ABSTRACT
This chapter will begin with an introduction to the linguistic background and classification of Mǐn, an archaic Chinese dialect group used mainly in Southeast China and Taiwan. It will focus on defining the nature of ‘Southern Mǐn’, a core member of the Mǐn family, from a historical perspective. It will also cover the relationship between Southern Mǐn and other members of the ‘Coastal’ group, such as Eastern Mǐn and Pú-Xiān. In the latter part of the chapter, the methodology adopted in the study will be laid out. Put simply, it will compare the sound systems of six varieties of Southern Mǐn, using newly collected field data. It will then use the comparative method to reconstruct the phonology of Proto-Southern Mǐn from which all modern dialects are derived. The final section will list the sound systems of the modern Southern Mǐn dialects under investigation.
