21世纪的香港粤语:一个新语音系统的形成

香港粤语本承接广州话而来 ,在语音方面和广州粤语无别。 2 0世纪中期学者对香港粤音的描述 ,和袁家骅 (196 0 )记录的广州话音系完全相同。不过近年香港粤语有了许多新发展 ,年轻一代说话皆语带懒音 ,乍听起来 ,恍如别一种方言。这种音变对有心正音的人士来说 ,触耳惊心。其牵涉之广 ,进行之速 ,实在值得大书特书。本文试从声韵调三方面研究香港粤语百年来的转变 ,从而描述近日香港粤语中形成的一个新语音系统。

Cantonese of the 21st Century:Formation of a New Phonological System in the Hong Kong Language

The Cantonese dialect as spoken in Hong Kong has undergone drastic changes in recent years. To those who have been away for an extended period of time, the language once so familiar now sounds like a different tongue. This paper focuses on the sound system in Hong Kong Cantonese and studies the new initials, finals and tones that have found their way into the Cantonese dialect since the early 20th century. Many of these changes, often characterized by purists and pedagogues as habits of sloppy pronunciation, have produced a new phonological make-up that readily sets the language apart from other varieties of Cantonese, including the dialect of the City of Canton.