A Specilized Study On The Phonetic Types Of Shuowen Jiezi And Old Chinese Initials

There are a large number of Xiesheng(谐声)characters in Chinese.These Xiesheng(谐声)characters not only form a precise system,but also are significant for the study of Chinese phonetics,especially the Old Chinese phonology(上古音).This paper exhaustively collected all the Xiesheng(谐声)materials in"Shuowen"(说文),summarized several Phonogram Type(谐声类型),and focused on the study on the Phonogram Type(谐声类型)of Old Chinese initials(上古声母)according to the distribution principles of the initials of the Xiesheng(谐声)series in the Medieval phonology(中古音).And the Old Chinese initials(上古声母)reflected by the Phonogram Type(谐声类型)from the following topics was studied in this paper.This paper consists of four chapters.1.The first chapter is the introduction.It briefly described the importance of the Xiesheng(谐声)of"Shuowen"(说文)to the study of Old Chinese phonology(上古音),and briefly explained the research status of the phonological relationship of Xiesheng(谐声)characters,the research status of Phonogram Type(谐声类型)and existing problems among these study aspects.And materials and research methods used in this paper were introduced then.2.In the second chapter,it classified the Shengxi(声系)related to the Xiamu(匣母),and concluded the Phonogram Type(谐声类型)of box of characters in Middle Chinese,which could be roughly divided into two categories of A and B.Among them,the characteristics of A-type Xiamu(匣母)characters mainly closely related to the plosive of jian groups(见组),but were not in harmony with the fricative of Xiaomu(晓母);the B-type Xiamu(匣母)characters were mainly in harmony with the fricative Xiaomu(晓母)and Yunmu(云母),but almost not in harmony with the plosive;The C-type Xiamu(匣母)characters were not only compatible with the plosive of Jian group(见组),but also with the fricative Xiaomu(晓母)and Yunmu(云母).Through the above two types,we conclude that the ancient sources of Xiamu(匣母)can be divided into two types:Xia-1 mainly had a homophonic relationship with plosive(k),which could be pronounced with the Qun group(群母)(*g-);Xia-2 had a homophonic relationship with fricative Yunm(云母)and Xiaomu(晓母),pronounced as fricative(*(?)-).3.In chapter three,dating back to the origin of Old Chinese initials(上古声母)consonants,it examined the alternate phenomenon of lips,teeth,and throat from the perspective of Phonogram Type(谐声类型).All alternating Xiesheng(谐声)series was decided into two classes of A and B.Among them,Class A was harmonious with the labial of Mingmu(明母)and the fricative of Xiaomu(晓母);Class B was the Xiesheng(谐声)series alternating the labial of Bang group(帮组)and the guttural.To sum up that stated above,in this part,the ancient sources of the Xiesheng(谐声)character alternated of lips,teeth,and throat can sorted into two types:hm-type connected with voiceless consonant and PK-type alternated by Jian group(见组)and labial plosive.On such basis,it was concluded that the labial plosive and the guttural were connected.4.Chapter four suggests that the ancient sources of the Zhang group(章组)can be divided into two types:the tongue of Duan group(端组)and the tooth tone of Jian group(见组)by summarizing the phonogram types(谐声类型)of the Zhang group(章组).Specifically,the Zhang group(章组)characters which was derived from the Duan group(端组)could be divided into two types:*T-type and*L-type,according to the phonogram type;additionally,the Zhang group(章组)characters derived from the ancient tooth guttural was classified as*K-type,which often alternated with the tooth tone of Jian group(见组),the guttural Xiaomu(晓母)and Xiamu(匣母),while rarely alternated with the medieval Duan group(端组)and Zhi group(知组).5.Chapter five is the conclusion.It summarized the achievements and shortcomings of this research,as well as the material and theoretical issues that should be further studied in future.