汉语方言指示词“尔”的共时分布与历史来源

The Synchronic Distribution and Historical Etymon of Demonstrative “Er” in Chinese Dialects

文章讨论指示词"尔"在现代方言里的地理分布及其在汉语史文献中的渊源。现代方言中用"尔"作指示词的包括吴、徽、湘、赣、闽等南方方言,其读音大多为自成音节的鼻音[n/η],或者是[ni/ηi]等以高元音为韵母的鼻音声母字,其音韵地位可以跟日母支韵字"尔"相对应。语法功能上,"尔"在现代方言中指近、指远皆有,一般作基本指示词(相当于"这""那"),少数方言可用作方式、性状指示词(相当于"这样、那样")。从历史来源上看,指示词"尔"("尔馨、尔许")是常见于《世说新语》和南方佛经译著等江东地区文献的南朝江东方言词,相关的指示词还有"如许、如馨、宁馨"等。

This article explores the geographic distribution of demonstrative ＂er＂ （东 ） in modem southem Chinese dialects and its etymon in early historical works. The demonstrative is geographically found in Wu, Hui, Xiang, Gan and Southern Min dialects. The most common reading of the particle is syllabic nasal [ n ] or high vowel [ i ] or [ ei ] with preceding nasal dental initial, which stands for the syllable er with the ri （ 日 ） initial and zhi （支） rhyme in Middle Chinese. Historically, the demonstrative er and the related reflexes ＂erxu ＂（尔许）, ＂ruxin＂ （ 如馨 ）, ＂ningxin＂ （宁馨）, and ＂erxin＂ （尔馨 ） found in Shishuo Xinyu （世说新语） and Chinese Buddhist Texts in the Southern Dynasties all belong to the vernacular layer of Jiangdong （ 江东 ） dialect in the Southern Dynasties.