中英印三語合璧的語言教材──《英華仙尼華四雜字文》藏本考與價值重估

A Tri-Lingual Language Vocabulary Book: An Investigation of Ying Hua xiannihuasi zaziwen and a Reevaluation of Its Value

《英華仙尼華四雜字文》出版於英國占據舟山時期，是一部博廣且專業的詞彙教材。在本文之前的寥寥數筆研究，多惑於書籍的表象，集中探討該書呈現的文化意涵或是首創價值，而缺乏對該書最大學術價值的語音系統予以深入探討，致使該文獻的研究至今備受冷落。該書作為吳語區最早的英文教材，開創了印度泰盧固文注音寧波方言系統，具有獨一無二的記載鴉片戰爭時期寧波方言語音的價值。由是，本文不僅僅對該書藏本與書籍史作了相關考證，更是對部分泰盧固文進行轉寫，可發現其具備驗證近代以來寧波方言語音演變與填補空白的不可或缺的價值。職是之故，《英華仙尼華四雜字文》的學術價值亟待重新評估，而在中西交流史中的意義與價值也應當被承認並得到充分的討論。

Ying Hua xiannihuasi zaziwen英華仙尼華四雜字文(A Manual for Youth and Students, or Chinese Vocabulary and Dialogues, Containing an Easy Introduction to the Chinese Language. Ningpo Dialect), published during the British occupation of Zhoushan, stands as a broad and professional vocabulary book. Prior to this research, only a few studies have been conducted on the visual presentation of the work, primarily exploring its cultural significance and pioneering value. Nevertheless, a substantial exploration into its phonetic system, arguably the book’s most academically invaluable feature, has been conspicuously absent, resulting in sustained neglect of its research potential to the present day. As the earliest English-language textbook in the Wu Chinese region, this work pioneered the system of employing Telugu to annotate the Ningbo dialect and has unique value in recording the pronunciation of the Ningbo dialect during the First Opium War. Hence, this study examines not only its compilation and book history but also transcribes select portions of the Telugu script. The objective is to illuminate the book’s pivotal role in validating the phonetic evolution of the Ningbo dialect from the modern era onwards and in filling notable gaps in our comprehension of this linguistic transformation. Therefore, it is imperative that the academic value of Ying Hua xiannihuasi zaziwen should be reassessed. Its profound significance and contribution in the history of Sino-Western cultural exchanges merit recognition and comprehensive discussion.