Research on the Bottom Boundary Line on the Southeast Area of the Chungcheongdo Dialect in Yeongdong

영동지역어내의 충청방언 남동부 하한선 연구

  • Published : 2006.12.30

Abstract

The geographical characteristics of Yeongdong(永同) the southernmost part of the Chungcheongbukdo province, has attracted attention among the academic circle as one of the dialectal contact regions since it adjoins the Gyeongsang and Jeolla dialects. Unlike the local language in Mooju (Jellado dialect) adjacent to the Southwest part, the local language in Yeongdong is quite different from that of Kimcheon (Gyeongsang dialect). More specifically, it is noteworthy that the boundary line of the Gyeongsang dialect is found in this region, which is different from the administrative division. In other words, the local language in Yeongdong is divided into the Chungcheong dialect and the Gyeongsang dialect, and furthermore each dialect region still has the characteristics of the other region's dialect. For example, the phonological structure of Yeongdong Chungcheongdo dialect has very unique characteristics of the fudged dialect, which is seemingly influenced by the Gyeongsang dialect. The present study is to define the bottom boundary line of the southeast area of the Chungcheong dialect by identifying the boundary line between the Gyeongsang dialect and the Chungcheong dialect, and to clarify its specific sound system generated by the contact of these two dialects. For this, the author collected and analyzed data of the local language around Yeongdong and adjacent areas. It was found that Cheongwha-ri, Deokjin-ri, and Sanjeo-ri at Yeongsan-myeon, and Mugeunjeom, Sangga-ri, and Jungga-ri at Yeongdong-eup, among the regions that belongs to Chungcheong dialect within the local language of Yeongdong, show the characteristics of the Gyeongsang dialect. Accordingly, the western areas of these villages become the southeast boundary line of the Chungcheong dialect. Also, the unique phonological characteristics of the Yeongdong Chungcheong dialect is affected by the Gyeongsang dialect, among which "rhythms, y deletion, nasal phoneme deletion, and w deletion" appeared. It is thought to be the unique fudged dialectal phenomenon that appeared only in this region. The research result is expected to be of some help in finding out various aspects of dialectal contacts as well as clarifying the phonological features of the local language in Yeongdong, and thereby contributing to exact divisioning of the Chungcheong dialect.

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