上古韻部格局研究

Abstract

上古韻部可以分為平行的兩個系列，一個系列屬於非圓唇元音，另一個系列屬於圓唇元音。李方桂構擬的上古音有四個元音，其中a元音可以再分為a與ɑ兩種元音，形成五元音的格局。普遍來說，現代學者都認為上古時有聲調，但陽聲韻部卻分不出聲調。陽聲韻部的聲調可能由低元音韻部開始產生，漢代之後才形成四聲的格局。

Old Chinese rhyme groups are able to be distinguished into two paired series, one of which series is based on the unrounded vowel, while the other is based on the rounded vowel. There are four vowels for the old Chinese phonology reconstructed by Li Fang-kuei, wherein the vowel [a] can be subdivided into two vowels, vowel [a] and vowel [ɑ], forming a pattern of five vowels. In general, modern scholars consider that there are four tones in old Chinese phonology, but the nasal-final categories actually couldn’t distinguish the tones. The tones of the nasal-final categories may occur from the low vowel rhyme group, and the pattern of four tones is formed after the Han Dynasty.