I dialetti hakka

In this paper, we will sketch an introduction to the Hakka branch of Sinitic languages. We will first illus- trate the history of the Hakka people and of their lan- gugage(s), stressing the nature of Hakka(s) as a ‘migrant’ language and ethnicity. We will then present some data on writing in Hakka, focussing on romanised scripts, from its origins in missionary efforts to current practices. To conclude, we will briefly discuss the sociolinguistic situation of Hakka in Taiwan, the only territory in which the lan- guages of the Hakka Chinese enjoy some degree of official recognition.