Geographic patterns of Zhuang (Tai) kinship terms in Guangxi and border areas

A GIS analysis of language and culture change

Bibliographic Data

ID4886435
AuthorsWei Luo (0000-0003-2826-1723, Northern Illinois University), John F Hartmann (0009-0001-6696-385X, Northern Illinois University), John Hartmann (Northern Illinois University), Jianxun Liu (0000-0003-0722-152X, c Department of Linguistics , Central University for Nationalities , Beijing, China), Pingwen Huang (Guangxi University for Nationalities)
Year2007
Volume8
Issue4
Pages575-596
Publication date2007-08-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueSocial & Cultural Geography (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1464-9365 • E-ISSN: 1470-1197
PublisherInforma UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/14649360701529840
OpenAlexW1980144014
LanguageEN
Citations received6
References cited16

Historically-speaking, centuries of interactions between Han Chinese newcomers from the north of China and indigenous Tai-speaking ethnic minorities in the south have left deep, indelible traces in the language and culture of the latter and raise questions of identity and language policy in modern times. The language and culture in this study is Zhuang, one of many Tai languages and the largest minority language in China today. Using kinship terms as an example, we employ the analytical tools of Geographic Information System (GIS) to map and analyze the spatial pattern of sinification of kinship terms and attempt to explain the process of cultural and linguistic interaction that may have led to such distribution in the Zhuang domain. We use published data on Zhuang kinship terms from thiry-four representative locations in Guangxi and border areas (four in eastern Yunnan and one in western Guangdong) and semi-quantify them according to their pronunciations: three for Han-like pronunciations, one for more clearly Zhuang, and two for linguistic forms in between. The spatial pattern of kinship term sinification scores based on interpolation of the sampling locations shows that high degrees of sinification are located in areas close to the coast or international border with Vietnam, with gentle land slope and close proximity to major transportation hubs, reflecting the importance of both physical features and economic development in those areas in facilitating interactions between the two cultures in the sinification process. The degree of sinification of kinship terms also varies with their positions in a family kinship tree, perhaps reflecting Han social customs and male dominance in society more than traditional Tai kinship systems, which are generally more bilateral in nature

Archaeology · China · Economic geography · Ethnic group · Genealogy · Geography · Indigenous · Kinship · Linguistics · Sociology · Anthropology · China's Ethnic Minorities and Relations · History · Philippine History and Culture · Southeast Asian Sociopolitical Studies · Ecology

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