Human-denoting interrogative words in early Southern Min: Coexistence and evolution
早期闽南语中指人疑问代词: 并存和演变

Chinfa Lien 连金发

Abstract 摘要
This paper examines three kinds of coexistent human-denoting interrogative words in early Southern Min texts: ti7-lang5值人(<底儂), * si7-tsui7是誰 and mih4 lang5乜人(<物儂) representing different chronological strata, viz., Southern Dynasties period (5-6th century), Wei-Jin Period (3-5th century), and Tang-Song Period (8-10th century). If we assume that ti7-lang5 底儂 is the indigenous system, si7-tsui7是誰 and mih4 lang5物儂 must have been the implanted systems. As attested in the texts, si7-tsui7是誰 is most robust, whereas ti7-lang5值人 is the least robust, and mih4 lang5乜人stands in the middle. However, the fate of the three kinds of interrogative words differs in modern descendants of Southern Min. The relative robustness varies with varieties of Southern Min dialects. The Hainan dialect, an outlier Southern Min dialect, for example, still preserves the modern reflex of ti7-lang5底儂 in the fused form of ‘ʔdiang’. Other outlier dialects such as Yongchun (永春), Quemoy (金門), Penghu (澎湖), Dongshan (東山), Leizhou (雷州), and Chaozhou (潮州) dialects still keep the fusional form tiaŋ5. In this paper, we will also go beyond the pale of Southern Min dialects and examine how the interrogative words in question fare in other Min dialects. The related issues of the relative strength of the pseudo-variable lang5人儂 in the formation of plural personal pronouns in Min dialects will also be tackled and brought to bear on the distribution of the three kinds of interrogative words.

本文探讨早期闽南语文本中三种并存指人疑问代词: ti7-lang5 “值人”(<底侬)、si7-tsui7 “是谁”、mih4 lang5 “乜人”(<物侬)，分别代表不同的时代层次，即南朝(五至六世纪)、魏晋(三至五世纪)、唐宋(八至十世纪)层次。若假定 “底侬” 为固有层，“谁/谁人” 、“物侬”就是移借层。从明清戏文看来“谁/谁人”最有活力，“值人”最不具活力， “乜人”处于中间。但这三种指人疑问代词在现代闽南语中发展情况不一。 其活力视次方言而变。比如较边缘的海南方言还保存“底侬” 的现代反映，为合音形式/ʔdiang/ 。其他边缘的方言，如永春、金门, 澎湖, 东山, 雷州, 潮州等也保存合音词 tiaŋ5. 本文也将考察闽南语之外指人疑问代词在其他闽方言的分布情况。准变项“侬”在作为闽语人称代词复数形所显现的强度也会和三种指人疑问代词的分布放在一起讨论。

Article 文章

<< Back 返回

Readers 读者