“斜”字音读与当代叶音之误

The Rhyme Reading of“Xie(斜)”and Errors in Contemporary Xieyin(叶音)

“斜”作为韵脚字经常出现在中国古典诗词中,今人时常改读为xiá,甚至认为这是唐宋古音。然而基于音类分析和音值构拟两方面的结论,该字在唐宋时期读作xiá并无依据。不明古今音异,就无法诠释“斜”字与其他中古麻韵字通押的合理性。而明知历史音变,也有可能会陷入改读就韵的泥淖之中,古代风靡一时的叶音说即为前车之鉴。究其根本,仍是在于忽视了语音演变的系统性,将古今音变局限于零星字变,并试图通过简单改读以恢复古音。这与当今的“斜”字音读之误如出一辙。因此,考察古音的科学方法是立足系统,求诸历史音变的具体语境和发展脉络。而对于今人诵读唐宋诗词,乃至历代诗骚韵文而言,唯一正确且可行的办法,就是依据现代汉语来诵读。

“Xie(斜)”,as a rhyme word in Chinese classical poetry,is often changed to Xiáand is considered to be an ancient sound of the Tang and Song dynasties.However,based on the conclusion of sound category analysis and sound value construction,there is no basis for the word to be read as xiáin ancient times.Ignoring the differences between ancient and modern phonetics,it is impossible to interpret the rationality of the rhyme between“xie(斜)”and other medieval Mayun(麻韵)characters.But the sound change is not the root cause of reading change.The popular Xieyin theory(叶音说)in ancient times is a lesson.The fundamental reason is that it ignores the systematicness of phonetic evolution.Therefore,the scientific method of investigating ancient sounds is based on the system and seeking the conditions and context of historical sound changes.For modern people to read ancient poetry,the only correct and feasible way is to read according to modern Chinese.