Editing Suzhou dialect

{{Short description|Dialect of Wu Chinese}}
{{Infobox language
| name             = Suzhounese
| nativename       = {{lang|wuu-Hant|蘇州閒話}}；{{lang|wuu-Hans|苏州闲话}} <br/>{{transliteration|wuu|Sou-tseu ghé-ghô}}
| pronunciation    = {{IPA|wuu|soʊ˥tsøʏ˥꜓ ɦɛ˨˨˧꜕ɦo˨˧˩꜔||generic=yes}} or {{IPA|wuu|soʊ˥tsøʏ˥꜓ ɦɛ˨˨˦꜔ɦo˨˧˩꜕꜖||generic=yes}}
| states           = [[China]]
| region           = [[Suzhou]] and southeast [[Jiangsu]] province
| speakers         = 
| date             = no date
| ref              = 
| familycolor      = Sino-Tibetan
| fam2             = [[Sinitic languages|Sinitic]]
| fam3             = [[Chinese language|Chinese]]
| fam4             = [[Wu Chinese|Wu]]
| fam5             = [[Taihu Wu|Taihu]]
| fam6             = Suzhou–Shanghai–Jiaxing <br>(Su-Hu-Jia)
| isoexception     = dialect
| iso6             = suji
| linglist         = wuu-suh
| glotto           = suzh1234
| glottorefname    = Suzhou
| lingua           = 79-AAA-dbb
| notice           = IPA
|script=[[Chinese characters]] }}
{{Infobox Chinese
| t = 蘇州話
| s = 苏州话
| p = Sūzhōuhuà
| y = Sōujāu wá
| j = sou1 zau1 waa2
| t2 = 蘇州閒話
| suz2 = Sou-tseu ghé-ghô
}}

'''Suzhounese''' (Suzhounese:&nbsp;{{lang|wuu-Hant|蘇州閒話}}; {{transliteration|wuu|sou<sup>1</sup> tseu<sup>1</sup> ghe<sup>2</sup> gho<sup>6</sup>}}), also known as the '''Suzhou Language''', is the language belonging to the Sinitic Lanuage Family traditionally spoken in the city of [[Suzhou]] in [[Jiangsu]], China. Suzhounese is a dialect of [[Wu Chinese]], and was traditionally considered the Wu Chinese [[prestige dialect]]. Suzhounese has a large vowel inventory and it is relatively conservative in initials by preserving voiced consonants from [[Middle Chinese]].{{Citation needed|date=December 2019}}

==Distribution==
Suzhou dialect is spoken within the city itself and the surrounding area, including migrants living in nearby [[Shanghai]].

The Suzhou dialect is mutually intelligible with dialects spoken in its satellite cities such as [[Kunshan]], [[Changshu]], and [[Zhangjiagang]], as well as those spoken in its former satellites [[Wuxi dialect|Wuxi]] and [[Shanghainese|Shanghai]]. It is also partially intelligible with dialects spoken in other areas of the Wu cultural sphere such as [[Hangzhou dialect|Hangzhou]] and [[Ningbo dialect|Ningbo]]. However, it is ''not'' mutually intelligible with [[Cantonese]] or [[Standard Chinese]]; but, as all public schools and most broadcast communication in [[Suzhou]] use Mandarin exclusively, nearly all speakers of the dialect are at least bilingual. Owing to migration within China, many residents of the city cannot speak the local dialect but can usually understand it after a few months or years in the area.{{citation needed|date=January 2016}}

==History==
{{Empty section|date=October 2022}}

==Grammar==

===Personal pronouns<ref>{{cite book |last=叶 |first=祥苓 |author-link= |date=1988 |title=蘇州方言詞典 |url= |location= |publisher=江苏教育出版社 |page=407 |isbn=}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last=叶 |first=祥苓 |author-link= |date=1993 |title=苏州方言志 |url= |location= |publisher=江苏教育出版社 |page=454 |isbn=}}</ref>===

{| class="wikitable"
|+
! Pronoun
! Number
! Word
! Pinyin
! IPA
|-
| rowspan="2" | 1st
| Singular
| 吾
| ngou6
| ŋəu
|-
| Plural
| 伲
| gni6
| nʲi
|-
| rowspan="2" | 2nd
| Singular
| 倷
| ne6
| ne
|-
| Plural
| 唔笃
| n6 toq7
| n toʔ
|-
| rowspan="4" | 3rd
| rowspan="3" | Singular
| 俚
| li1
| li
|-
| 俚倷
| li1 ne6
| li ne
|-
| 唔倷
| n1 ne6
| n ne
|-
| Plural
| 俚笃
| li1 toq7
| li toʔ
|}

Second and third-person pronouns are suffixed with 笃 {{IPA|[toʔ]}} for the plural. The first-person plural is a separate root, 伲 {{IPA|[nʲi]}}.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Yue |first=Anne O. |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=5MeWSTQ7F44C&pg=PA86 |title=The Sino-Tibetan Languages |date=2003 |publisher=Routledge |isbn=0-7007-1129-5 |editor-last=Thurgood |editor-first=Graham |edition=illustrated |location=London |page=86 |chapter=Chinese Dialects: Grammar |editor-last2=LaPolla |editor-first2=Randy J.}}</ref>

===Demonstrative===
{| class="wikitable"
|+
! colspan="2" | Proximal
! colspan="2" | Neutral
! colspan="2" | Distal
|-
| 哀
| e1
| rowspan="2" | 搿
| rowspan="2" | geq8
| 弯
| ue1
|-
| 该
| ke1
| 归
| kue1
|}

In the Suzhou dialect, ''geq8'' {{IPA|/ɡəʔ/ [gə̯]}} is a very special demonstrative that is used alongside a separate set of proximal and distal demonstratives. ''geq8'' can indicate referents appearing in a speech situation, which may be close to or far away from the deictic center, and under these conditions, ''geq8'' is always used in combination with gestures. Hence ''geq8'' can serve both proximal and distal functions.<ref>{{Citation|last=Chen|first=Yujie|editor1-first=Hilary M|editor1-last=Chappell|title=The semantic differentiation of demonstratives in Sinitic languages|date=2015|url=https://oxford.universitypressscholarship.com/10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198723790.001.0001/acprof-9780198723790-chapter-4|work=Diversity in Sinitic Languages|place=Oxford|publisher=Oxford University Press|doi=10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198723790.001.0001|isbn=978-0-19-872379-0|access-date=2021-12-06|url-access=subscription}}</ref>

哀 with 该 and 弯 with 归 means exactly the same thing and only differ in pronunciation. 
The use of neutral demonstrative pronoun became clear once proximal and neutral demonstrative pronouns are used.

* 哀杯茶是吾葛，掰杯茶是僚葛，弯杯茶是俚葛。

When "搿" refers to time, there is no need to use the proximal and distal in opposition. The role of the neutral demonstrative is very obvious.

* 抗战是民国二十六年到民国三十四年，掰歇(弯歇)辰光日脚勿好过。

In this sentence, "掰歇(弯歇)" cannot be replaced by "哀歇" because the Anti-Japanese War happened more than fifty years ago, so only the neutral or distal demonstrative can be used, not proximal.

When not referring to time, the proximal "哀" and the neutral demonstrative "掰" can be interchanged. For example, the "掰" in "掰个人勿认得" can be replaced by "哀".

"哀", "该", "掰", "弯" and "归" cannot be used as subjects or objects alone, but must be combined with the following quantifiers, locative words, etc.

{| class="wikitable"
|+
! colspan="2" | Suzhou
! Mandarin
! English
|-
| 哀葛
| e1 keq7
| 这个
| this (thing)
|-
| 哀点
| e1 tie3
| 这些
| these
|-
| 哀歇
| e1 shieq3
| 这时候
| this (moment)
|-
| 哀呛
| e1 tie3
| 这阵子
| this (period)
|-
| 哀面
| e1 mie6
| 这边
| this (side)
|-
| 哀搭
| e1 taeq7
| 这里
| this place (here)
|}

Example phrases:
* 哀歇啥辰光则？
现在什么时候了？
What time is it now?
* 哀呛倷身体好啘？
现阵子你身体好吗？
How are you now?

==Varieties==
Some non-native speakers of Suzhou speak the Suzhou dialect in a "stylized variety" to tell tales.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Clements |first=Clancy |date=2000 |title=Review of Creole and Dialect Continua |journal=Language |volume=76 |issue=1 |page=160 |doi=10.1353/lan.2000.0054 |jstor=417399 |s2cid=141755433 |quote=She also examines a stylized variety of Suzhou Wu as used to tell stories by native speakers of another dialect.}}</ref>

==Phonology==
===Initials===

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|+ [[syllable onset|Initial consonants]]
! colspan=2|&nbsp;
! [[Labial consonant|Labial]] 
! [[dental consonant|Dental]]/[[Alveolar consonant|Alveolar]]
! [[alveolo-palatal consonant|Alveolo-palatal]]
! [[velar consonant|Velar]]
! [[glottal consonant|Glottal]]
|-
! colspan=2|[[Nasal consonant|Nasal]]
| {{IPA link|m}}
| {{IPA link|n}}
| {{IPA link|n̠ʲ}}
| {{IPA link|ŋ}}
| 
|-
! rowspan=3|[[Plosive consonant|Plosive]]
! <small>[[tenuis consonant|tenuis]]</small>
| {{IPA link|p}}
| {{IPA link|t}}
| 
| {{IPA link|k}}
| {{IPA link|ʔ}}
|-
! <small>[[aspiration (phonetics)|aspirated]]</small>
| {{IPA link|pʰ}}
| {{IPA link|tʰ}}
| 
| {{IPA link|kʰ}}
| 
|-
! <small>[[Voice (phonetics)|voiced]]</small>
| {{IPA link|b}}
| {{IPA link|d}}
| 
| {{IPA link|ɡ}}
| 
|-
! rowspan=3|[[Affricate consonant|Affricate]]
!<small>[[tenuis consonant|tenuis]]</small>
| 
| {{IPA link|ts}}
| {{IPA link|tɕ}}
| 
| 
|-
! <small>[[aspiration (phonetics)|aspirated]]</small>
| 
| {{IPA link|tsʰ}}
| {{IPA link|tɕʰ}}
| 
| 
|-
!<small>[[voice (phonetics)|voiced]]</small>
| 
| 
| {{IPA link|dʑ}}
| 
| 
|-
! rowspan=2|[[Fricative consonant|Fricative]]
!<small>[[voicelessness|voiceless]]</small>
| {{IPA link|f}}
| {{IPA link|s}}
| {{IPA link|ɕ}}
| 
| {{IPA link|h}}
|-
!<small>[[voice (phonetics)|voiced]]</small>
| {{IPA link|v}}
| {{IPA link|z}}
| 
| 
|{{IPA link|ɦ}}
|-
! colspan=2|[[Lateral consonant|Lateral]]
| 
| {{IPA link|l}}
| 
| 
| 
|}

The Suzhou dialect has series of voiced, voiceless, and aspirated [[stop consonant|stops]], and voiceless and voiced [[fricative]]s. Moreover, [[palatalization (phonetics)|palatalized]] initials also occur.

===Finals===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"
|+ Vowel nuclei
! rowspan=2|
! colspan=2|[[Front vowel|Front]]
! rowspan=2|[[Central vowel|Central]]
! rowspan=2|[[Back vowel|Back]]
|-
!<small>[[Unrounded vowel|Unrounded]]</small>
!<small>[[Rounded vowel|Rounded]]</small>
|-
![[Sinological phonetic notation|Apical]]
|/ɿ/
|/ʮ/
|
|
|-
!Fricated
|{{IPA|/i/}}
|{{IPA|/y/}}
|
|{{IPA|/u/}}
|-
![[Close vowel|Close]]
|{{IPA|/ɪ/}}
|{{IPA|/ʏ/}}
|
|
|-
! [[Near-close vowel|Near-close]]
|
|
|{{IPA|/ɵ/}}
|{{IPA|/o/}}
|-
! [[Mid vowel|Mid]]
| {{IPA|/ɛ/}}
|
| {{IPA|/ə/}}
|
|-
! [[Open vowel|Open]]
| {{IPA|/æ/}}
|
| {{IPA|/a/}}
| {{IPA|/ɑ/}}
|-
! [[Diphthong]]
| colspan="4" |{{IPA|/øʏ, oʊ/}}
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"
|+ Finals<ref>{{Cite thesis |last=Ling |first=Feng |title=A Phonetic Study of the Vowel System in Suzhou Chinese |date=2009 |degree=PhD |publisher=City University of Hong Kong |url=https://scholars.cityu.edu.hk/en/theses/a-phonetic-study-of-the-vowel-system-in-suzhou-chinese(52b089ed-b109-4b7f-968d-5e9a96e6f9b1).html}}</ref>
! colspan=2|Coda
! colspan=3|Open
! colspan=4|Nasal
! colspan=4|[[Glottal stop]]
|-
! colspan=2|Medial
!{{IPA|∅}}!!{{IPA|j}}!!{{IPA|w}}
!{{IPA|∅}}!!{{IPA|j}}!!{{IPA|w}}!!{{IPA|ɥ}}
!{{IPA|∅}}!!{{IPA|j}}!!{{IPA|w}}!!{{IPA|ɥ}}
|-
! rowspan="15" |Nucleus
!ɿ [z̩]
|z̩
|&nbsp;
|&nbsp;
|&nbsp;
|&nbsp;
|&nbsp;
|&nbsp;
|&nbsp;
|&nbsp;
|&nbsp;
|&nbsp;
|-
!ʮ [z̩ʷ]
|z̩ʷ
|&nbsp;
|&nbsp;
|&nbsp;
|&nbsp;
|&nbsp;
|&nbsp;
|&nbsp;
|&nbsp;
|&nbsp;
|&nbsp;
|-
!u
|u
|&nbsp;
|&nbsp;
|&nbsp;
|&nbsp;
|&nbsp;
|&nbsp;
|&nbsp;
|&nbsp;
|&nbsp;
|&nbsp;
|-
! {{IPA|i}}
|{{IPA|i}}||&nbsp;||&nbsp;
|{{IPA|iɲ}}||&nbsp;||&nbsp;||&nbsp;
|&nbsp;||&nbsp;||&nbsp;||&nbsp;
|-
! {{IPA|y}}
|{{IPA|y}}||&nbsp;||&nbsp;
|&nbsp;||&nbsp;||&nbsp;||&nbsp;
|&nbsp;||&nbsp;||&nbsp;||&nbsp;
|-
! {{IPA|ɪ}}
|&nbsp;||{{IPA|jɪ}}||&nbsp;
|&nbsp;||&nbsp;||&nbsp;||&nbsp;
|&nbsp;||&nbsp;||&nbsp;||&nbsp;
|-
! {{IPA|ʏ}}
|{{IPA|ʏ}}~øʏ||{{IPA|jʏ}}||&nbsp;
|{{IPA|ʏɲ}}||&nbsp;||&nbsp;||&nbsp;
|&nbsp;||&nbsp;||&nbsp;||&nbsp;
|-
! {{IPA|ɵ}}
|{{IPA|ɵ}}||{{IPA|jɵ}}||{{IPA|wɵ}}
|&nbsp;||&nbsp;||&nbsp;||&nbsp;
|&nbsp;||&nbsp;||&nbsp;||&nbsp;
|-
! {{IPA|ɛ}}
|{{IPA|ɛ}}||&nbsp;||{{IPA|wɛ}}
|&nbsp;||&nbsp;||&nbsp;||&nbsp;
|&nbsp;||&nbsp;||&nbsp;||&nbsp;
|-
! {{IPA|ə}}
|&nbsp;||&nbsp;||&nbsp;
|{{IPA|ən}}||&nbsp;||{{IPA|wən}}||{{IPA|ɥən}}
|{{IPA|əʔ}}||{{IPA|jəʔ}}||{{IPA|wəʔ}}||{{IPA|ɥəʔ}}
|-
! {{IPA|o}}
|{{IPA|o}}||{{IPA|jo}}||&nbsp;
|{{IPA|oŋ}}||{{IPA|joŋ}}||&nbsp;||&nbsp;
|{{IPA|oʔ}}||{{IPA|joʔ}}||&nbsp;||&nbsp;
|-
! {{IPA|oʊ}}
|{{IPA|oʊ}}||&nbsp;||&nbsp;
|&nbsp;||&nbsp;||&nbsp;||&nbsp;
|&nbsp;||&nbsp;||&nbsp;||&nbsp;
|-
! {{IPA|æ}}
|{{IPA|æ}}||{{IPA|jæ}}||&nbsp;
|&nbsp;||&nbsp;||&nbsp;
|&nbsp;||&nbsp;||&nbsp;||&nbsp;
|-
! {{IPA|a}}
|&nbsp;||&nbsp;||&nbsp;
|{{IPA|ã}}||{{IPA|jã}}||{{IPA|wã}}||&nbsp;
|{{IPA|aʔ}}||{{IPA|jaʔ}}||{{IPA|waʔ}}||{{IPA|ɥaʔ}}
|-
! {{IPA|ɑ}}
|{{IPA|ɑ}}||{{IPA|jɑ}}||{{IPA|wɑ}}
|{{IPA|ɑ̃}}||{{IPA|jɑ̃}}||{{IPA|wɑ̃}}||&nbsp;
|{{IPA|ɑʔ}}||{{IPA|jɑʔ}}||&nbsp;||&nbsp;
|} 
:'''Syllabic continuants:''' {{IPA|/ɿ/ [z̩]}} {{IPA|/ʮ/ [z̩ʷ]}} {{IPA|/u/ [β̩~v̩]}} {{IPA|[m̩]}} {{IPA|[ŋ̩]}} {{IPA|[l̩]}}

Notes:
*The Suzhou dialect has a rare contrast between "fricative vowels" {{IPA|[i, y]}} and ordinary vowels {{IPA|[ɪ, ʏ]}}.
*{{IPA|/j/}} is pronounced {{IPA|[ɥ]}} before rounded vowels.
*{{IPA|/ɛ/}} is a true mid vowel, {{IPA|[ɛ̝]}}. May also be transcribed with the [[Sinological phonetic notation|Sinological]] symbol /ᴇ/. 
*In open syllables, {{IPA|/o/}} is articulated close to a position for a close back vowel {{IPA|[o̝]}} 
*Depending on the source, transcriptions differ:
**{{IPA|/oʊ/}} may also be transcribed as {{IPA|/əu/}}
**{{IPA|/ɵ/}} may also be transcribed as {{IPA|/ø/}}; also applies to on-glide final rhymes {{IPA|/jɵ/ (/iø/) and /wɵ/ (/uø/)}}
**{{IPA|/øʏ/}} may also be transcribed as {{IPA|/ʏ/}}
**Close vowels {{IPA|/ɪ ʏ/}} may be analyzed as diphthongs and transcribed as {{IPA|/iɪ iʏ/}}

====Historical Finals====

The Suzhou dialect allows a nasal coda but does not distinguish between them. As such, the [[Middle Chinese]] nasal codas {{IPA|*-m *-n *-ŋ}} have largely either merged or been lost depending on the vowel it follows. Historical {{IPA|*-ŋ}} [[Syllable rime|rime]]s following certain vowels are distinguished as the nasalized vowels {{IPA|/ã ɑ̃/}}, but otherwise merge into modern {{IPA|/-n/}}. Historical {{IPA|*-n}} and {{IPA|*-m}} rimes are entirely merged and also result in modern {{IPA|/-n/}}, or are lost after certain vowels becoming modern {{IPA|/ɪ ɛ ɵ/}}. Modern {{IPA|/ɛ/}} also results from the monophthongization of the historical diphthong rime {{IPA|*-ɑi}} ({{IPA|-oj}} in Baxter's notation, corresponding to the 咍 final).

Middle Chinese {{IPA|*-p *-t *-k}} rimes have become glottal stops, {{IPA|[-ʔ]}}. Like other Northern Wu varieties, syllables with an underlying glottal stop coda {{IPA|/-ʔ/}} usually manifest as a [[Northern Wu phonology#Checked_coda|shortening of the vowel]] instead of an actual glottal stop {{IPA|[-ʔ]}}, unless before a pause or at the end of an utterance.

===Tones===
Suzhou is considered to have seven tones. However, since the tone split dating from Middle Chinese still depends on the voicing of the initial consonant. Yang tones are only found with voiced initials, namely [b d ɡ z v dʑ ʑ m n nʲ ŋ l ɦ], while the yin tones are only found with voiceless initials. These constitute just three phonemic tones: ''ping'', ''shang,'' and ''qu.'' (''Ru'' syllables are phonemically toneless.)

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|+ Tone chart
|-
! Tone number 
!Wugniu Tone!! [[Tone name]] !! [[Tone contour|Tone letters]] !! Description
|-
! 1
|1
| yin ping ({{lang|zh|阴平}})|| {{IPA|˦}} (44) ||''high''
|-
! 2
|2
| yang ping ({{lang|zh|阳平}})|| {{IPA|˨˨˦}} (224) ||''level-rising''
|-
! 3
|3
| shang ({{lang|zh|阴上}})|| {{IPA|˥˨}} (52) ||''high falling''
|-
! 4
|5
| yin qu ({{lang|zh|阴去}})|| {{IPA|˦˩˨}} (412) ||''dipping''
|-
! 5
|6
| yang qu ({{lang|zh|阳去}})|| {{IPA|˨˧˩}} (231) ||''rising-falling''
|-
! 6
|7
| yin ru ({{lang|zh|阴入}})|| {{IPA|˦ʔ}} (4) ||''high checked''
|-
! 7 
|8
| yang ru ({{lang|zh|阳入}})|| {{IPA|˨˧ʔ}} (23) ||''rising checked''
|}

In Suzhou, the Middle Chinese 阳上 tone and 阳去 tones have fully merged as (2)31. The original 阳去 313 tone still occurs in tone sandhi patterns as the second element of a chain, following a 阴入 syllable.<ref>{{Cite book |last=叶 |first=祥苓 |title=苏州方言志 |publisher=江苏教育出版社 |year=1993 |pages=3}}</ref> Therefore, 买 and 卖 has exactly the same pronunciation in literary and colloquial readings.

====Tone Sandhi====

The tone sandhi present in Suzhou dialect introduces 4 completely new tones. {{IPA|˧}} (33), {{IPA|˨˩}} (21), {{IPA|˨˩˨}} (212), and {{IPA|˨ʔ}} (2)

A. Stop final + stop final

The both two-character in this combination do not change tone.

* 脚色 tɕiɑʔ˦ səʔ˦
* 吃力 tɕʰiəʔ˨˧ liəʔ˨˧
* 白虱 bɑʔ˨˧ səʔ˦
* 特别 dəʔ˨˧ biəʔ˨˧

B. Stop final + clear final

The first character do not change tones. The second character do not change tone if it has a yin (阴) tone.

* 作兴 tsoʔ˦ ɕin˦
* 铁饼 tʰiəʔ˦ pin˥˨
* 国庆 kuəʔ˦ tɕʰin˦˩˨

If the second character is yangping (阳平), it becomes {{IPA|˦}} (44), the same as yinping (阴平).

* 失眠 səʔ˦ '''miɪ'''˦
* 黑魚 həʔ˦ '''ŋ'''˦

If the second character is yangqu (阳去), it becomes {{IPA|˨˩}} (21) or {{IPA|˨˩˨}} (212).

* 赤佬 tsʰəʔ˦ '''læ'''˨˩
* 吃饭 tɕʰiəʔ˦ '''ve'''˨˩˨

C. Clear final + stop final

The second character's tone becomes {{IPA|˨ʔ}} (2). The first character does not change tone if it has a ping (平) or yinshang (阴上) tone.

* 书桌 sʮ˦ '''tsoʔ'''˨
* 牛角 nʲiʏ˨˨˦ '''koʔ'''˨
* 海蛰 he˥˨ '''zəʔ'''˨

If the first character is yinqu (阴去) it becomes {{IPA|˦}} (44) similar to yinping or {{IPA|˥˨}} (52) similar to yinshang.

* 信壳 '''sin'''˦ '''kʰoʔ'''˨
* 半日 '''pø'''˥˨ '''zəʔ'''˨

前字阳去多数变 {{IPA|˨˨˦}} (224) 调, 即与阳平同调; 少数不变。

* 料作 '''liæ'''˨˨˦ '''tsoʔ'''˨
* 满月 '''mø'''˨˨˦ '''ŋəʔ'''˨
* 技术 dʑi˦˩˨ '''zəʔ'''˨

D. Clear final + clear final

The first character does not change tone if it has a ping (平) or yinshang (阴上) tone.

If the first character is yinqu (阴去) it becomes {{IPA|˦}} (44) similar to yinping or {{IPA|˥˨}} (52) similar to yinshang.

If the first character is yangqu (阳去) it becomes {{IPA|˨˨˦}} (224) similar to yangping.

The second character becomes {{IPA|˨˩}} (21) after yinping tones.

The second character becomes {{IPA|˧}} (33), {{IPA|˨˩}} (21) after yinshang, yinqu, yangping, yangqu tones.

== Suzhou dialect in literature ==
'''Ballad-narratives'''

A "ballad–narrative" ({{lang|zh-Hant|說唱詞話}}) known as "The story of Xue Rengui crossing the sea and Pacifying Liao" ({{lang|zh|薛仁貴跨海征遼故事}}), which is about the [[Tang dynasty]] hero [[Xue Rengui]]<ref>{{Cite book|last=Idema|first=Wilt L.|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=yCDZtFu_1UIC&pg=PA341|title=Korea in the Middle: Korean Studies and Area Studies: Essays in Honour of Boudewijn Walraven|date=2007|publisher=CNWS Publications|isbn=978-90-5789-153-3|editor-last=Breuker|editor-first=Remco E.|edition=illustrated|location=Leiden|page=341|chapter=Fighting in Korea: Two Early Narratives of the Story of Xue Rengui|quote=A prosimetrical rendition, entitled Xue Rengui kuahai zheng Liao gushi 薛仁貴跨海征遼故事 (The story of Xue Rengui crossing the sea and Pacifying Liao), which shares its opening prose paragraph with the Xue Rengui zheng Liao shilüe, is preserved in a printing of 1471; it is one of the shuochang cihua 說唱詞話 (ballad-narratives}}</ref> is believed to have been written in the Suzhou dialect.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Idema|first=Wilt L.|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=yCDZtFu_1UIC&pg=PA342|title=Korea in the Middle: Korean Studies and Area Studies: Essays in Honour of Boudewijn Walraven|date=2007|publisher=CNWS Publications|isbn=978-90-5789-153-3|editor-last=Breuker|editor-first=Remco E.|edition=illustrated|location=Leiden|page=342|chapter=Fighting in Korea: Two Early Narratives of the Story of Xue Rengui|quote=for telling and singing) which were discovered in the suburbs of Shanghai in 1967. While these shuochang cihua had been printed in modern-day Beijing, their language suggests that they had been composed in the Wu Chinese area of Suzhou and surroundings,}}</ref>

'''Novels'''

[[Han Bangqing]] wrote ''[[The Sing-song Girls of Shanghai]]'', one of the earliest novels in [[Wu dialect]], in Suzhou dialect. Suzhou serves as an important drive for Han to write the novel. Suzhou dialect is used in  innovative methods to demonstrate urban space and time, as well as the interrupted narrative aesthetics, making it an integral part of an effort, which is presented as a fundamental and self-conscious new thing.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Des Forges|first=Alexander|url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctt13x1jm2|title=Mediasphere Shanghai: The Aesthetics of Cultural Production|date=2007|publisher=University of Hawai'i Press|jstor=j.ctt13x1jm2|isbn=978-0-8248-3081-6}}</ref> Han's novel also inspired other authors to write in Wu dialect.

==See also==
*[[Wu Chinese]]
**[[Shanghainese]]
**[[Hangzhou dialect|Hangzhounese]]
**[[Ningbo dialect|Ningbonese]]
*[[List of varieties of Chinese]]
{{commons category|Suzhou dialect}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://wu-chinese.com Wu Association]
{{Sino-Tibetan languages}}
{{Chinese language}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Suzhou Dialect}}
[[Category:Languages of China]]
[[Category:Wu Chinese]]
[[Category:Culture in Suzhou]]
[[Category:City colloquials]]