Hailu dialect


The Hailu dialect, also known as the Hoiluk dialect or Hailu Hakka, is a dialect of Hakka Chinese that originated in Shanwei, Guangdong. It is also the second most common dialect of Hakka spoken in Taiwan.

Classification

The first edition of the Language Atlas of China places the Hakka dialects spoken in Haifeng and Lufeng into the Xin–Hui cluster of the Yue–Tai subgroup of Hakka. In the second edition, it is given its own subgroup known as the Hai–Lu subgroup separate from the Yue–Tai subgroup.
Chang Song-hing and Zhuang Chusheng propose that it should be grouped as the Hai–Lu cluster of the Mei–Shao subgroup.

Distribution

In China, the Hailu dialect is spoken in Shanwei, Guangdong, particularly in Haifeng, Lufeng, and Luhe. As of 2012, there are around 1.18 million speakers of the dialect in these three areas.
In Taiwan, it is spoken in Hsinchu County, Hsinchu City, Taoyuan, Hualien County, and Miaoli County. In 2013, 41.5% of Hakka people in Taiwan were reported to be able to communicate in the Hailu dialect.
In Indonesia, it is widely spoken in northern West Kalimantan, including Singkawang, Sambas, and Pemangkat.

Phonology

Tones

The Hailu dialect has seven lexical tones: