English and Chinese Dictionary of the Amoy Dictionary

London, Trubner, 1883. - 611 p.The Amoy dialect is one of four principal dialects which, with their varieties, are spoken by at least seven millions of people. These dialects, viz: the Chang-chow, the Chin-chew, the Tung-an, and the Amoy, extend to about one hundred miles North, West, and South of Amoy.
Of the four dialects, the numbers that speak the Amoy are the fewest, and yet it is the most generally understood of them all. It is characterized by great distinctness and simplicity of sounds. The consequence is, that a man speaking it can be better understood when travelling through the Chang-chow and Chin-chew Prefectures than those who speak the others. The knowledge of the Amoy dialect, therefore, enables the student to communicate with a large population, as he will easily learn the few rules which will assist him in mastering the distinguishing differences that mark the various dialects.