土家族转用汉语的进程及特点

On the Process and Traits of Using Chinese by the Tujia Nationality

土家语曾是土家族广泛使用的母语,但现在97%的土家人已经转用汉语。土家族的语言转用自隋唐经宋元至明清基本上完成,不同地区时间不同。土家族的语言转用从阶层特征来看是一个自上而下的过程;从空间特征来看由外而内渐进转用的,从时间进程和转用的速度来看,具有先慢后快的加速度特点。

The Tujia language used to be the Tujia's mother tongue, but 97% of the Yujias are using Chinese now. The substitute of Chinese for the Tujia language began in the Sui Dynasty, through the Tang, the Song, the Yuan and the Ming Dynasty, and was completed in the Qing Dynasty, whose process varied in different areas. As for social classes, this substitute was a top-down process and initially under the external influence. As to its speed, it was a gradually quickened process.