《正音新纂》韻母系統考

Abstract

“Zhengyin Xinzuan” ,written by a native Nanjing speaker, is a veryvaluable material which records the Nanjing mandarin in the late QingDynasty. The research on its initial consonant, vowel, tone system helpsto make clear the true face of Nanjing mandarin. Through the investigation on the thirty-four finals of Nanjing mandarin given by theauthor and the pronunciation of the characters under them, this paper gives a clear description of the characteristics of the final system of Nanjing mandarin in the late Qing Dynasty. The following are the characteristics: Firstly, there is no ending consonant “m”, and all of the ending consonant “m”had changed to “n”. Secondly, there existed no distinction between “an” and “ang”, and between “uan” and “uang”. Thirdly, there existed no distinction between “en” and “eng”, and between “in” and “ing”. Fourthly, there were ɿ and ʅ . Fifthly, there was no entering endings (but there was a entering tone). Sixthly, there was “o”, but there was no“uo”. Seventhly, “o（渴）”and “e（克）” are clearly distinguished. These are the characteristics of the pronunciation of Jianghuai dialect(江淮方言).