Which is the most significant dialect group in china and is there a ranking?

Jah_rastafar_I · Oct 25, 2011

I know there's probably no such thing or it would be too emotional a topic to actually give a proper ranking so perhaps you guys can just state your opinion which group do you think it is.

I would suppose perhaps some northern chinese group.

Agoraphobic · Oct 25, 2011

All the dialect groups have joined to become one - Ah Tiongs.

Locally, they might use some other name.

Cheers!

Maximilian Chua-Heng · Oct 25, 2011

I reckon Cantonese no. 1? Shanghainese no. 2?

red amoeba · Oct 25, 2011

Maximilian Chua-Heng said:
I reckon Cantonese no. 1? Shanghainese no. 2?

hokkien? In terms of wealth...the Jews of China = Wenzhou ppl...i dunno if they speak any form of dialect....

Cestbon · Oct 25, 2011

Now become Putong Hua.
Cantonese more on GuangDong province only.

Froggy · Oct 25, 2011

red amoeba said:
hokkien? In terms of wealth...the Jews of China = Wenzhou ppl...i dunno if they speak any form of dialect....

Wenzhou has their own dialects. Many told me even across a small stream the people also cannot understand each other's dialect, could be exaggerated but the point they are making is in Wenzhou has different dialects.

Cestbon said:
Now become Putong Hua.
Cantonese more on GuangDong province only.

Cantonese not only in Guangdong but all over the world's major cities.

Jah_rastafar_I · Oct 25, 2011

You know i realised i know so little about the many chinese dialects. It's the usual that's found in sg. What about wu dialects or languages? What about shanghainese? Which part of china are ppl considered northern chinese? They say north of the yellow river but i don't know where that is.

red amoeba · Oct 25, 2011

joetys said:
Wenzhou has their own dialects. Many told me even across a small stream the people also cannot understand each other's dialect, could be exaggerated but the point they are making is in Wenzhou has different dialects.

Cantonese not only in Guangdong but all over the world's major cities.

thats true....in NY,Vancouver & London Chinatown...i only hear Cantonese...

Ditto for Brisbane Chinatown...

KL no nid say - Cantonese.

but not for BKK Yaowarat...i think its Toechew being dominant.

HedgeTrader · Oct 25, 2011

Singapore Chinatown was also Cantonese dominant. Hougang was Teocheow dominant. But all kana conquered by Hokkien especially power Hokkien vulgar language LOL

Maximilian Chua-Heng · Oct 25, 2011

Cestbon said:
Now become Putong Hua.
Cantonese more on GuangDong province only.

Putonghua is the lingua franca for those who can't speak their own dialects. If not, Ah Tiongs still prefer to communicate in their own local dialects. Those who frequent China should know, excluding Beijing of course.

Froggy · Oct 25, 2011

Bangkok is mainly Teochew yes. However southern Thailand has many Hokkiens.

red amoeba said:
thats true....in NY,Vancouver & London Chinatown...i only hear Cantonese...

Ditto for Brisbane Chinatown...

KL no nid say - Cantonese.

but not for BKK Yaowarat...i think its Toechew being dominant.

Ramseth · Oct 25, 2011

red amoeba said:
thats true....in NY,Vancouver & London Chinatown...i only hear Cantonese...

Ditto for Brisbane Chinatown...

KL no nid say - Cantonese.

but not for BKK Yaowarat...i think its Toechew being dominant.

Good observation. All Chinatowns around the world are Cantonese speaking except Yaowarat, Bangkok Teochew speaking. Cantonese and Hokkien are the two premium dialects left because of HK and Taiwan. Both dialects have official written forms. All other dialects don't have official written forms, including Teochew.

Cruxx · Oct 26, 2011

Anyone here besides me has Sinkie Shanghainese as relatives? :smile:

Maximilian Chua-Heng · Oct 26, 2011

Ramseth said:
Good observation. All Chinatowns around the world are Cantonese speaking except Yaowarat, Bangkok Teochew speaking. Cantonese and Hokkien are the two premium dialects left because of HK and Taiwan. Both dialects have official written forms. All other dialects don't have official written forms, including Teochew.

Speak of the devil! Here comes our resident Sinologist cum linguist. LOL! :wink:

red amoeba · Oct 26, 2011

Ramseth said:
Good observation. All Chinatowns around the world are Cantonese speaking except Yaowarat, Bangkok Teochew speaking. Cantonese and Hokkien are the two premium dialects left because of HK and Taiwan. Both dialects have official written forms. All other dialects don't have official written forms, including Teochew.

got lah...in one of the thread today, i saw a brudder posted the written form of a obscure dialect practiced only by the females of a small enclave in some ulu part of China...LOL

Spiky · Oct 26, 2011

Northern Chinese girls are taller, fairer, better complexion and much prettier. This is mainly due to the diet. They eat wheat-based food e.g. noodles and dumplings
When I go KTV, I prefer girls from Beijing, Dongbei. Girls from the north speak much better mandarin. Melodious. Its their dialect, anyway.
Get a high just from listening to them talk.

Southern Chinese girls are usually shorter, darker and not so pretty. With the exception of girls from Chongqing. Chongqing girls are yummy.
Southern chinese eat mainly rice. Thus, smaller physique.

Ramseth · Oct 26, 2011

red amoeba said:
got lah...in one of the thread today, i saw a brudder posted the written form of a obscure dialect practiced only by the females of a small enclave in some ulu part of China...LOL

You can buy a Cantonese magazine (written in Cantonese not Mandarin) in HK or a Hokkien magazine (written in Hokkien not Mandarin) in Taiwan. Which other dialect has that? There're official and recognized differences. For example, in Cantonese me is not 我 but 吾, yes is not 是 but 系, in Hokkien he is not 他 but 伊 etc.

Maximilian Chua-Heng · Oct 26, 2011

Cruxx said:
Anyone here besides me has Sinkie Shanghainese as relatives?

I can speak some Shanghainese. :wink:

Nong ho bah?

Fook Seng · Oct 26, 2011

Jah_rastafar_I said:
You know i realised i know so little about the many chinese dialects. It's the usual that's found in sg. What about wu dialects or languages? What about shanghainese? Which part of china are ppl considered northern chinese? They say north of the yellow river but i don't know where that is.

The reference is the Chang Jiang River. So Shanghainese is considered Southern.
Many Northern dialects are local variations of Mandarin. As a result some 40 % of Chinese speaks a Mandarin dialect.

Sideswipe · Oct 26, 2011

Jah_rastafar_I said:
I know there's probably no such thing or it would be too emotional a topic to actually give a proper ranking so perhaps you guys can just state your opinion which group do you think it is.
I would suppose perhaps some northern chinese group.

today China don't know. in the old days of ROC in China, it was the Cantonese politicians and Shanghai + Shanxi bankers / industrialists who completely controlled politics and economy of China.

Which is the most significant dialect group in china and is there a ranking?

Alfrescian (Inf)

Alfrescian

Alfrescian

Alfrescian (Inf)

Alfrescian (Inf)

Alfrescian (InfP) + Mod

Alfrescian (Inf)

Alfrescian (Inf)

Alfrescian

Alfrescian

Alfrescian (InfP) + Mod

Alfrescian (Inf)

Alfrescian

Alfrescian

Alfrescian (Inf)

Alfrescian

Alfrescian (Inf)

Alfrescian

Alfrescian (Inf)

Alfrescian (Inf)

Similar threads