What Does Chao Have to Say about Tones
赵氏声调系统与声学之联结及量化–以台湾地区国语为例
Janice Fon 冯怡蓁; Wen-Yu Chiang 江文瑜

Abstract 摘要
This study investigates Chao’s tonal representation (1956, 1968) and its quantification using acoustic data of Taiwan Mandarin. By positing transforming formulae for Chao’s two versions (equi-exponential and non-equi-exponential intervals), we have shown that the tonal relationship in Taiwan Mandarin is non-equi-exponential on the five-point scale. The resulting tonal values are different from the prescriptive ones based on Beijing Mandarin–55, 35, 214, and 51. Instead, the four tones in Taiwan Mandarin are 44, 323, 312, and 42. Different from the prescribed system, Taiwan Mandarin demonstrates a narrower four-way distinction, lower tonal heights, and more conservative tonal contours. The new tonal values show invariance across levels (in isolated and non-isolated syllables) and positions (word-initial, medial, and final). It is thought that Chao has posited an equi-exponential version for tone languages in general and the modulated version is tailor-made for Mandarin. The discrepancy between the prescriptive version and the result of this study might be attributed to both diachronic changes and synchronic dialectal influences.

本研究以台湾地区国语之声学语料，藉由重新建构的公式，探讨赵氏（1956,1968）两个版本（等对数间距与非等对数间距）的声调系统及其量化的可能性。研究结果显示，台湾地区国语在五段声调尺上所呈现出来的乃是非等对数间距，同时，调值亦与以北京国语为本的制式调值──55、35、214及51──大不相同。本研究发现，台湾地区国语四声的调值为44、323、312及42。与制式调值相比，台湾地区国语声调为一四段式系统，且其调高偏低、调幅较窄。本研究所计算出的新调值所呈现的稳定性极高，跨越不同层次（单音及连音）及位置（字首、字中、字尾）。因此，我们认为，赵氏所建构的两种声调尺版本，其中等对数间距声调尺乃是为声调语言作一概括性的描述，而非等对数间距声调尺乃是为国语所特别设置的。至于造成制氏调值与本研究的结果不同的原因可能基于历史变迁，亦有可能是受断代方言的影响。

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