Title

The Origin of shau⁵-tso² ‘tomorrow’ in Hailu Hakka: A Linguistic Geography Approach

Author

Cheng, Hsiao-feng

Genre

Article  

Pages

713-733   

Download

PDF

Language

Chinese

Key words

linguistic geography, Hakka, Hailu, shau^5-tso², tomorrow   

Abstract

    In this paper we investigate a part of the history of Hakka dialects using a geographical approach. The word ‘tomorrow’ in Taiwanese Hailu Hakka is [ʃau₅₅tso₁₃], of which the first syllable is of unknown origin. The geographic distribution pattern of ‘tomorrow’ of the Hakka spoken in the Fujian, Guangdong, and Jiangxi provinces shows three concentric circles. The most recent innovation 天光（日）is in the center; the older expression, 明＋X, is distributed along the most peripheral region; and the 晨＋X, SHAU-, and SHA- forms are scattered between the other two areas. Judging from the spatial continuity principle, we conclude that SHAU- is derived from a contraction of 晨朝.