All About The Chinese Languages
Is there a language called Chinese?
No. There are about 302 languages & dialects in China. Mandarin is the official language of the country. Let’s read on to find out more.
China is a vast and diverse country and is known to be one of the most linguistically diverse countries globally. Even though Mandarin Chinese is considered the official language, different languages are spoken in China. This excludes some of the dying languages and dialects that some scholars regard as endangered languages.
To be precise, if we were to count those numbers of languages along, it would be around 302 languages. So if you are looking for the best translation services for your documents in any Chinese language, be sure to read on as we explain a few Chinese languages.
Why Does China Have A Variety of Chinese Languages?
The overall population of China is around 1.4 billion people, and it always remains a place of impressive linguistic diversity. Although most European languages were being shaped by the Latin roots around 2000 years ago, the Chinese language was formed and inspired by its language, the Classical Chinese.
With regard to the existence of the vast number of Chinese languages, the following has played a significant role in its formation.
- Geography
One of the primary reasons for linguistic diversity in China is geographic isolation. Since communication between people from different parts of the country was rare, they had fewer opportunities to learn new languages. Earlier traveling seemed to be time-consuming and was bound with lots of obstacles. However, with the advent of the internet and rapid transportation networks, such geographical barriers have been overcome to a greater extent.
- History
China is known to have a vast history, in which the Chinese empire expanded and contracted multiple times. Their spoken languages evolved around many different directions and places during these expansions. People chose to live in isolation for safety. Slowly, this gave rise to the vast number of languages that now exist in China.
Top Main Chinese Languages Spoken in China
Although there are a variety of languages that are being spoken in China, here we list down some of the top main languages and dialects. They are as listed below:
- Mandarin
Mandarin, also known as Northern Chinese, is one of the world’s most widely spoken languages and is the official language of China. It is so popular that about two-thirds are speaking it of the whole of China’s population. Some of its other names include Standard Mandarin Chinese, Beijinghua, etc.
Northern Mandarin, Northwestern Mandarin, Southwestern Mandarin, and Southern Mandarin are the four dialects of standard Mandarin Chinese. The Chinese language is mostly based on tones that indicate different meanings, wherein Mandarin has four tones rising, high rising, level, and falling. So getting the tone wrong can have a drastic change in the meanings.
- Cantonese
Along with Mandarin, Cantonese, known as “Yue” in China, is also one prominent dialect familiar among people even outside of China. This language has around 10 sub-dialects; the standard dialect is Guangzhou and includes six tones.
Approximately 62 million locals speak this dialect in China and about 73.5 million Chinese worldwide. This language retains the ancient characteristics of Chinese culture. Cantonese is the second most popular of the remaining Chinese languages in terms of popularity.
- Wu
This language is a bunch of Chinese dialects that are predominantly being used in Jiangsu, Zhejiang Province, and Shanghai. Also known as the Shanghainese, this language had spread from Suzhou, a cultural hub, and later on, earned more importance during the Ming dynasty.
It is spoken as the primary language by approximately 6.1 percent of the Chinese population. Wu has kept the initial voiced stops and used seven or eight tones to differentiate the meanings of words and word elements that share vowels and consonants.
- Min
The Min language is mainly spoken in Fujian, Taiwan, and Hainan. Due to the geographical isolation from the Fujian mountains, this language has many dialects. Of this variety, one famous dialect is the Hokkien spoken by people in South East Asia and including the US.
This language has derived its name from the Min river situated in the Fujian province. China’s linguistic history has paved the way for Min’s precise grammar and vocabulary. Even though there are many Min speakers, the history of the Min language has made it challenging to recognize Chinese characters.
- Other Top Languages are:
- Jin Chinese
- Gan Chinese
- Hakka (Kejia) Chinese
- Xiang Chinese
- Huizhou Chinese
- Pinghua Chinese and other unclassified dialects
Importance of Translation Services
The above listed are just a few drops from the ocean of Chinese languages. Since China is such a large country, it is perhaps understandable that it has such a wide range of languages. Whether you are an individual planning to travel or a business planning to expand to international markets, translation services are of utmost importance.
Are you looking for high-quality Chinese translation services at affordable rates? With years of expertise in translation services, Click For Translation will help you attain maximum growth and success in your field. Contact us to know more, and we will get you connected with our native Chinese translators, who will help you get accurate translations in the best time possible.