Beihai. However, the most widely used in Town of Nankang is Nga Language, mostly in hinterland.
  • *Tanka dialect
is spoken by Tanka People who are mostly living in Waishaqiao, the north bank of Beihai, some very elderly people speak in the absolute 'Tanka accent, the middle age and the young speak in mixed accents with Beihai PS.
  • *Overseas-Chinese Plain Speech
is spoken by the people living in Town of Qiaogang, Beihai, majorly consist of Chinese-Vietnamese refugees expelled during the anti-China protest in Vietnam in 1975. Overseas-Chinese accents are complex, the minority speak in accents of Yuehai or Tanka, the majority speak in a mixed accent with Beihai PS, or minorer Limchownese Language.
  • *Saanhau dialect
is only spoken in the downtown of Town of Shankou Beihai, which is the border Province of Guangxi and Province of Guangdong. It is close to Guangzhou Cantonese.
  • Lianzhou dialect, also called hoi caat waa and maa lau waa, are spoken in Hepu, in the southern part of Pubei and in the coastal areas of Qinzhou and Fangchenggang.
  • Nga dialect
  • Coastal dialects, also named Civilian Language is spoken in Town of Shatian Beihai. This language is debatable which languages group it belongs to, sometimes it will be stated as Min Language. However, it shares many indigenous words with Limchownese Language and Nga Language.
  • Lingshan dialect are widely spoken in the countryside of Lingshan and Pubei Qinzhou.
  • Xiaojiang dialect is spoken in Xiaojiang, the downtown of Pubei.
  • Slanlap dialect' is spoken in District of Qinbei, north of Qinzhou. 'Slanlap' is a historical name in northern Qinzhou.

Phonology

The table below shows the differences in phonology among Cantonese varieties.