內容大鋼
本書第一版于1853年由倫敦布道會出版，共248頁；上海長老會於1868年再版，共225頁。作者以其傑出的才能和語言學理論修養，對19世紀中葉開埠初10年時上海縣城方言的語音、詞語、語法做了最早的忠實記錄和全方位研究，有不少精闢的論述和獨到領先的見解。儘管它是一本語法書，然其語音、語法並重，並提供了當時豐富的語言、社會和文化背景知識。在描寫和論述的基礎上，艾氏還將上海話同官話、中國東南部方言尤其是上海周邊地區的方言進行了一些共時性的比較。
全書共有三章，第一章語音，第二章詞類，第三章句法，從1至429節段連貫敘述，有兩個附錄，其中第二個附錄談到了吳語周邊地區的語音語法相關現象。
作者對19世紀中葉開埠不久的上海的方言語音狀況進行了準確全面的描寫和分析。此書既用西方輔音、母音系統的分析方法記錄了上海方言語音，又用漢語傳統方法對上海話的韻母和聲調進行了梳理歸納。
目錄
PART I ON SOUND
Section 1. Alphabet. Table of sounds.
2. On the Chinese Tones. Natural tones described. Tones of several dialects.
3. On the Shanghai Tones. Tones in state of transition.
Relation of tones to music and accents.
4. Alphabetical Form of the Shanghai Sounds. The 36
initials of the Dictionaries. Represent the sounds
of the old language, and are now a provincial pro-
nunciation. The Shanghai dialect, a branch of that
system. Finals. Comparative table of Shanghai and
Mandarin finals. The final consonants n, ng and k.
PART II ON THE PARTS OF SPEECH
Section 1. Native Divisions. Division proposed by a native grammarian.
2. Relation of the Dialect to the Written Language, and
to other Dialects. Primitive words exemplified. Re-
lation to the mandarin of the Historical Romances.
Compared with the dialect of S6-chefl.
3. On Substantives.
4. On Numeral Particles and Auxiliary Substantives. Distinctive Particles. Significant Particles. Weights and measures. Collectives.
5. On Adjectives.
6. On Pronouns.
7. On Verbs. Modes of grouping. Kinds of Verbs. Mode. Tense.
8. On Prepositions and Postpositions.
9. On Adverbs.
10. On Conjunctions.
11. On Expletives and Interjections.
PART III ON SYNTAX
Section 1. On Government.
2. Interchange of the Parts of Speech. Adjective as
Substantive. Verb as Substantive, and as Adjective,&c.
3. On Government of Words in Groups or Combinations.
4. On Repetition.
5. On Order in Groups.
6. On Simple Propositions.
7. On Subordinate Sentences.
8. On Coordinate Sentences.
9. On Antithesis.
10. On Rhythmus.
Appendix I On the Higher Colloquial, Called Vun 'Li 'T'u Bah.
II On the Native Tables of Initials and Finals. Imi-
tated from the Sanscrit. Geographical outline of
the dialects that agree with the dictionary system.
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