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Article published In: Asia-Pacific Language Variation
Vol. 4:1 (2018) ► pp.36–72

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The role of educational factors in the development of lexical splits

 | The Ohio State University
Published online: 17 September 2018
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https://doi.org/10.1075/aplv.17004.lin
Abstract
While variationist literature on sound change has mostly focused on chain shifts and mergers, much less is written about splits (Labov, William (1994). Principles of linguistic change volume 1: Internal factors. Malden, Massachussetts: Blackwell.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar, (2010). Principles of linguistic change, cognitive and cultural factors (volume 31). Malden, MA: John Wiley & Sons. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar). Previous literature shows that the acquisition of splits is unlikely unless motivated by social factors (Labov, William (1994). Principles of linguistic change volume 1: Internal factors. Malden, Massachussetts: Blackwell.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar). The current study presents an apparent time analysis on the development of two phonemic splits, the initial /s/-/ʂ/ contrast and the initial /ɻ/-/l/ contrast, in Xiamen Mandarin, a contact variety of Putonghua, the official language in China. Statistical results showed similar patterns for both variables: younger speakers and female speakers are leading the change; the distinction between two phonemes are more distinct in wordlist than in the sociolinguistic interview. By examining the sociolinguistic situation in Xiamen, the paper discusses two potential factors that have led to these sound changes: the regional campaign for Putonghua and the emphasis of Pinyin, a phonetically-based orthography, in the education system.
Abstract (Chinese)
在变异学派的社会语言学研究中，对于音变的研究主要集中在链式音变和混同音变上，对分化音变的关注程度较低 (Labov, William (1994). Principles of linguistic change volume 1: Internal factors. Malden, Massachussetts: Blackwell.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar, (2010). Principles of linguistic change, cognitive and cultural factors (volume 31). Malden, MA: John Wiley & Sons. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar)。 前人研究表明分化音变的习得较为罕见，其出现多受社会因素的影响 (Labov, William (1994). Principles of linguistic change volume 1: Internal factors. Malden, Massachussetts: Blackwell.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar)。本文对厦门地方普通话的两个同音位分化现象做出了显像时间分析：声母/s/和/ʂ/的对立，以及声母/ɻ/和/l/的对立。厦门地方普通话是闽南语与普通话的接触变体。数据分析结果显示两个语言变量呈现相同的趋势：年轻人和女性引领音变；两个音位之间的差异在朗读词语时比访谈中更为显著。通过对厦门语言环境的研究，本文讨论了导致该音变的两个可能因素：一是当地对普通话的大力推广，二是拼音在教学中起到的重要作用。
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
    • 1.1Language situation in Xiamen, China
    • 1.2Xiamen Mandarin
    • 1.3Initial /s/-/ʂ/ contrast
    • 1.4Initial /ɻ/-/l/ contrast
    • 1.5Initial /n/-/l/ contrast
  • 2.Methodology
    • 2.1Participants
    • 2.2Data collection
    • 2.3Acoustic analysis
      • 2.3.1Initial /s/-/ʂ/ contrast
      • 2.3.2Initial /ɻ/-/l/ contrast
  • 3.Role of internal and external factors on splits
    • 3.1Wordlist
      • 3.1.1Initial /s/-/ʂ/ contrast
      • 3.1.2Initial /ɻ/-/l/ contrast
    • 3.2Wordlist and interview
  • 4.Discussion
    • 4.1The regional campaign for Putonghua
    • 4.2Pinyin in education and beyond
  • 5.Conclusion
  • Acknowledgements
  • Notes
  • References
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