汉语浊塞音声母清化的优选论分析

An Optimality Analysis of the Relationship between Mediae and Tenues in Chinese Speech

运用现代音系学优选论的研究方法,对汉语浊塞音声母清化的规律进行了初步分析。汉语中古声母塞音分清浊,且不论是平声还是仄声,清塞音声母既有送气音,也有不送气音。在现代汉语普通话中浊塞音声母均已清化,其规律是:平声字今读送气音,仄声字今读不送气音。对于这种变化,优选论的经典理论无法作出恰当的解释。比较标记理论是优选论的最新进展之一,运用这一新的方法,可以为汉语浊塞音声母的清化现象作出比较合理的解释。

The paper analyses the relationship between the madae and tenues in Chinese speech using the optimality theory in phonology, pointing out that in ancient Chinese the consonants are divided into two types： medae and tenues and the latter further divided into voiced and unvoiced sounds. In modern Chinese speech, however, almost all the medae have turned into tenues, the level-toned ones being voiced while the oblique-toned ones unvoiced.