Title

On Gan-Hakka 

Author

Laurent Sagart 

Genre

Article  

Pages

Download

Language

Key words

Abstract

   Based on recent materials, a comparison of the phonological features of Hakka and the Gan dialects of Jiangxi brings new evidence of close genetic relationship. An attempt is made to describe the circumstances of their formation in the light of historical and demographic evidence. Hakka is viewed as an offshoot of Proto-southern Gan, a Chinese dialect spoken in central and central-eastern Jiangxi by late Tang and Song immigrants from northern China. Proto-southern Gan was the result of contact between late Tang northern Chinese dialects and Proto-Northern Gan, a dialect spoken in the northern Jiangxi plains by populations descended from earlier immigrants. A parallel is drawn between the formation of American English and Jiangxi dialects.