The Asymmetry of the Medial Glides in Middle Chinese

中古漢語介音的音系特徵

包智明(Zhi-Ming Bao)

《聲韻論叢》 11期特刊 (2002/10) Pp. 7-27

https://doi.org/10.29753/CP.200210.0002

摘要

漢語學術界一般認爲漢語介音（-i-和-u-）的音韻行爲是一致的，它們同屬韻母。本文檢討《切韻》的反切實例，認爲-i-和-u-的音韻行爲是不對稱的。具體地說，-i-屬於韻母，-u-屬於聲母。中古漢語音節和介音有關的結構如下所示（C，輔音；V，元音）二Cu[iVC]，在《切韻》裡，-i-是三等韻的標誌，-u-是合口韻的標誌。介音不對稱說明等是韻母的特性，而開合口則是聲母的特性。我們還考察了現代山西方言的分音詞，發現該方言的介音和中古介音是一致的。從中古到現代的一千多年裡，漢語介音的音韻特性沒有絲毫改變。

關鍵字

中古漢語 ； 介音 ； 音節 ； 漢語音韻

並列摘要

It is taken for granted in Chinese linguistics that the medial glide belongs to the rhyme (or final), and that the glides-i-and-u-exhibit the same behavior-they both belong to the rhyme. Insight into the constituency of the medial glides comes from phonological processes that target sub-syllabic strings. In this paper, I show that the medial glides in Middle Chinese exhibit asymmetric behavior. Specifically, -i-belongs to the rhyme, but-u-does not. Their syllabic position is as follows: Cu[iVC]. Supportive evidence comes from the fanqie entries recorded in the Qieyun (c. 600(subscript A. D.)). The same asymmetry is attested in modern Mandarin, especially in the dialects spoken in Shanxi Province. The 'split personality' of the medial glides in Middle Chinese proves remarkably conservative.

並列關鍵字

Middle Chinese ； medial glide ； syllable ； Chinese phonology