Min (language)
Min ( Chinese 閩語 / 闽语 , Pinyin Mǐnyǔ ) is the umbrella term for several Chinese languages that come from the Chinese province of Fujian and are now also spoken in Guangdong , Hainan , Taiwan and among the overseas Chinese in Southeast Asia . The main difference between the Min languages and standard Chinese is that they have more initials and finals .
In Taiwan , the local variety of the Min language has the native name Hō-ló-oē . In the Philippines it is called Lán-lâng-oē (= language of our people ) by the Filipinos of Chinese origin .
The name is derived from the Min Jiang River .
Northern Min
The northern Min dialects ( 閩北 語 / 闽北 语 , Mǐnběiyǔ ) are mainly spoken in the administrative area of the district-free city of Nanping in Fujian Province.
Eastern Min
The eastern Min dialects ( 閩東 語 / 闽东 语 , Mǐndōngyǔ ) are predominantly spoken in the city of Fuzhou in Fujian Province.
Pu-xian
Pu-Xian or Puxian ( 莆 仙 話 / 莆 仙 话 , Púxiānhuà ) is spoken in the administrative area of the district-free city of Putian in Fujian Province.
Mean min
The middle Min dialects, also Min Zhong ( 閩中 語 / 闽中 语 , Mǐnzhōngyǔ ), are spoken predominantly in the administrative area of the district-free city of Sanming in Fujian Province.
Southern Min
The southern Min dialects ( 閩南 語 / 闽南 语 , Mǐnnányǔ , Pe̍h-ōe-jī Bân-lâm-gú ) are predominantly found in the prefecture -level cities of Xiamen , Quanzhou and Zhangzhou of Fujian Province, partly in the provinces of Guangdong and Hainan as well as on Taiwan ( Taiwanese language ) spoken. The dialects Hokkien (from Fujian) and Teochew (named after the city of Chaozhou in Guangzhou, “Teochew” in outdated transcription ) are of particular importance for Chinese minorities in Southeast Asia .
