苗语对苗巫称谓的音义辨析

The Sound and Meaning Discrimination of Miao Witch in the Miao Language

苗语对苗巫的称谓,是解读苗巫口传经典和相应仪式的基础概念。弄懂其语音语义,以及之间的关系与逻辑,是进入苗巫知识体系,以"行内人"的视角进行研究的关键。有专家学者对其做过些阐释,但他们几乎没有进入苗巫知识体系里面,不仅片面,而且多数弄错了。苗语对苗巫的称谓,最为重要的是"deib""sheub""goud"。其音义的生成、沉淀与定型,可能与"火"或"生火技术"有关,与母系社会的巫政礼制有关,与我国上古文字中的一些关于祭祀的语词有关。

The title of Miao witch in the Miao language is the basic concept to interpret the oral classic of Miao witch and its corresponding ritual. To understand its pronunciation and meaning, as well as the relationship and logic between them is the key point to enter the knowledge system of Miao witch and study it from the angle of an “expert”. Some experts and scholars have once conducted their interpretation of this term; however, as they almost did not enter the inside of the knowledge of Miao witch, they could only produce a one-sided explanation. What’ s more, they made quite a few mistakes. In the Miao language, the most important titles for Miao witch are“deib”“sheub” and“goud”. The generation, sedimentation and stereotypes of its sound and meaning may be associated with “fire” or “fire-making skill”, with the political and ritual system related to witch in the matriarchal society and with some words about the ritual in the ancient text.