以西周铜器铭文研究西周音系的可行性

The Feasibility of Researching into Pronunciation System of Western Zhou Dynasty Through Inscriptions on Bronzes of Western Zhou Dynasty

西周铜器铭文能否作为研究西周音系的材料 ?回答这个问题的关键在于要弄清这一时期铭文的构字 (主要是形声字 )、用字 (主要是假借字 )是否含有方言因素。本文通过对西周时期的分封制、文字的传承与传播特点 ,以及这一时期的铜器和铭文特点、文字自身发展的阶段特点等几方面的分析 ,说明西周铜器铭文构字及用字很少有方言的体现 ,可以用来研究西周音系。

Can we research into pronunciation system of Western Zhou Dynasty by using the inscriptions on bronzes of Western Zhou Dynasty? The key to the answer is to make clear if the formation of Chinese characters (especially pictophonetic characters) and the use of characters (especially phonetic loan characters) were affected by dialects. This article makes a study of the four distinguishing features of Western Zhou Dynasty: the system of enfeoffment, the inheriting and spreading of the characters, bronzes and inscriptions on them and the development of characters in this period. We can conclude that the inscriptions on West Zhou Dynasty's bronzes were rarely influenced by dialects and we can use them to research pronunciation system of Western Zhou Dynasty. The inscriptions on bronzes of two zhou dynasties should be distinguished.