Publisher Longman ISBN 978-962-359-085-3 | Publication date 1987, 1989 Originally published 1987 Editor Stephen Wurm | |
 | ||
Similar Chinese Language(s): A Look T, Historical Atlas of China, Qieyun, Chinese, The Duun̳idjawu Languag | ||
The Language Atlas of China (Chinese: 中国语言地图集; pinyin: Zhōngguó Yǔyán Dìtú Jí), published in two parts in 1987 and 1989, maps the distribution of both the varieties of Chinese and minority languages of China. It was a colloborative effort by the Australian Academy of the Humanities and the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, published simultaneously in the original Chinese and in English translation. Endymion Wilkinson rated this joint venture "outstanding".
Contents
A second edition was published in 2012.
Classification of Chinese varieties
The atlas organizes the varieties of Chinese in a hierarchy of groupings, following the work of Li Rong:
Contents
The atlas contains 36 colour maps, divided into three sections:
The maps are printed on loose white sheets measuring 15 in (38 cm) by 20.75 in (52.7 cm). Each map is accompanied by a blue sheet of the same size containing explanatory notes.
Second edition
Work began on revised edition in 2002. The work was published in 2012 as a joint venture between the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences and the City University of Hong Kong. It consists of two volumes, dealing respectively with varieties of Chinese and minority languages. The revision follows the same structure as the first edition, but the number of maps has increased to 79, and the explanatory text is greatly expanded. The number of minority languages covered has also increased from 81 to 130.