The research and investigation of Pingsi dialect in Taipei

[[abstract]]Abstract This research is to study the diachronic and synchronic language shift of Minnan dialect(Hokkien dielect) in Ping-Si (Pingxi) Township, Taipei County, using fieldwork methodology and literature-collection and studying from the aspect of classical linguistic and geographical dialectology. The aim of this research is to 1) record the phonology of the elder generation in Ping-Si Township and study the discrepancies in phonology and vocabulary usage between Koahsiung general tone and Sansia close quan-zhou tone. 2) Document the phonetic differences and distinctive words and phrases in southern and northern areas. 3) Investigate the linguistic deviation in generations from the usage of phoneme and vocabulary in three generations; foresee the trend of Ping-Si dialect. The research is to investigate the language shift and language lost in the aspect of language contact and the geographical interactions. The survey objects are thirty two interviewees covering three generations in overall twelve districts of Ping-Si Township. The conclusions of this survey are summarized: 1) the Minnan dialect in Ping-Si Township is close Quan-zhou, drifting along An-Si tone. While comparing with general tone in Taiwanese Minnan dialect, it shows that the Ping-Si dialect is mainly affected by the Taipei general tone and Gilan Zhang-zhou tone. 2) The relationship between language contact and geographical distribution is analyzed through the comparison of phonemes and vocabulary. It is found that the Taiwan general tone is gradually infiltrating from Shulang and Zhang-zhou tone is infilterating from Sin-liau and then moving inwards. 3) From the comparison among three generations, the vocabulary usage in middle-aged generation didn’t change much, where as a rapid change was observed in young generation. This phenomenon mainly results from the modern Chinese language education system and young generation’s attitudes toward language. Keywords: Ping-Si, Minnan, An-Si tone, language contact