20世纪末音节研究的特点分析

大多数音系学家认为音节是由音段组成的韵律单位,构成更大的音系结构单位,如音步、音系词和语调短语。追溯音位研究的历史,可以看到音节研究在音系理论中占据比较特殊的地位。一些语言学家曾对音节作为结构单位的存在产生过疑问,但在Chomsky和M.Halle的SPE出版后,音节的概念,随着新的音系学理论——自主音段音系学的诞生被广为研究和论述。对音节的内部结构及其音节在音位分析中的作用的研究形成了多种有关音节的理论。对20世纪末的代表人物如D.Kahn,G.N.Clements＆S.J.Keyser,E.O.Selkirk和J.Ito的音节理论进行探讨,能够揭示语言学家对语音系统本质的认识和分析特点。

The Features of Syllable Theories at the End of the 20th Century

The notion ‘syllable＇ is regarded by most phonologists as a prosodic unit which is formed by sound segments and simultaneously combined to form larger phonological units such as feet, phonological words and intonational phrases. Tracing the history of phonological research, we can notice that perhaps no other phonological notions pertain to such a special position in the whole phonological theories. Mter the publication of SPE written by N. Chomsky ＆ M. Halle , the notion ‘syllable＇ revitalized with the proposition of a new phonological theory — Autosegmental Phonology, though some phonologists questioned the existence of the structural unit ‘ syllable＇. By the end of the 20th century different theories of ‘ syllable＇ flourished examining its internal structure and functions in phonological analysis. In this paper, we explore the theories of the representatives during this period such as D. Kahn, G. N. Clements , S. J. Keyser, E.O. Selkirk , trying to reveal the features of their discussion in approaching the nature of language sound systems.