Comments on: Taishan County

By: Woodson

Woodson — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 03:50:09 +0000

It is not a believe that Sunning/Xinning is just an old name for Toisan. It is a fact. The dialect does varied from one part of the county to another. This may due in part to poor road system in the old days confining people to small geographic area thus contributing to the localization of the dialect. In other words nobody can really say their dialect is the standard Hoisanva.

By: Wong Ee Lynn

Wong Ee Lynn — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 11:26:57 +0000

Thanks for the insightful write-up. I am of partial Toisan heritage, and have only recently developed an interest in the language of my paternal grandparents. Now here’s something interesting that is hitherto unconfirmed– According to my father, the Sunning / Xinning people / dialect is a subgroup/subdialect of the Toisan people/dialect. I have compared Sunningwa to Hoisanwa, and there are differences. Can someone tell me, even if based on anecdotal oral evidence, whether the Sunning community is a separate subgroup of the Toisan community? All information on the Net believes it is one and the same, and that Sunning/Xinning is just an old name for Toisan. I fear the subdialect is at risk of extinction. Any feedback / discussion on this would be greatly appreciated!
Ee Lynn,
Kuala Lumpur,
Malaysia.

By: joyce

joyce — Mon, 15 Nov 2010 05:54:20 +0000

Hi WOodson,

Thank you so much for your reply.I dont know anyone in Taisan.Who should I ask for help?By the way do you happen to know of anyone there who is able to help me?

By: Woodson

Woodson — Tue, 28 Sep 2010 15:11:27 +0000

Congratulation on you upcoming trip. Yes, it is possible to visit your ancestral village providing you have the name in Chinese characters. As for the ancestral house it all depends on its condition. If it is still standing then you should be able to visit it also. Again make sure you have your grandfather’s name in Chinese characters also. It is best to local the village before embarking on the trip.

By: joyce

joyce — Tue, 28 Sep 2010 07:49:36 +0000

We will be visiting Toisan tis December.Im very excited as I finally have the chance to see with my own eyes the place where my ancestral once lived.My grandfather was from Toisan.He didnt keep intouch with any of the relatives there.Will it be possible to track my village if I know the name?How about the ancestral house?I heard if I know my grandfather’s name it will be possible.Is that true?

By: Girls Trek Too!

Girls Trek Too! — Thu, 22 Apr 2010 19:45:37 +0000

[...] great-grandfather once cried in front of his daughter Leila, when he read a newspaper from Toishan County and saw an obituary for his last surviving relative. He told her that’s when he knew: there [...]

By: Woodson

Woodson — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 05:33:29 +0000

Hi Robert,

It is similar to the language spoke in New York Chinatown prior to the 1970s. Cantonese became the main dialect in North America’s Chinatown from the early to mid-1970′s onward. The trend today is towards Mandarin as people from other parts of China migrate overseas.

By: robert bloomer

robert bloomer — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 19:50:35 +0000

Hi. I grew up in NY. I am curious, have you visited
Taishan? I was wondering if the dialect there is the
same as what used to be spoken in NY’s Chinatown or
is it now closer to standard Cantonese? I was wondering
if I visited Taishan, would I still here the same
language that fascinated me so much as a kid.

Thanks,
Robert