舒声促化:粤语恩平沙湖话的一种小称形式

A Diminutive Form “the Transformation from Gentle into Short Tone” in Enping-Shahu(恩平沙湖) Cantonese

四邑方言部分名词或名词性成分存在几种不同形式的变调,或为曲折调,或为升调,或为低降调。该粤语次方言的恩平沙湖话中,少数来源于古阳声韵的名词或名词性成分的低降变调进一步促化读同入声韵。低降调的起点本来就低,又有降势,整个音节在听感上显得相对轻短,这为其促化创造了条件。同部位发出的鼻音与塞音尽管有区别,但两者有共通性,是以促化时鼻音韵尾-m、-n、-?分别变成塞音韵尾-p、-t、-k。这种促化是一种小称形式,有别于汉语史上的"阳入对转"。

Minor noun or noun phrases in Siyi（四邑） dialects present tonal modification namely falling-rising tone, rising tone, and low falling tone. A few number of low falling tones of such nouns and noun phrases in Enping-Shahu（恩平沙湖） Contonese, originating from Yang（阳） rhymes became shortened and glottalized into Ru（入） rhymes. As the low starting and falling of the tone, making the sound slight and short, create the condition of shortening. Besides, the nasal and plosive from the same place of articulation are similar, even they sound different. It＇s while becoming shortening, that the nasal coda -m, -n, - have become into the plosive coda -p. -t. -k. This shortening of sound（glottalization） is the diminutive form, which differs from the Yang-Ru（阳入） Shift in Mandarin history.