Structural study on dynamism of development and transformation of immigration languages

2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 17K02720
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Linguistics
• Research Institution: Shizuoka University
• Principal Investigator: zhang shengkai 静岡大学, 人文社会科学部, 教授 (00631821)
• Project Period (FY): 2017-04-01 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: 客家語 / 比較対照 / 言語接触 / 継承言語 / 混合言語 / 移民言語

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This project was the first to describe the vocabulary and grammar of Tangfang Hakka Chinese, which is an immigrant language in Pingjiang County, Hunan Province, China. The description is based on natural discourse materials.
Tangfang Hakka, has maintained characteristics of Hakka Chinese, but has also been influenced by the local Pingjiang dialect in regard to vocabulary and grammar since Tangfang came to Pingjiang 400 years ago. There are three types of phenomena in the contact processes between Hakka Chinese and the Pingjiang dialect. First, when a feature appeared in the Pingjiang but not in Tangfang, Tangfang adapted those expressions completely. Second, if the two languages shared grammatical features, Tangfang only adopted some of them. Third, the vocabulary of both Tangfang and Pingjiang remain in Tangfang, coexisting. For this case study we claim that the degree of influence is different for grammar and vocabulary in the contact between Hakka Chinese and the Pingjiang dialect.

Free Research Field

中国語学・社会言語学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

移民言語の発展プロセスを研究し、移民言語の発展趨勢、言語の混合の傾向、移民言語の形成などの理論研究に事例を提供できる。移民言語について国際学会などで研究報告や論文を発表することにより、ほかの移民言語、危機言語の研究やアーカイブにヒントを与えることができた。自然談話の録音や録画を通して、消える前の移民言語の姿を記録し、資料を保存することができた。
話者の方言意識を高め、方言に親しみ大切にされる環境作りに力を入れた。研究代表者が現地調査を実施する中で、方言の大切さを伝え、諦めかけていた話者も自分たちの言語を継承していく重要性を再認識し、孫に伝えていきたいという話者も現れた。