On the Notion of “Vowel” and “Consonant” in Chinese Linguistic Tradition

Abstract

The present article seeks to investigate the notion of vowels and consonants in the Chinese linguistic tradition, which developed independently of Western linguistic traditions, despite being influenced by the phonetic science of India. In particular, this study seeks to discuss the questions of (1) how traditional phonologists in China had split the syllable into smaller units, (2) what was the nature of the units, and (3) whether Chinese phonologists had already been aware of the existence of vowels and consonants. This study also discusses the question of whether the Four Grades of traditional rime tables were actually related to the quality of vowels, and the presence of medial glides. It is concluded that vowels were probably understood as sounds that may have been pronounced alone, whereas consonants were interpreted as sounds which should be attached to a vowel. Occasionally, a comparison with Western linguistic tradition is also offered.