Three Chain Shifts of Finals Occurring in the Cāngnán Dialect of Eastern Mǐn

Abstract

At least three different chain shifts of finals occurred in the Cāngnán dialect which belongs to the Northern group of Eastern Mǐn dialects. Two were triggered by the influence of the nearby Ōujiāng subgroup of Wú dialects on the Cāngnán dialect. Simultaneously, the Cāngnán dialect underwent some phonological changes parallel to the two chain shifts. The two types of phonological changes should have a mutually reinforcing effect. The remaining one is completely independent of the Ōujiāng subgroup of Wú dialects.