Study On Three Types Of Tone-split By Linking In Hebei Dialects

“Tone-split by linking” refers to the phenomenon in Chinese dialects that early tone categories with tones merged can be differentiated through tone-split by linking.This phenomenon is usually the result of the unbalanced advancement of tone merger in the two dimensions of tones of single characters and sandhi.It is an ongoing sound change of high research value.Here,focusing on thetone-split by linking ofyin(high-level tone)/yang(rising tone)-qu(falling tone),yin/yang-ping(level tone)and yangping/shang(falling-rising tone)in Hebei dialects,based on first-hand material from field research and existing research in the academic circles,the geographical distribution of the above three types and their respective characteristics are studied,aiming to give a detailed description of the tone system at different sampling points and the splitting and integrating of yinqu and yangqu,yinping and yangping,and yangping and shang in tones of single characters and sandhi.Moreover,evolution of attuning of yin/yang-qu,yin/yang-ping and yangping/shang is discussed preliminarily.The paper is divided into 8 chapters.In chapter 1,the administrative division of Hebei dialects is introduced,and the research status of this topic and the deficiencies reviewed.Chapters 2 to 7 are the main body.Chapter 2 is an overview ofthe types,characteristics and geographical distribution of tones and tone-split by linkingin Hebei dialects.Inchapters 3,4and 5,tones,sandhi and the splitting and integrating of tone categories of the three types of tone-split by linkingat 33 sampling points are analyzed.In chapter 6,the three types of tone-split by linkingin Hebei dialects are compared with similar or related phenomena in dialects of other provinces to explore their differences and historical relationship.In chapter 7,evolution of attuning of yin/yang-qu,yin/yang-ping and yangping/shangof the three types is discussed,and theprincipal part,direction and process of evolution analyzed preliminarily.Chapter 8 is the conclusion part.Main findings and arguments of this research are as follows:1.The “yin/yang-qu” type dialects are found in 27 counties and cities in Hebei Province and Ninghe District of Tianjin City.By the splitting and integrating of yinqu and yangqu in tones and sandhi,it can be further divided into the Ninghe type,the Tang County type and the Baoding type.In the Ninghe type,tones of most yangqu characters have merged with yinqu,while there still being the independent category of yangqu;in sandhi,the latter character of the stress-stress group and the former character of the stress-light group can distinguish yinqu from yangqu.In the Tang County type,there isn’t an independent yangqu category in tones—most yangqu characters are included intoyinqu,and a small part into shang;in sandhi,the latter character of the stress-stress group and the former character of the stress-light group can distinguish yinqu from yangqu.The Baoding type has no yangqu tones;in sandhi,the former character of the stress-light group can distinguish yinqu from yangqu1.The “yin/yang-qu” type dialects are found in 26 counties and cities in Hebei Province and Ninghe District of Tianjin City.By the splitting and integrating of yinqu and yangqu in tones and sandhi,it can be further divided into the Ninghe type,the Tang County type and the Baoding type.In the Ninghe type,tones of most yangqu characters have merged with yinqu,while there still being the independent category of yangqu;in sandhi,the latter character of the stress-stress group and the former character of the stress-light group can distinguish yinqu from yangqu.In the Tang County type,there isn’t an independent yangqu category in tones—most yangqu characters are included intoyinqu,and a small part into shang;in sandhi,the latter character of the stress-stress group and the former character of the stress-light group can distinguish yinqu from yangqu.The Baoding type has no yangqu tones;in sandhi,the former character of the stress-light group can distinguish yinqu from yangqu2.The mainstream evolution of yin/yang-qutone-split type in Hebei dialects is yangqu merged into yinqu,only with the possibility of yangqu merged into shangat Tang County,Shunping,Quyang and a few other points.Based on the ancient sounds of yinqu and yangqu,their attuning should happen in the modern times after secondary voiced sound was merged into yinqu.The attuning process of yangqu with yinquis unbalanced in the three types of dialects and under different distribution conditions.Of the three types,the attuning process from fast to slow is: the Baoding type> the Tang County type> the Ninghe type;the attuning process under different distribution conditions from fast to slow is: tones>sandhi stress-stress>sandhi stress-light;the former character>the latter in the stress-stress group.According to comparison,the attuning process of yinqu and yangquin Hebei dialectsis faster than in southeastern Shanxi dialects.3.The “yin/yang-ping” type dialects are found in 8 counties and cities in Hebei Province,which can be further divided into the Luan County type and the Yuanshi type.In addition,the Zhangbei type dialects in Zhangbei,Yangyuan,Xuanhua,Guyuan and other places have completed the yin/yang-ping attuning in both tones and sandhi.Merger of yin/yang-pingin the Luan County type and the Yuanshi type dialects should be the evolution in the modern times,whose mainstream is yangping merged into yinping.The Zhangbei type shows the highest level of merger of yin/yang-ping,followed by the Luan County type and then the Yuanshi type.According to comparison,the level of merger of yin/yang-pingin the Luan County type/ the Yuanshi type and the Zhangbei type dialects in Hebei is roughly parallel to that of the Wenshui type and the Yuci type of Bingzhoudialect in Jin dialects.4.The “yangping/shang” type dialects are found in 7 counties and cities in Hebei Province,which can be further divided into the Cangzhou type and the Dingzhou type.The former distinguishes yangping from shangby the character before qu and the light tone.The latter distinguishes yangping from shang by thelatter character in the stress-stress group and the former character in the stress-light group.The mainstream attuning in the Cangzhou type dialects is shang merging into yangping.In the Dingzhou typedialects,on the other hand,the mainstream is yangpingmerging into shang.Such mergeralso happens in the modern times.The Cangzhou type dialects share many commonalities with dialects in Qingyun,Wudi,Boshan and other places in Shandongin terms of the splitting and integrating rules of tones and sandhi,which indicates the continuity in their attuning evolution.