Standard Zhuang
Standard Zhuang | |
---|---|
Vahcuengh | |
Native to | China |
Kra–Dai
| |
Latin (official), Sawndip | |
Official status | |
Recognised minority language in | |
Regulated by | Ethnic Minority Language Work Committee of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region[1][2] |
Language codes | |
ISO 639-1 | za (all Zhuang) |
ISO 639-2 | zha |
ISO 639-3 | None (mis ) |
Glottolog | None |
Standard Zhuang (
Phonology
The following displays the phonological features of the Wuming and northern dialects of Zhuang:[6][7]
Consonants
Labial | Dental/ Alveolar |
(Alveolo-) palatal |
Velar | Glottal | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
plain | pal. | plain | pal. | lab. | |||||
Nasal | m | mʲ | n
|
ɲ | ŋ | ŋʷ | |||
Plosive
|
voiceless | p | pʲ | t
|
k | kʲ | kʷ | ʔ | |
implosive | ɓ | ɗ | |||||||
Fricative
|
f | θ | ɕ | ɣ | h | ||||
Approximant
|
plain | l
|
j | w | |||||
glottalised
|
ˀj | ˀw |
Among other northern dialects of Zhuang, /w/ may be heard as a [β] or [v] sound. Absent consonant produces /ʔ/.
An unusual and rare feature that Zhuang has is the lack of /s/, which is a common fricative among most languages that have them (one other notable exception is in the Australian languages), and yet Zhuang has five fricatives and no /s/.
Vowels
Front | Central | Back | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
High
|
i | ɯ | u | |
Mid | e eː | (ə) | o oː | |
Low
|
a aː |
[ə] only occurs in diphthong or triphthong sounds.
[ɤ] can occur in recent Chinese loanwords.[8]
Among other northern Zhuang dialects, /e, o/ have shortened allophones of [ɛ, ɔ].[9]
Tones
Standard Zhuang has six tones, reduced to two (numbered 3 and 6) in
Tone | Contour | IPA | Letters 1957 |
Letters 1982 |
Description | Example | Gloss |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 24 | /ǎ/ /˨˦/ | (none) | rising | son | to teach | |
2 | 31 | /a᷆/ /˧˩/ | Ƨ ƨ | Z z | low falling | mwngz | thou |
3 | 55 | /a̋/ /˥/ | З з |
J j | high level | hwnj | to climb up |
-p/t/k | high checked | bak | a mouth | ||||
4 | 42 | /â/ /˦˨/ | Ч ч |
X x | falling | max | a horse |
5 | 35 | /a᷄/ /˧˥/ | Ƽ ƽ | Q q | high rising | gvaq | to cross |
6 | 33 | /ā/ /˧/ | Ƅ ƅ | H h | mid level | dah | a river |
-b/g/d | mid checked | bag | to hack |
The sentence Son mwngz hwnj max gvaq dah (Son mɯŋƨ hɯnз maч gvaƽ daƅ) "Teach thee to climb on a horse to cross a river" is often used to help people remember the six tones.
Tones for open syllables (not terminated by a closing consonant) are written at end of syllables.
Closed syllables can only have two tones, high and mid checked, high being shown by the final consonant being devoiced (p/t/k), and mid by it being voiced (b/d/g).
Grammar
Pronouns
Singular | Plural | ||
---|---|---|---|
1st person |
exclusive | gou (𭆸) | dou (杜) |
inclusive | raeuz (僂) | ||
2nd person | mwngz (佲) | sou (𠈅) | |
3rd person | de (𬿇) | gyoengqde (𬾀𬿇) |
Syntax
Zhuang uses an SVO word order.
Words
Zhuang words can be made up of one, two, or three syllables - one and two-syllable words (e.g. dahraix, 'really') cannot be broken down into morphemes, but trisyllabic words can be. Compound words also exist - for example, mingzcoh, 'name'. Prefixes and suffixes are also frequently used, such as "daih-" (borrowed from Chinese: 第; pinyin: dì). Reduplication is also used.[8]
Writing
Sawndip
Modern Latin alphabet
In 1957, the People's Republic of China introduced an alphabetical script for the newly standardized Zhuang language. The alphabet was based on the Latin script, expanded with modified Cyrillic and IPA letters. A reform in 1982 replaced both the Cyrillic and IPA letters with Latin letters to facilitate printing and computer use.[10] These alphabetical scripts are part of Standard Zhuang.
1982 | 1957 | IPA |
---|---|---|
A a | A a | /aː/ |
AE ae | Ə ə | /a/ |
B b | B b | /p/ |
BY by | By by | /pʲ/ |
C c | C c | /ɕ/ |
D d | D d | / t /
|
E e | E e | /e/ |
F f | F f | /f/ |
G g | G g | /k/ |
GV gv | Gv gv | /kʷ/ |
GY gy | Gy gy | /kʲ/ |
H h | H h | /h/ |
Ƅ ƅ | /˧/ | |
I i | I i | /i/ |
J j | З з
|
/˥/ |
K k | K k | -/k/ |
L l | L l | / l /
|
M m | M m | /m/ |
MB mb | Ƃ ƃ | /ɓ/ |
MY my | My my | /mʲ/ |
N n | N n | / n /
|
ND nd | Ƌ | /ɗ/ |
NG ng | Ŋ
ŋ
|
/ŋ/ |
NGV ngv | Ŋv
ŋv
|
/ŋʷ/ |
NY ny | Ny ny | /ɲ/ |
O o | O o | /oː/ |
OE oe | Ɵ | /o/ |
P p | P p | -/p/ |
Q q | Ƽ ƽ | /˧˥/ |
R r | R r | /ɣ/ |
S s | S s | /θ/ |
T t | T t | -/ t /
|
U u | U u | /u/ |
V v | V v | /w/ |
W w | Ɯ ɯ | /ɯ/ |
X x | Ч ч
|
/˦˨/ |
Y y | Y y | /j/ |
Z z | Ƨ ƨ | /˧˩/ |
Letters in italics only represent tones. Letters in bold are only found in syllable codas.
Classification
Standard Zhuang is an artificial mixture of several
Domains of use
Standard Zhuang is used most frequently in domains where written Zhuang was previously seldom used, such as newspapers, translations of communist literature[12] and prose. It is one of the official languages of China that appears on bank notes; all Chinese laws must be published in it, and it is used for bilingual signs. Whilst used for adult literacy programs, it is currently only taught in a very small percent of primary and secondary schools in Zhuang-speaking areas. In less formal domains the traditional writing system Sawndip is more often used[13] and for folk songs Sawndip remains the predominant genre with most standard Zhuang versions being based on Sawndip versions.
Official examination
In 2012, the first Zhuang Proficiency Test (Vahcuengh Sawcuengh Suijbingz Gaujsi, abbreviated VSSG) took place, in which 328 people took and 58% passed.[14] It was promoted as the first standardised minority language test in mainland China, with the objective of supporting bilingual Zhuang-Chinese education.[15] From 2012 to 2020, the average number of registered testees for the VSSG was 376 per year, with candidates from outside Guangxi being accepted after 2019.[15] Currently available at three levels, Basic, Intermediate and Advanced, the examination tests the written skills of reading comprehension, translation both into and from Standard Chinese, and writing.[15]
Differences from Wuming Zhuang
While Standard Zhuang is largely pronounced as Shuangqiao Wuming dialect, there is a degree of purposeful dialect mixture in vocabulary:
Standard | IPA | Wuming | IPA | gloss |
---|---|---|---|---|
gyaeuj | kʲau˥ | raeuj | ɣau˥ | head |
da | ta˨˦ | ra | ɣa˨˦ | eye |
ga | ka˨˦ | ha | ha˨˦ | leg |
Vocabulary
Numerals
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Cardinal | Zhuang | Zhuang IPA | Bouyei | Middle Chinese | Proto Tai | Saek | Ahom | Tai Nüa |
Tai Lü | Tai Dam | Shan | Lanna
|
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
0 | lingz | [li᷆ŋ] | lingz | leng/lengH | ᦟᦲᧃᧉ (liin2) | |||||||
1 | it | [ʔi̋t] | idt | 'jit | 𑜒𑜢𑜄𑜫 (ʼit) | ဢဵတ်း (ʼáet) | ||||||
2 | ngeih | [ŋēi] | ngih | nyijH | ᨿᩦ᩵ | |||||||
3 | sam | [θǎːm] | sam | sɑm | *saːm | 𑜏𑜪 (saṃ) | ᥔᥣᥛᥴ (sáam) | ᦉᦱᧄ (ṡaam) | ꪎꪱꪣ | သၢမ် (sǎam) | ᩈᩣ᩠ᨾ | |
4 | seiq | [θe᷄i] | sis | sijH | *siːᴮ | 𑜏𑜣 (sī) | ᥔᥤᥱ (sǐ) | ᦉᦲᧈ (ṡii1) | ꪎꪲ꪿ | သီႇ (sìi) | ᩈᩦ᩵ | |
5 | haj | [ha̋ː] | hac | nguX | *haːꟲ | 𑜑𑜡 (hā) | ᥞᥣᥲ (hàa) | ᦠᦱᧉ (ḣaa2) | ꪬ꫁ꪱ | ႁႃႈ (hāa) | ᩉ᩶ᩣ | |
6 | roek | [ɣők] | rogt | ljuwk | *krokᴰ | 𑜍𑜤𑜀𑜫 (ruk) | ᥞᥨᥐᥱ (hǒk) | ᦷᦠᧅ (ḣok) | ꪶꪬꪀ | ႁူၵ်း (húuk) | ᩉᩫ᩠ᨠ | |
7 | caet | [ɕa̋t] | xadt | tshit | *cetᴰ | 𑜋𑜢𑜄𑜫 (chit) | ᥓᥥᥖᥱ (tsět) | ᦵᦈᧆ (ṫsed) | ꪹꪊꪸꪒ | ၸဵတ်း (tsáet) | ||
8 | bet | [pe̋t] | beedt | peat | *peːtᴰ | 𑜆𑜢𑜄𑜫 (pit) | ᥙᥦᥖᥱ (pǎet) | ᦶᦔᧆᧈ (ṗaed1) | ꪵꪜꪒ | ပႅတ်ႇ (pèt) | ᨸᩯ᩠ᨯ | |
9 | gouj | [kőːu] | guz | kjuwX | *kɤwꟲ | กู̂. | 𑜀𑜧 (kaw) | ᥐᥝᥲ (kàw) | ᦂᧁᧉ (k̇aw2) | ꪹꪀ꫁ꪱ | ၵဝ်ႈ (kāo) | ᨠᩮᩢ᩶ᩣ |
10 | cib | [ɕīp] | xib | dzyip | ซิ̄บ | 𑜏𑜢𑜆𑜫 (sip) | ᥔᥤᥙᥴ (síp) | ᦉᦲᧇ (ṡiib) | ꪎꪲꪚ | သိပ်း (síp) | ᩈᩥ᩠ᨷ |
Loanwords
A significant amount of Zhuang words are loaned from
Example
First article of the 1948 United Nations' Universal Declaration of Human Rights:
Latin script | ||
---|---|---|
1957 | 1982 | English |
Bouч bouч ma dəŋƨ laзƃɯn couƅ miƨ cɯyouƨ, cinƅyenƨ cəuƽ genƨli bouчbouч biŋƨdəŋз. Gyɵŋƽ vunƨ miƨ liзsiŋ cəuƽ lieŋƨsim, ɯŋdaŋ daiƅ gyɵŋƽ de lumз beiчnueŋч ityieŋƅ. | Boux boux ma daengz lajmbwn couh miz cwyouz, cinhyenz caeuq genzli bouxboux bingzdaengj. Gyoengq vunz miz lijsing caeuq liengzsim, wngdang daih gyoengq de lumj beixnuengx ityiengh. | All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood. |
International Phonetic Alphabet |
---|
Sawndip |
---|
References
- ^ Zhuang: Gvangsih Bouxcuengh Swcigih Saujsu Minzcuz Yijyenz Vwnzsw Gunghcoz Veijyenzvei; Chinese: 广西壮族自治区少数民族语言文字工作委员会
- ^ "Guǎngxī Qū zhí yǒuguān dānwèi jīgòu míngchēng Yīngwén cānkǎo yì fǎ" 广西区直有关单位机构名称英文参考译法 [English Reference Translation of the Names of Related Units Directly in Guangxi District]. gxfao.gov.cn (in Chinese). Archived from the original on July 5, 2015. Retrieved July 3, 2015.
- ^ Zhang et al. 1999, p. 429f
- ^ "Zhuàngyǔ pīnyīn fāng'àn (yī)" 壮语拼音方案(一) [Zhuang Pinyin Plan (1)]. wszhuangzu.cn (in Chinese). Archived from the original on April 5, 2012. Retrieved April 6, 2012.
- ^ "Zhuàngyǔ pīnyīn fāng'àn (èr)" 壮语拼音方案(二) [Zhuang Pinyin Plan (2)]. wszhuangzu.cn (in Chinese). Archived from the original on April 5, 2012. Retrieved April 6, 2012.
- ^ Wei, Qingwen 韦庆稳; Qin, Guosheng 覃国生 (1980). Zhuàngyǔ jiǎnzhì 壮语简志 [Concise Grammar of Zhuang]. Zhongguo shaoshu minzu yuyan jianzhi congshu (in Chinese). Beijing: Minzu chubanshe.
- ^ Zhang et al. 1999, p. 51
- ^ JSTOR 23754198.
- ^ Luo, Yongxian (2008). "Zhuang". In Diller, Anthony V. N.; Edmondson, Jerold A.; Luo, Yongxian (eds.). The Tai-Kadai Languages. London: Routledge. pp. 317–377.
- ISBN 3-11-017896-6.
- ^ Zhang et al. 1999
- ^ Li, Xulian; Huang, Quanxi (2004). "The Introduction and Development of the Zhuang Writing System". In Zhou, Minglang; Sun, Hongkai (eds.). Language Policy in the People's Republic of China: Theory and Practice Since 1949. Boston: Kluwer Academic Publishers. p. 245.
- ^ Tang, Weiping 唐未平. "Guǎngxī Zhuàngzú rén wénzì shǐyòng xiànzhuàng jí wénzì shèhuì shēngwàng diàochá yánjiū" 广西壮族人文字使用现状及文字社会声望调查研究 [Research Into Survey of the Scripts Used by Zhuang in Guangxi] (in Chinese) – via www.doc88.com.
- ^ "Guǎngxī shǒucì Zhuàng yǔwén shuǐpíng kǎoshì jígé lǜ 58%" 广西首次壮语文水平考试及格率58% [The Passing Rate of Guangxi's First Zhuang Language Proficiency Test is 58%]. Zhōngguó xīnwén wǎng 中国新闻网. December 20, 2012. Archived from the original on November 12, 2019. Retrieved November 12, 2019.
- ^ hdl:10397/101745.
Sources cited
- Zhang, Junru 张均如; Liang, Min 梁敏; Ouyang, Jueya 欧阳觉亚; Zheng, Yiqing 郑贻青; Li, Xulian 李旭练; Xie, Jianyou 谢建猷 (1999). Zhuàngyǔ fāngyán yánjiū 壮语方言研究 [A Study of Zhuang Dialects] (in Chinese). Chengdu: Sichuan minzu chubanshe. ISBN 7-5409-2293-1.
External links
- Sawcuengh People.com Official Standard Zhuang version of the People's Daily website