湖南小章苗语汉借词古全浊声母字今读阴调现象

The phenomenon of voiced initials in historic Mandarin loanwords being pronounced in yin tones in the Miao dialect of Hu’nan Xiaozhang

湖南小章苗语汉语早期借词的古全浊声母与古清声母字合流读阴调、古次浊声母字读阳调,这种情况在湘西苗语中普遍存在。它属于“全次浊分调”的“清全浊-次浊”两分型,可以认为是“次浊成调”。这种“他变型”的“次浊成调”是在古全浊声母清化后产生的,浊音清化是“他变型”的“次浊成调”的必备条件。次浊成调的途径有两种。

In Miao dialects of the western Xiang region, voiced and unvoiced initials in historic Mandarin loanwords are often pronounced inyintones while ancient semi-voiced initials are often pronounced inyangtones. This indicates that a dichotomy exists between the unvoiced/voiced and the semi-voiced, and that the semi-voiced can be considered as an individual tone type. Such a diachronic tone change is believed to have occurred after the devocalization of ancient voiced initials, and two paths of development are proposed concerning the development of semi-voiced into an individual tone type.