Min (language)

The min (, literally “language min”) is a group of languages (zh 語, yǔ) or according to certain classifications dialects (话, huà) Chinese spoken in the province about the Fujian, in the south-east of the China. The min is also spoken by groups originating in Fujian in the provinces in the Guangdong and the Hainan, in the south of the Zhejiang and with Taiwan. Many Chinese emigrated in Southeast Asia also speaks the min.

The min is divided coarsely into two principal groups, that spoken in north about Fujian (Minbei) and that spoken in the south (Minnan). Are also distinguished the min from the center (Minzhong) and is (Mindong), as well as the Puxian (or xinghua). The min would count according to some (see categories below) up to seven principal dialects. However, the limits between these dialects remain difficult to establish.

Septentrional Min

See also: Minbei

The septentrional min (, literally “spoken min septentrional”) is primarily spoken in and around the town of Nanping in the province about Fujian (Popular republic of China).

Eastern Min

See also: Mindong

The Eastern min (, literally “spoken min Eastern”) is spoken in the area about the town of Fuzhou in province about Fujian (Popular republic of China).

Puxian

See also: Puxian

The puxian (), is spoken around the town of Putian in the province about Fujian (Popular republic of China).

Central Min

See also: Minzhong

The central min () is spoken in the area about the town of Sanming in province about Fujian (Popular republic of China).

Southernmost Min

See also: Minnan

The southernmost min (southernmost Bân-lâm-gú, literally spoken min ), the most spoken about the languages min, is spoken in the towns of Xiamen (Amoy), Quanzhou (Chinchew) and Zhangzhou (Changchew) in province of Fujian, like in provinces of Guangdong, Hainan (Popular republic of China), and also with Taiwan (République of China), where it is sometimes called Taiwanese. The spoken dialect with Xiamen is regarded as the minnan reference in continental China.

Other varieties

See also: Shaojiang, Qiongwen

The Shaojiang is spoken in Fujian in a territory located at the west about that about the Minbei. The Qiongwen is him spoken in the island about Hainan.

Writing

The languages min use the same characters as the Mandarin, with some additional specialized characters. A system of transcription in Latin alphabet (called POJ, abbreviation of pe̍h-oē-jī ) was developed by missionaries presbytériens at the 19th century, which is sometimes employed in Taiwan.

See too

  • Minyue (闽 越 语/閩越語/Mǐn yuè yǔ) , the old joint base.

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