The paradox of Tianjin: Another look
再谈 “天津方言变调之谜
Zheng-sheng Zhang 张正生

Abstract 摘要
The "paradox of Tianjin tone sandhi", thanks to Chen's stimulating paper (1986b), has attracted much attention in recent theoretical discussions, due to the problems it seems to present to the theory of phonological rule application and of the interaction between phonology and other components of grammar. The present paper is an attempt at resolving the paradox. It proposes to separate the Tianjin Tone Sandhi Rule (hereafter TTS) into different rules, which can have different modes of application and be ordered with respect to one another. A specific proposal is made about the application of the rules (TTSs), based on the data of Li-Liu (1985) and Tan (1986a). Derivations are given of all the interesting types of sandhi forms in the available database. The proposal has a large empirical coverage. As far as the present database is concerned, only a few exceptions exist, which may well be accommodated when the proposal is relativized with an explicitly characterized domain of tone sandhi. Justifications are given in support of the proposal, which is shown to follow from general principles and not merely mechanical stipulations. The separation of TTS and TTSs is not only necessary but also natural. Comparisons are made between the present analysis and Hung (1986b) and Tan (1986a), two detailed analyses of Tianjin tone sandhi since Chen (1986b).

“天津方言变调之谜”对于音系规律施用法及语言各部分相互作用的理论提出了棘手的问题。本文提议将“天津变调律”分为不同的几个规律。这些规律可有不同的施用法，并且相互间有次序。本文并提出了具体的规律施用法。结果证明李－刘（1985）和谭（1986a）的绝大部分语例可用此法解释。剩下的少数反例有可能用‘变调域’来解释。有充分理由说明本提议绝非机械方法，而是符合一般理论原则的。将‘天津变调律’分为不同规则不仅有必要，而且很自然。本文并将此提议跟洪（1986b）和谭（1986a）的分析作了比较。

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