Amoy language
- noun
- The Amoy language is distinct from Mandarin and Cantonese in pronunciation and vocabulary.
Examples
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The Amoy language is widely spoken in Fujian province.
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Many people in Taiwan speak the Amoy language fluently.
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Many overseas Chinese communities continue to use Amoy language in their daily interactions.
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She decided to learn Amoy language to communicate with her relatives in southern Fujian.
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Many overseas Chinese communities continue to use Amoy language in their daily interactions.
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She decided to learn Amoy language to communicate with her relatives in southern Fujian.
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The Amoy language is distinct from Mandarin and Cantonese in pronunciation and vocabulary.
Synonyms
1
7.9
A Chinese language spoken in Taiwan and parts of southern China
1
9.9
A Chinese dialect spoken in Xiamen and by Chinese communities in Southeast Asia
1
9.9
A Chinese language spoken in Fujian province and by many overseas communities, also called Hokkien
A Chinese dialect spoken in Fujian province and by Chinese people abroad
A group of Chinese dialects spoken mainly in Fujian province and by Chinese abroad, also called Hokkien or Minnan
A Chinese language spoken mainly in Taiwan and Fujian, also called Hokkien or Minnan
A group of Chinese dialects that people speak in Fujian province, for example Hokkien
A form of Chinese people speak in Fujian province and nearby areas, also called Hokkien or Min Nan
A form of Chinese spoken in Fujian province and by people who moved to other countries
A group of Chinese dialects spoken mainly in Fujian, like Hokkien and Teochew
A group of Chinese dialects spoken in Fujian and southeast China
A group of Chinese languages spoken mainly in Fujian province and nearby parts of southeast China
Surface Forms
Morphology
The phrase is a straightforward composition of the proper name 'Amoy' and the noun 'language', so a learner who knows the constituents will naturally interpret it as the language (or dialect) called Amoy. The pattern '[name] language' is cross-linguistically common and follows regular noun-modifier composition, making the meaning predictable for a B1 learner.
Etymology
Amoy language may come from an old foreign spelling of the city now called 'Xiamen'. Traders and sailors heard the local pronunciation and wrote the name as Amoy, so the language spoken in that area became known as the Amoy language.