Title: Spoken Language and Oral Culture in China
Lecturer: KONG Jiangping (Professor, Department of Chinese Language and Literature, Peking University
Chairperson: ZHENG Wei (Professor, Department of Chinese Language and Literature, East China Normal University)
Date: 3 pm, May 19th, 2017 (Friday)
Venue: Room 5103, Building of School of Humanities, Minhang Campus, ECNU
Sponsor: Si-mian Institute for Advanced Studies in Humanities, ECNU
Abstract of the Lecture:
Oral cultures originated from languages. Phonetic characteristics of different languages gave rise to various forms of oral cultures. This lecture will give an introduction to oral cultures associated with the mono-syllabic tonal languages in southern China as well as those associated with the multi-syllabic non-tonal languages in northern China. The content includes: phonetic characteristics of chanting of Chinese poetry, glottal singing in Tibetan Buddhism chant sutras, articulation and phonation principles of Mongolian Khoomei, vibrato singing by Rama Bai people, the Great Song by Dong people, harmonies of eight voices by Hani people, phonation principles of Yi people’s mouth harp, the linguistic and psychological basis of ventriloquism, and phonation methods of Handeng Dagu.
Brief Introduction of the Lecturer:
Professor Jiangping Kong is a leading expert of phonetic research in China, the chair of Phonetic Association of China. His research covers multiple languages and dialects in China and adopts advanced techniques of phonetic field study, acoustics, and physiological signal analysis. Approaching the data with statistical and computational models, he has made significant innovation in the methodological and theoretical aspects of the phonetic and physiological studies on Mandarin Chinese, Chinese dialects, languages of minority ethnic groups. Kong and his team’s research has made important contributions to the protection, heritage, and digitalization of Chinese spoken language and oral culture.