海峽兩岸閩南語歌仔冊之漢字比較

This paper presents a summary analysis of the differences in Chinese characters used within the Cross-Strait Kua1-A2- Tsheh4. Not only are forms and types, function words, and the relationships between form, sound, and meaning of the Chinese characters discussed, but the patterns and principles in their transformation will form the basis of this paper. The means by which the Chinese characters evolve include both standardizing and simplifying of characters in the Kua1-A2- Tsheh4; the former, however, generally occurring at a higher frequency. The author believes that the Southern Min Kua1-A2- Tsheh4 thus progresses towards a standardizing phenomenon, which, in the course of the Kua1-A2- Tsheh4 history, is directly related to Cross-Strait publishing conditions, as well as the importance and value of folk literature. In regard to the precise terms of the Chinese characters’ transformation, the most common examples are found in the first group: “Saved or Replaced Radical Components.” Next is the second group, “Other Newly-Formed Characters,” followed by the fifth group, “Merged Homonyms.” The third and fourth group, “Symbol Substitution” and “Cursive Style and Cursive-Hand into Regular Style,” have relatively fewer examples, respectively. Although the types of Chinese characters used on both sides of the strait are varied and complex, from a general standpoint, both cases of original characters changing into loan characters and loan characters changing into original characters appear more frequently. Finally, through an organized summary of the four editions of《最新僥倖錢歌》, this paper will investigate trends of the Chinese characters used among the Cross-Strait Kua1-A2- Tsheh4. The conclusion is the sound-semantic choice of characters used in the mainland Kua1-A2- Tsheh4 are simpler and clearer, whereas, in contrast, the early Taiwanese Kua1-A2- Tsheh4 are complex and disorderly. Later, however, the Taiwanese editions shift towards greater unanimity.