To mark or not to mark: Just how similar are Chinese dialects in this regard?

This is an experimental study of the frequency of formal passive and disposal marking in five Chinese dialects - Beijing Mandarin, Taipei Mandarin, Guangzhou Vue, Shanghai Wu and Taiwan Southern Min. Using oral stories and oral responses, we observe whether usage frequency is dialect-specific or is relatively uniform throughout. The results provide a rather nuanced view of 'Pan-Chinese' grammar, i.e. the usual distinction of Northern vs. Southern dialects is not fully predictive of the relative frequency at which the passive and disposal functions are formally marked.