Methodology of Chinese Phonology in the 20th Century

Author: Geng Zhensheng
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-09-01
Features: Some chapters in the book also discuss the research of Qing Dynasty scholars. Since modern phonology is a product of the integration of indigenous traditional scholarship and introduced Western scholarship, its research methods are partly inherited from traditional phonology and partly introduced from the West, with a few being invented by modern researchers themselves. To clarify the conditions under which a method was developed, it is inevitable to trace its history and origins. In necessary places, the book first explains the research of Qing Dynasty scholars before discussing 20th-century research. This is because most research methods from traditional phonology were invented or first applied by Qing Dynasty scholars. The emergence of these methods was entirely aimed at studying ancient Chinese phonology, serving as the forerunner of modern phonology, and thus cannot be overlooked. Methods introduced from the West are briefly mentioned in terms of their origins, but those methods were not originally developed for studying Chinese. Early examples were not used in Chinese, so there is no need to elaborate. Although the book is titled "On," the most useful part for readers may still be the "Description," which covers the research practices of predecessors and contemporary scholars, as well as the practical processes of various methods. What is referred to as "On" is merely the author's personal insights and opinions, intended only for reference by readers.