The historical relationship between Northern Wu and Min dialects from the perspective of comparative phonology

Abstract

Norman (1979) proposes there are three strata dated from the Qin-Han, Southern dynasties and Late Tang period in the modern Min dialects respectively. Ting (1988, 1995) and Mei (1994, 2001) argue that the three strata also exist in the Wu dialects. Most of the previous studies focus on the comparison between the Southern Wu (SW) and Min and neglect the materials of Northern Wu (NW). Through comparative studies, strata analyses and referring to Chinese historical phonology, we assume that some phonological traits in NW, SW and Min all come from Qieyun or the Jiangdong dialect in the Southern dynasty. This paper also points out that although Wu dialects in southern Zhèjiāng are more similar to Min than Northern Wu, such places in NW as Dānyáng, Chángshú and “Chóngqĭhǎi” near Jinling geographically regarded as the center of the Jiangdong dialect, probably retain some early phonological traits in the Southern dynasties, which is also similar to modern SW and Min.