Phonological Changes of Entering Tone in Sino-Xenic Languages: An Optimality-Theoretic Approach
Date Issued
2008
Date
2008
Author(s)
Lin, Chih-kai
Abstract
This thesis investigates the phonological change of entering tone in Sino-Xenic languages based on Optimality Theory. The research issues include (1) How is Optimality Theory applied to historical linguistics on the basis of Sino-Xenic languages? (2) How is Opacity in historical linguistics represented in Optimality Theory by means of Sino-Xenic languages? (3) How does internal syllable structure affect phonological change in Sino-Xenic languages? In this study, the data of entering tone are collected according to Fāngyán Diàochá Zìbiăo (A wordlist for dialectal research). Specifically, the layers, which are pertinent to each other, from three Sino-Xenic languages, Literal Reading (Wéndú) in Southern Min and Kan-on in Sino-Japanese and Modern Sino-Korean, are compared. In addition, instead of the traditional method, Shè, this study concentrates on vowel changes by dividing vowels into [a]-vowel group, non-[a]-vowel group and Hékŏu. irst, to investigate the compatibility of historical phonology and modern phonological theories, this study adopts Faithfulness, Markedness, Dispersion-Optimality Theory (FMD-OT) (Sanders 2003), paying specific attention to vowel changes. The results show that Optimality Theory can account for the historical change of entering tone in Sino-Xenic languages and FMD-OT succinctly explains vowel changes in terms of dispersion constraints. Furthermore, this study amends Sanders’ FMD-OT by proposing a new set of constraints for central vowel.econd, this study also discusses opacity in historical phonology. To solve this problem, this study modifies and extends Candidate Chains (McCarthy 2007). It is proposed historical sound change is continual, each stage is evaluated parallelly, and new constraints are activated and reranked with previous constraints. This proposal is supported by Gĕngshè (梗攝) in Southern Min, Division III of Shēngshè (深攝) and Xiánshè (咸攝) in Sino-Japanese and Gĕngshè (梗攝) in Sino-Korean. his study finally explores the influence of syllable structure on sound changes in Sino-Xenic languages. Two factors are suggested, Phonotactic Constraints and Licensing Constraints. When the moras belong to the same branch in syllable node, there is no interaction of the segments, such as Southern Min. On the contrary, when the moras locate in different branches, the segments interact, such as Sino-Japanese and Sino-Korean. What distinguishes Sino-Japanese from Sino-Korean is whether mora is prominent or not. On one hand, if the mora is prominent, the mora is maintained, for example, Sino-Japanese. On the other hand, if the mora is not prominent, the mora is likely to be deleted, i.e. Sino-Korean, when the interaction takes place.
Subjects
Sino-Xenic Languages
Optimality Theory
Historical Phonology
Opacity
Syllable Structure
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