Front vowel chain shift and the vowel rephonologization in Early Middle Chinese

Abstract

摘要:

中古前期，汉语通语语音史上，与后高化链移相伴，发生了前高化链 移。此次前高化是推链，启动较后高化略晚，也在东汉。比较前后高 化链移，可以观察到对称和不对称的音变输出格局。前高化链移引起 一系列元音的系统重组，表现为歌1 歌3 部、支歌2 部、脂2 脂1 部的 分化、合并，其间还掺入微1 微2 部、之部的前化与合流，至中古形成 麻二佳皆麻三支脂齐韵。《切韵》格局的佳齐韵形成于刘宋时期，皆韵 形成在刘宋时期之后，支脂韵形成则不早于晋代。前高化链移形态不 完整，属于局部链移。汉语元音系统构型调整发生于长元音高化开始 之后，短元音长化完成之前。

ABSTRACT:

In the history of Chinese general language, with the back vowel raised chain shift, the front vowel raised chain shift occurred in the early period of the Middle Ancient. This front raising is a push chain started slightly later than the back vowel raised chain shift which also happened in the Eastern Han Dynasty. Comparing the front and back vowel raised chain shift, the symmetrical and non-symmetric sound-change output patterns can be observed. A series of vowel rephonologization resulted from front vowel raised chain shift was characterized by the differentiation and merging of rhyme groups Ge1 歌1 Ge3 歌3, Zhi 支 Ge2 歌2, and Zhi2 脂2 Zhi1 脂1, which formed Ma-Er 麻二, Jia 佳, Jie 皆, Ma-San 麻三, Zhi 支, Zhi 脂, and Qi 齐 rhymes in the Middle Ancient with fronting and collaboration of rhyme groups Wei1 微1 Wei2 微2 and Zhi 之. As for the patterns in Qieyun 切韵 of rhymes, Jia 佳 and Qi 齐 were shaped in Liu Song Dynasty, while the formation of Jie 皆 rhyme was after the Liu Song, and the Zhi 支 and Zhi 脂 rhymes were not earlier than the Jin Dynasty. The form of front vowel raised chain shift is incomplete and belongs to localized chain shift. The structural adjustment of Chinese vowel system occurred after the start of the long vowel raising and before the completion of the short vowel lengthening.