<p>I mentioned this phenomenon in an answer to another post <a href="https://chinese.stackexchange.com/questions/1094/characteristics-of-northern-and-southern-accents/1098#1098">here</a>.  This sound, which is actually [ʋ] (<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Labiodental_approximant" rel="nofollow noreferrer">labiodental approximant</a>), was also discussed in <a href="http://www.sinoglot.com/bjs/2008/10/the-humble-v-says-veng-veng/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">this post in the Beijing Sounds blog</a>.  Being characteristic of the Tianjin region (in my experience anyway), it's not standard, but many people don't seem to notice anyway.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-02-20T18:55:45.010Z
2012-02-21T06:29:56.733Z
2017-04-13T12:48:06.457Z
Claw
<p>You may find the following references interesting:</p>

<ol>
<li>Hu, Mingyang (胡明扬). 1991. <a href="http://people.cohums.ohio-state.edu/chan9/articles/bjw-hu_utf8.htm" rel="nofollow">Beijinghua shengmu W de yinzhi</a> (北京话声母W音值) (Phonetic value of W initial in Beijing speech). In: <em>Yuyanxue Lunwen Xuan</em> (语言论文选) (Selected Writings in Linguistics). Beijing: Zhongguo Renmin Daxue Chubanshe. Pp. 244-245. </li>
<li>Shen, Jiong (沈炯). 1987. Beijinghua hekouhu ling shengmude yuyin fenqi (北京话合口呼零声母的语音分歧) (Phonetic differences of zero initial before finals beginning with u in the Beijing dialect.) <em>Zhongguo Yuwen</em> (中国语文) 5: 352-36. Transcribed <a href="http://www.pkucn.com/viewthread.php?tid=36461" rel="nofollow">here</a>.</li>
</ol>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-02-21T07:54:34.243Z
2012-02-21T07:54:34.243Z
K. Shen
<p>I have only a layman's grasp of phonology and a poor ear to boot, but it seems to me that for many Chinese whom I am told have markedly standard pronunciation, /w/ and some type of labiodental fricative are interchangeable. For instance, listen to Echo's 认为 near the end of this episode of Popup Chinese (from about 7:20 onward): <a href="http://data.popupchinese.com/778/elementary-it-happened-one-night-traditional.mp3" rel="noreferrer">http://data.popupchinese.com/778/elementary-it-happened-one-night-traditional.mp3</a></p>

<p>Am I the only one who hears this? Could these two phonemes be in free variation?</p>

<accent>
Do some (prestige?) accents swap /v/ or /f/ for /w/?
# Do some (prestige?) accents swap /v/ or /f/ for /w/?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2012-02-20)

I have only a layman's grasp of phonology and a poor ear to boot, but it seems to me that for many Chinese whom I am told have markedly standard pronunciation, /w/ and some type of labiodental fricative are interchangeable. For instance, listen to Echo's 认为 near the end of this episode of Popup Chinese (from about 7:20 onward): <http://data.popupchinese.com/778/elementary-it-happened-one-night-traditional.mp3>

Am I the only one who hears this? Could these two phonemes be in free variation?

**Tags:** accent


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## 2 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2012-02-20. Score: 4 | Accepted answer

I mentioned this phenomenon in an answer to another post [here](https://chinese.stackexchange.com/questions/1094/characteristics-of-northern-and-southern-accents/1098#1098). This sound, which is actually [ʋ] ([labiodental approximant](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Labiodental_approximant)), was also discussed in [this post in the Beijing Sounds blog](http://www.sinoglot.com/bjs/2008/10/the-humble-v-says-veng-veng/). Being characteristic of the Tianjin region (in my experience anyway), it's not standard, but many people don't seem to notice anyway.


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### Answer by username_2 on 2012-02-21. Score: 2

You may find the following references interesting:

1. Hu, Mingyang (胡明扬). 1991. [Beijinghua shengmu W de yinzhi](http://people.cohums.ohio-state.edu/chan9/articles/bjw-hu_utf8.htm) (北京话声母W音值) (Phonetic value of W initial in Beijing speech). In: *Yuyanxue Lunwen Xuan* (语言论文选) (Selected Writings in Linguistics). Beijing: Zhongguo Renmin Daxue Chubanshe. Pp. 244-245.
2. Shen, Jiong (沈炯). 1987. Beijinghua hekouhu ling shengmude yuyin fenqi (北京话合口呼零声母的语音分歧) (Phonetic differences of zero initial before finals beginning with u in the Beijing dialect.) *Zhongguo Yuwen* (中国语文) 5: 352-36. Transcribed [here](http://www.pkucn.com/viewthread.php?tid=36461).


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