Norman(1981)爲共同閩語擬測了(上標 *)iɑi這一韻母,同源詞的證據包括「蛇紙倚寄」。(上標 *)iɑi韻母的構擬引起不少學者的檢討與修正,我們認爲有必要深入研究。本文根據充分的材料與嚴謹的方法重新探討這個問題。除了第一節前言與第五節結論之外,正文分爲三部分: 首先,我們矑列現代閩南方言、現代閩東方言的材料,論證Norman (上標 *)iɑi韻母這一構擬的正確性。其次從構擬的形式出發,說明(上標 *)iɑi韻母從共同閩語演變到下位次方言的演變規律及條件變化。根據以上的基礎,我們提出(上標 *)iɑi韻母分化條件的新假設,藉以更合理地說明(上標 *)iɑi韻母從共同閩語演變到共同閩東方言與共同閩南方言的音韻變化。其次,有關(上標 *)iɑi韻母的介音問題,我們對莆仙方言作若干層次分析,離析出莆仙方言中受閩東方言影響的成份,據以指出共同閩語不存在(上標 *)-y-介音。最後,我們根據上古音與共同閩語的比較及原始處衢方言(西北片)與共同閩語的比較,指出(上標 *)iɑi韻母擬測,(上標 *)-i韻尾的必要性。 本文認爲,不論是從閩語方言內部比較或參考上古音及早期吳語的構擬來看,Norman爲共同閩語擬測的(上標 *)iɑi韻母迄今仍是可信的結論。
In an article published in 1981, Jerry Norman reveals his finding of regular correspondences of ”蛇紙徛寄” after comparing materials drawn from eight modern Min dialects. This finding led him to reconstruct a triphthong (superscript *)iɑi for proto-Min final system. Nevertheless, some scholars disagree on such reconstruction of (superscript *)iɑi. In view of the divergence among scholars, it seems worthwhile to reexamine the subject more closely. This paper aims at such undertaking in a rigorous manner, by using more extensive materials and through a reexamination of the final (superscript *)iɑi reconstructed by Norman. The paper is organized into five sections: (1) introduction; (2) the reconstruction of (superscript *)iɑi in proto-Min final; (3) on the middle (superscript *)-i- of final (superscript *)iɑi; (4) the development of the coda (superscript *)-i of final (superscript *)iɑi (5) conclusion. In the end, the discussion confirms the validity of Norman's reconstruction of final (superscript *)iɑi.