516
5. Comparison of 1990s data with 1950s data
5.0. Introduction
In this section we compare our data to that collected in the 1950s and published in BYDCBG. Of the 24 data points we surveyed, 20 matched data points surveyed in the 1950s. The data from
these 20 points, as compared with the data in BYDCBG, is discussed below. We compare our data with BYDCBG in order to track phonological and lexical changes in
Bouyei over the past 40 years, and to gauge the general accuracy of the 1950s data. This can only be done roughly, however, since the data in BYDCBG was not recorded on tape. It should be noted,
though, that our research bears out the general accuracy of the BYDCBG data, and we can only assume that it is correct.
5.1. Anlong Pingle
In comparing our 1990s data with the 1950s data, the following characteristics stand out. With regard to initials, some words transcribed with a [v] initial in the 1950s were recorded
with a [w] initial. For example:
English 1950 1990 English
1950 1990
‘seed’ uCm22
vm22 ‘flower’
u`22 v`22 ‘pants’
u`13 v`13
‘water buffalo’ u`:h20 v`:h20
Most of the words transcribed in the 1950s with [z] initial were transcribed with [ p] or [Y], and
one had a [n] initial. The nucleus of several of these words also was different. Examples:
English 1950 1990 English
1950 1990
‘wind’ ytl20
pnl20 ‘afternoon meal’
yhM20 phM20
‘tongue’ yhm22
phm22 ‘water’
yCl42 p`l31
‘sit’ y`M00
m`M13 ‘to search’
y`22 p`22
Most words transcribed in the 1950s with [s] were recorded in our data with [ S] or [p].
Examples:
English 1950 1990
English 1950 1990
‘navel’ rCh24
ph24 ‘paper’
r`22 S`22
‘garlic’ rnh13
Snh13 ‘sour’
rCl24 S`l24
5. Comparison of 1990s data with 1950s data 517
Some words transcribed in the 1950s with [h] were recorded in our data with [ G], [F], or [i]
initials. Examples:
English 1950 1990 English
1950 1990
‘evening’ gCl00
F`l02 ‘bank river’
gCm20 FDm20
‘sea’ g`h24
F`:h424 ‘rice’
gCt22 F`t13
‘to go in’ gCt24
Gt13 ‘work’
gnM22 vnM22
‘to open’ g`h22
G`h22 ‘to give’
gCh24 Gh24
‘dry’ gL13
GX13 ‘fragrant’
gnl22 vnl22
‘poor’ gn24
Gn24 ‘ginger’
ghM22 ihM22
The differences in the nucleus of the words transcribed in the 1950s and the same words recorded in our survey are fairly significant for many items. The nucleus [
L] transcribed in the 1950s was recorded as various different vowels in our data. A few words in the 1950s data
transcribed with [e] were recorded as [ h] or [hD] in our data. Examples:
English 1950 1990 English
1950 1990
‘chopsticks’ sL00
sX13 ‘grass’
¯L24 ¯X24
‘cow’ bL24
bX30 ‘bear’
lLh22 lt=h22
‘wing’ eL:s00
et=s13 ‘feathers’
oLm22 o=m22
‘ear’ yL20
pX=20 ‘hand’
eLM20 enM20
‘lungs’ oLs24
o=s24 ‘to vomit’
yuL00 Y=13
‘to eat’ jLm22
j=m22 ‘salt’
juL22 jvX22
‘bean’ sL00
st=13 ‘taro’
oL13 oX24
‘boat’ yuL20
pv=20 ‘to carry
child on back’ fL22
f=22 ‘to mend’
uL:M22 uXM22
‘to go up’ gLm24
G=m24 ‘to get up’
yLm13 p=m13
‘to swallow’ fcLm42
fc=m31 ‘to look’
kL24 k=244
‘to ride’ jLh00
jXDh13 ‘person’
uLm20 vDm20
‘to buy’ bL42
bX=31 ‘black’
eL:m42 et=m31
‘tasteless’ bLs24
bTs24 [u] in the 1950s data was sometimes recorded as various other nuclei:
English 1950 1990
English 1950 1990
‘wind’ ytl20
pnl20 ‘rat’
mt22 m=m20
‘goat’ it:M20
it`M20 ‘to boil’
ytM22 pnM13
‘to hug’ ftl42
ft=l31 ‘to forget’
ktl20 k=l20
518 5. Comparison of 1990s data with 1950s data
Each occurrence of [e] in the 1950s data was recorded in our research as [ D]:
English 1950 1990 English 1950 1990
‘mosquito’ mdM20
mDM2 ‘tooth’
gdt24 gDt24
‘feces’ fd42
fD31 ‘towel gourd’
jud22 jvD22
‘money’ bdm20
bhDm20 ‘strength’
ydM20 pDM20
‘to hang’ udm22
uDm22 ‘to carry
with hand’ ydt24
pht24 ‘to hurt’
sbds24 sbDs24
‘to smile’ ydt22
phDt22 The difference in the tone values transcribed in the 1950s data and the tones recorded in our
data is not great. The tone values as reported in the 1950s data and our data is given below.
1950 data
Tone 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
8 Pitch
22 20 24 42 13 00 24
00 Example
m`22 m`20 m`24 m`42 ju`13 s`00 y`o24, yCo24 j`o00,
jCo00 Gloss thick
field face
mother’s older
brother to cross
river to carry with
shoulder pole, small pig basket
to press between,
to catch
1990 data
Tone 1 2 3 4 5 6 7,
9 8, 10
Average pitch 33 41 45 52 24 13 45 22
5.2. Anshun Huangla