The Development of the Supradentals and Dental Sibilants Before High Front Vowels in the Dialects of the Jiaodong Peninsula

The development of the supradentals tʂ tʂ' ʂ and the dental sibilants ts ts' s before high front vowels and non-high front vowels is very complicated in the dialects of the Jiaodong Peninsula area. The present paper collects and compares nine modern reports of this region's dialects and three late Qing historical documents. These sources provide an extensive sample of the phonetic values of these two sound groups from the late 19th century as well as a clear vision of their sound evolution and relationship to one another. The present paper will attempt to trace and date the process of sound evolution, explore and analyze the background causes for internal relationship (differences) among the Jiaodong Peninsular dialects.