Comparative Studies of the Dialects of Myanmar

This chapter presents comparative studies of the dialects of Myanmar on initials, rhymes, tones, lexical variations, and syntax, and particles. The study on Myanmar initials starts with an overview of all the initials, then compares their phonological distinctions across the dialects. Based on related phenomena observed cross-dialectally, the comparison proposes developmental stages and pathways the intials have been through from Old Myanmar to the modern dialects. The study on Myanmar rhymes also begins with a complete array of all the rhymes, then compares the rhymes dialectally. One of the primary parts of the discussion concerns the diachronic developments of the stop finals and nasal finals from Old Myanmar to the modern dialects. The study on Myanmar tones takes the tonal system of Yangon Dialect as the basis, then compares each tonal category in Yangon with its relating tones in the other dialects. It is premature to say at this point whether the cross-dialectal differences are regular cross-dialectal correspondences or individual variations. However through these differences it is possible to find traces of the diachronic change of Myanmar phonology. The relationships between tonal categories and stop finals are also discussed. The study of the lexical variations is mainly focused on the different terms used in different dialects to refer to the same thing. Specific archaic forms preserved in some dialects are also presented in this study. The study on Myanmar syntax concerns simplex and complex sentences. Because grammar-wise there is not a very salient disparity among the dialects, this section primarily discusses sentence structures and sentence types observed cross-diaectally. Finally, the section on Myanmar particles lists grammatical particles according to functions, and provide all the forms across the dialects that serve those functions. The section is a presented in form of a table.