Tibeto-Burman tones with a note on teleo-reconstruction
Journal name: Acta Orientalia
Original article title: Tibeto-Burman tones with a note on teleo-reconstruction
ACTA ORIENTALIA is a journal focused on the study of Oriental languages, history, archaeology, and religions from ancient times to the present. The journal includes articles reviewed by a senior scholar in the relevant field.
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Paul K. Benedict
Acta Orientalia:
(Founded in 1922 and published annually)
Full text available for: Tibeto-Burman tones with a note on teleo-reconstruction
Year: 1973 | Doi: 10.5617/ao.5179
Copyright (license): CC BY 4.0
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Summary of article contents:
Introduction
The study of tones within the Tibeto-Burman (TB) languages and their ancestral language, Sino-Tibetan (ST), presents a fascinating historical narrative marked by significant discoveries throughout the decades. Initially, Shafer (1938) highlighted tonal correlations between specific languages, setting a foundation for further research. Subsequent studies by the author, Paul K. Benedict, expanded on these findings and revealed a complex web of tonal relationships across various TB languages and the related Karen languages, which culminated in a proposed proto-TB tonal system.
Tonal Systems and Correlations
Benedict's early work established meaningful tonal correlations between Burmese and several other Burmese-Lolo (BL) languages, leading to a reconstruction of the proto-BL tonal system. He found that the tones in Karen languages correlated precisely with this system, indicating the existence of a two-tone system at the proto-Tibeto-Karen (TK) level. Haudricourt's later findings supported this, showing that tonal splitting in Karen was secondary to an earlier contrast seen in the voicing of initials. Notably, while Burmese and other TB languages appear to maintain a simpler tonal structure, the emergence of a glottalized tone in some languages suggests an evolution from a once more nuanced tonal framework.
Teleo-Reconstruction of Tonal Systems
Teleo-reconstruction is a method advanced by Benedict, which proposes the reconstruction of earlier language features based on their relationships with more distant languages. He suggests that the proto-ST level had a basic two-tone system that influenced both Chinese and Burmese tonal developments. This method highlights the intricate possibilities of tonal development where the groundwork of tonal systems is established without direct step-by-step reconstructions. Benedict's application of teleo-reconstruction emphasizes the productivity of drawing connections across languages, allowing for early inferences about the tonal frameworks of proto-languages.
Conclusion
The exploration of tonal systems in Tibeto-Burman and Sino-Tibetan highlights a complex interplay between historical language development and typological characteristics. Through Benedict's analysis, a clearer understanding of the tonal contrasts at the proto-ST level emerges, suggesting significant evolutionary patterns that impacted multiple language families. This foundational research not only raises intriguing questions about the dynamics of language change but also underscores the value of methodologies like teleo-reconstruction in uncovering the historical relationships between languages. Further investigation into languages such as Kachin and Nungish will be essential to refine and confirm these tonal reconstructions and enhance our understanding of their development.
FAQ section (important questions/answers):
What is the main focus of Paul K. Benedict's study?
Benedict's study focuses on the reconstruction of tones in Tibeto-Burman languages, tracing their development from proto-languages and exploring correlations with other language families like Chinese and Karen.
What key tonal systems are discussed in the paper?
The paper discusses the two-tone systems of Burmese, Lolo languages, and the correlation of Karen tones with these systems, highlighting the historical reconstruction of tonal systems in the context of Sino-Tibetan languages.
What significance does the term 'teleo-reconstruction' have in this study?
'Teleo-reconstruction' refers to reconstructing features of a proto-language directly from isolated correspondences across languages without detailed step-by-step analysis, as Benedict applies this method to analyze tonal systems across Tibeto-Burman and Sino-Tibetan languages.
How do glottality and tonality relate in this research?
The study examines how glottalization and tonal distinctions appear in various languages, suggesting that glottalization may have developed secondarily in connection with high pitch stress rather than being the original tonal contrast.
What challenges exist in reconstructing tones in Tibeto-Burman languages?
Challenges include conflicting tonal data among closely related languages, such as Nungish dialects having three-tone systems, hindering a clear picture of tonal development and necessitating further comparative phonological research.
Glossary definitions and references:
Oriental and Historical glossary list for 鈥淭ibeto-Burman tones with a note on teleo-reconstruction鈥�. This list explains important keywords that occur in this article and links it to the glossary for a better understanding of that concept in the context of History, Linguistics, Religion, Philosophy, Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism etc.
1) Language:
In the text, 'language' refers to the various languages and dialects within the Tibeto-Burman (TB) family, as well as its relation to Sino-Tibetan (ST) languages. Language is central to the study's focus on tonal systems and phonetic correlations across different language groups.
2) Tai:
Thai language is discussed in relation to its tonal system and its historical development through areal diffusion. It shares certain tonal glottalization features with Vietnamese and Karen languages, which are important for understanding tonal evolution within the broader ST family.
3) Tibetan:
Tibetan is mentioned as part of the Sino-Tibetan (ST) family. The text references how teleo-reconstruction must be cautiously used when comparing Tibetan directly with Chinese, highlighting potential pitfalls in linguistic analysis.
4) Splitting:
Splitting refers to the division of basic tones (such as *A and *B) into more complex tones with secondary features. The text explains that Karen tones split from a simpler system, correlating with Chinese and Burmese, thus impacting tonal reconstruction efforts.
5) Shang:
The Shang tone is one of the tones in the Chinese tonal system. In the text, it correlates with Karen tone *B and is discussed in the context of a two-tone system dating back to proto-Sino-Tibetan (ST), highlighting its role in tonal evolution.
6) High pitch:
High pitch is associated with tone *B in the proto-Sino-Tibetan (ST) system and plays a contrasting role to low pitch (tone *A). The text shows how high pitch is a recurring feature in various languages within this family, influencing tonal reconstructions.
7) Ultimate:
Ultimate refers to the final goal or end result of reconstructing the proto-Sino-Tibetan (ST) tonal system. The text acknowledges the 'ultimate' comparison to Chinese tones to establish a proto-ST tonal system or its absence.
8) Dialect:
Dialect is relevant in the study as it examines various dialects within the Tibeto-Burman (TB) group and their tonal systems. Differences and similarities among dialects provide critical insights for reconstructing proto-languages.
9) Sandhi (Shandhi, Samdhi):
Sandhi involves changes or variations in tones that occur at the juncture of words or within certain phonological environments. The Chinese ch'眉 tone, discussed in the text, is considered a sandhi tone and is crucial for understanding tonal evolutions.
10) Bantu (Bamtu):
Bantu is mentioned in a comparison to the Sino-Tibetan tone system, indicating that a similar dual-tone system (low vs. high) has been reconstructed for proto-Bantu, offering a comparative perspective in tonal studies.
11) Lying:
Lying is used metaphorically to describe the position or situation of tonal systems in relation to geographical and linguistic boundaries. For example, the text discusses how certain TB languages lie outside the influence of Chinese areal features.
12) Maran:
Maran refers to Laraw Maran, who provided tonal data on the Kachin language. His contributions are used for comparative studies involving Kachin and Burmese-Lolo (BL) tonal systems, aiding in the reconstruction of proto-TB tones.
13) Low pitch:
Low pitch is linked to tone *A in the proto-Sino-Tibetan (ST) system. The text contrasts it with high pitch (tone *B) and delves into the implications of this pitch distinction for reconstructing ancient tonal systems.
14) Linguistics:
Linguistics is the overarching field of study concerned with language and its structures. The text is a linguistic analysis exploring the historical development of tonal systems within the Sino-Tibetan (ST) language family.
15) Inference:
Inference is central to the reconstruction methodology. The text discusses making educated guesses or inferences about proto-tonal systems based on observable tonal correlations, thus hypothesizing historical language features.
16) Poison:
Poison illustrates how the reduction of disyllabic to monosyllabic words could lead to tonal differences. The example 'proto-Thai *?bia (fish poison)' shows how stress patterns can influence tone (*A low pitch or *B high pitch) development.
17) Sound:
Sound refers to phonetics in the context of language tones. The term underscores the significance of phonetic features like pitch and glottalization in understanding and reconstructing tonal systems across related languages.
18) Fish:
Fish is used in an example to illustrate how word structure reduction can lead to tonal differentiation. The proto-Thai word for 'fish poison' shows how earlier prefixes and disyllabic structures influenced current tones (*A or *B).
19) Lead:
Lead is used in the context of guiding linguistic research. The text mentions that uncritical use of teleo-reconstruction can lead to linguistic errors, highlighting the importance of careful and methodical approaches in linguistic studies.
20) Firm:
Firm relates to the confidence in the reconstructed tonal systems. The text advocates that despite being 'premature,' the evidence strongly supports a firm reconstruction of some features of the proto-Sino-Tibetan (ST) tonal systems.