The nature of the Middle Chinese tones and their development to Early Mandarin
中古汉语声调的本质和到早期官话的演变
Edwin G. Pulleyblank 蒲立本

Abstract 摘要
A theory is proposed to explain the development of the tonal categories in northern standard Chinese from Early Middle Chinese (Qie-yun), though Late Middle Chinese (Tang and Song) to Early Mandarin (Yuan). It is argued: (a) that the split into upper and lower registers was conditioned primarily by voiced aspiration, giving rise to breathy vowels, rather than simply voice (compare the register distinction in Mon and Khmer and the tones of Punjabi), (b) that the tone shift rule (rising tone shifts to departing tone after voiced obstruent initials) can be accounted for by assimilation of final glottalization or creaky voice to initial voiced aspiration and breathy voice, (c) that the differential treatment of Late Middle Chinese voiced aspirate initials in Mandarin depending on tone can be likewise accounted for by subsequent dissimilation between initial and final laryngeal features, (d) that the three-way split of entering tone in Early Mandarin depending on the class of Late Middle Chinese initial is probably also to be explained in terms of laryngeal features. Evidence is given that even in Yuan one component of the distinction between yin-ping and yang-ping was a contrast between clear and breathy voice.

本文提出了一个理论,来解释汉语声调系统从早期中古音(切韵音系), 经晚期中古音(唐,宋) 到早期官话,变成为北方标准语的过程。作者主张: (1) 调类分高低主要是由浊音送气而非单是浊音所定。浊音送气产生了送气元音。(试比较蒙语(Mon) 和克美语(Khmer) 里声调高低的区别以及旁遮普语 (Punjabi) 的声调)。(2) 调类的转化规律(带浊塞擦音声母的上声字变为去声字) 可以解释为韵尾喉塞化或喉颤音被浊音送气声母同化的结果。(3) 晚期中古音浊音送气声母因调类的不同在官话有着不同的演变,也可以同样地解释为声母和韵尾喉音性质的异化作用的结果。(4) 晚期中古汉语入声由于声母的不同类在早期官话造成三分的现象也许可以拿喉音性质加以解释。本文提供了证据,说明即使在元朝时,阴平和阳平的分别之一就是送气清音与送气浊音的对立。

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