The Spread of Northern Influence

Putonghua What is it?

Putonghua What is it? The standard Chinese language, based on Beijing Mandarin dialect. What was major obstacle to spread when gov’t decreed its use in 1956?

Putonghua What is it? The standard Chinese language, based on Beijing Mandarin dialect. What was major obstacle to spread when gov’t decreed its use in 1956? Lack of teachers. How is it introduced?

Putonghua What is it? The standard Chinese language, based on Beijing Mandarin dialect. What was major obstacle to spread when gov’t decreed its use in 1956? Lack of teachers. How is it introduced? 1st grade begins in local dialect and transition to Putonghua by end of year.

Putonghua, cont’d. What is Putonghua used for in S. China?

Putonghua, cont’d. What is Putonghua used for in S. China? It is the language of the government and is the official language of the public arena. Will the local dialects die out?

Putonghua, cont’d. What is Putonghua used for in S. China? It is the language of the government and is the official language of the public arena. Will the local dialects die out? No, local dialects are used for everything but official transactions, and school children often lose the ability to speak Putonghua after graduation.

Historical perspective Putonghua is the most recent development of an ancient trend. For over two millenia, linguistic influence has spread from North to South. Spread of Putonghua is enhanced by modern technology.

Han vs. Man Who are the Han?

Han vs. Man Who are the Han? The ethnic Chinese whose influence has consistently spread from the North Who are the Man?

Han vs. Man Who are the Han? The ethnic Chinese whose influence has consistently spread from the North Who are the Man? This is a collective term for many ethnic groups inhabiting SE China, thought to be wild, exotic “barbarians”. Some enclaves still exist.

Gradual Integration of South into China 3rd century BCE - First Chinese settlers, some mandated to settle by gov’t (Qin dynasty) 610 CE - Canal building project brings growth to Yangtze 8th - 11th centuries - Middle Yangtze was populated, until all areas were Chinese except Sichuan (SW) and upper Yangtze (depopulated by plague 16th - 19th centuries - Large migrations into Sichuan from North

Chinese vs. American frontiering China: Process took over 1000 years Benign gradual absorption Language transference (=substratum influence) was substantial America: Process took less than 1 century Little assimilation and much death Virtually no language transference - language destruction instead

Chinese vs. American frontiering China: Process took over 1000 years Benign gradual absorption Language transference (=substratum influence) was substantial America: Process took less than 1 century Little assimilation and much death Virtually no language transference - language destruction instead

Why do you think this is so? Colloquial words from dialects often cannot be written with Chinese characters.

Chinese Writing Today

Will Chinese abandon characters for an alphabet?

Will Chinese abandon characters for an alphabet? This is now highly unlikely. Latin alphabet is perceived as “too foreign” and support for traditional characters has grown. The cultural cost of eliminating characters is too high. Emphasis is on simplification of characters.

What are some problems with character simplification? Now people have to learn both traditional and simplified characters to be really educated. Less educated people don’t learn the traditional characters. Homonyms are now written with one character, causing potential confusions. Taiwan and Hong Kong resist using simplified characters. Japanese are using their own system of simplifications.

The Chinese and Their Neighbors

Chinese vs. Han: How are they different?

Chinese vs. Han: How are they different? “Chinese” now refers to one’s citizenship. Every inhabitant of the country is “Chinese” regardless of ethnicity. Han is one of 56 recognized ethnic groups. 67million people belong to non-Han ethnic groups.

Ethnography in China When did it flourish? Who helped? What brought it to a halt?

Ethnography in China Ethnographic research began when Communists consolidated power in 1950. Soviet advisors inspired enthusiasm for ethnography, but xenophobic Chiniese politics in 1960s brought research to a halt. 1956 Social history projects for minorities - 200 specialists in anthropology, history, literature, music, and art participated.

Ethnography in China What were its goals?

Ethnography in China Identify minorities Create orthographies for languages that lacked them Romanize languages written in other scripts Conduct linguistic field research Train linguists

Minority protections Minorities enjoy exemption from many laws (until recently, even birth control law) Minorities are officially encouraged to preserve their languages and cultures -- in designated areas, Han are required to learn minority languages Minority languages are the medium of instruction through 3rd grade and taught through middle school Publications and radio broadcasts are supported. BUT: content must be “revolutionary” -- traditional religious and cultural content is suppressed.

Who are the Hui?

Who are the Hui? Muslims, the majority of whom are linguistically and genetically Han. They are a very visible and volatile group. All other groups are distinguished on the basis of a (non-Chinese) language.