A study on the geographic distribution of linguistic characterics in China

• Project/Area Number: 25370481
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Linguistics
• Research Institution: Yamaguchi University
• Principal Investigator: Sarashina Shinichi 山口大学, 東アジア研究科, 准教授 (00379918)
• Project Period (FY): 2013-04-01 – 2016-03-31
• Project Status: Completed (Fiscal Year 2015)
• Budget Amount: ¥2,210,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,700,000、Indirect Cost: ¥510,000); Fiscal Year 2015: ¥650,000 (Direct Cost: ¥500,000、Indirect Cost: ¥150,000); Fiscal Year 2014: ¥780,000 (Direct Cost: ¥600,000、Indirect Cost: ¥180,000); Fiscal Year 2013: ¥780,000 (Direct Cost: ¥600,000、Indirect Cost: ¥180,000)
• Keywords: 言語接触学 / 言語特徴 / 中国 / 言語類型 / 音訳漢字 / 華夷訳語 / 元朝秘史 / 蒙古秘史 / 明代官話 / 音韻 / 言語接触 / 地理的分布 / 言語類型論 / 地域特徴

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Despite the overwhelmingly many speakers of Chinese, there have been spoken many other languages in China. Around the Chinese-speaking area, nearly 300 non-Chinese languages are spoken. In fact, This situation has been continued since ancient times, and has been formed gradually. The present study, from the standpoint of language contact, deals with a series of Sino-foreign dictionaries named "hua-yi yi-yu", which were edited in 500 years ago in Ming Dynasty and contain phonological transliterations of the foreign languages using Chinese Characters. The analysis of the material enables us to demonstrate the phonological characteristics of the languages which were spoken in China and neighbouring areas at that time, indicating their difference from the Chinese phonology. At the same time, the present study also tries to clarify the geographic correspondence between non-Chinese languages and the neighbouring Chinese dialects in their phonology.

Research Products

• [Journal Article] 「『元朝秘史』の音訳漢字の声調について」 (2016)
  • Author(s): 更科慎一
  • Journal Title: 山口大学大学院東アジア研究科東アジア研究叢書３『東アジア伝統の継承と交流』 Volume: 3 Pages: 245-266
• [Presentation] 日本における華夷訳語研究の現状 (2015)
  • Author(s): 更科慎一
  • Organizer: 大谷大学博物館所蔵『華夷譯語』出版記念国際シンポジウム
  • Place of Presentation: 大谷大学響流館3階 マルチメディア演習室(京都府京都市)
  • Year and Date: 2015-05-22
  • Int'l Joint Research / Invited
• [Presentation] 関於『八百館訳語』音訳漢字的声調 (2013)
  • Author(s): 更科慎一
  • Organizer: 『華夷訳語』与西夏字符国際学術研討会
  • Place of Presentation: 北京市(中国)