[提要]从语音、词汇和语法看,湘西乡话与湘西苗语存在较大的差异。从族群认同的角度看,瓦乡人并不认同自己是苗族,苗族人也不认同瓦乡人是同宗同族的族群。作者认为湘西乡话不是苗语的分支。
Xianghua and Miao Language as both spoken in West Hunan Province differ greatly in terms of phonology, vocabulary and grammar. EthnicaUy, the people who speak Xianghua don't identify with the Miao nationality, and vice versa. Therefore, it is concluded that Xianghua in West Hunan Province is not a subdialect of the Miao dialect in West Hunan Province.