Linguistic Atlas of Chinese Yixing Dialects 宜兴语言地图集

This volume, Linguistic Atlas of Chinese Yixing Dialects, presents the findings of a linguistic geography survey conducted between 2015 and 2017, focusing on the dialects of Yixing, Jiangsu Province, China. Drawing on field data from 58 dialect sites across the region, the atlas features a total of 197 linguistic maps, including 7 overview maps of geographical and research contexts, 62 maps of phonological features, 20 maps of function words, 87 maps of lexical items, 20 maps in dialectometry, and 1 map in perceptual dialectology. 

The atlas distinguishes itself through its integration of methodologies from traditional dialect geography, dialectometry, and perceptual dialectology. Maps are organized according to principles of regional linguistic variation, and particular attention is given to the Wörter und Sachen (Words and Things) approach, which seeks to disentangle ambiguities in the naming of objects and concepts. To enhance clarity, each map is accompanied by visual representations of the referents, allowing readers to directly associate lexical forms with their corresponding objects.

Accompanying textual annotations provide detailed accounts of regional variation and offer insights into patterns of language contact and linguistic change. Together, the maps and commentary constitute a comprehensive representation of the spatial distribution and evolution of dialect features within Yixing, contributing significantly to the study of Chinese dialectology and linguistic geography.