非洲语言音系研究的理论贡献

Theoretical Contributions of Phonological Research on African Languages

非洲语言数量众多、类型丰富,是世界语言研究的宝库。研究非洲语言的音系有助于深入了解音系共性和个性。非洲语言在音位、区别特征、音系规则、音节结构、声调、重音、元音和谐、语调等方面为音系理论的构建和检验提供了丰富的材料。论文梳理了与音系理论发展密切相关的非洲语言音系研究成果,从结构主义音位学、区别特征理论、音系规则交互、音节理论、自主音段音系学、音系主干理论、语调音系学、词汇音系学、优选论等方面阐释了非洲语言音系研究的理论贡献。在音系理论发展过程中,非洲语言音系研究起到了举足轻重的作用。

African languages are numerous and typologically rich,and thus constitute a treasure trove of linguistic data.The study of African language phonology is conducive to better understanding phonological universals and variation.In terms of phoneme,distinctive feature,phonological rule,syllable structure,tone,stress,vowel harmony and intonation,African languages provide abundant materials for the the construction and testing of phonological theory.This paper reviews the achievements in phonological theory development with respect to African language phonology,and explains the theoretical contributions of phonological research on African languages from the perspectives of structuralist phonemics,distinctive feature theory,phonological rule interaction,syllable theory,autosegmental phonology,phonological skeleton,intonational phonology,lexical phonology and Optimality Theory.The phonological research of African languages plays a noteworthy role in the development of phonological theory.