Tones A Brief History of Zhuang Orthographies

In the past few years, Wenshan Zhuang-speaking linguists Lu Baocheng and Meng Simu, working for the Yunnan Province Minority Language and Literature Work Direction Commission Office 云 省少数民族语文指导 作 员 会办 室 ; hereafter “Yunnan Language Commission”, have adapted the national Zhuang orthography to better fit the Nong Zhuang language of Yunnan. Using the pronunciation of the Nong Zhuang speakers of north-central Guangnan County as the base, linguists from the Yunnan Language Commission have edited a two volume primer Meng 2006, some kindergarten through second grade bilingual reading curriculum aimed at teaching the children Chinese character recognition Lu 2006, and a collection of papers from the Seventeenth National Congress of the Communist Party of China Lu 2007. The reading curriculum is currently being taught at a limited number of elementary schools in Wenshan prefecture. 4.2 Overview of the Nationally Approved Zhuang Orthography as Modified to Represent Nong Zhuang In the following section, we will present the national orthography as adapted by the Yunnan Language Commission to represent Nong Zhuang.

4.2.1 Tones

The Yunnan Zhuang orthography follows the national Zhuang orthography in the marking of tones on syllables ending in vowels, semivowels, or nasal consonants. For these syllables “unchecked” syllables, five of the six tones are marked with consonants added to the end of the syllable. The first tone, corresponding to Lis Proto-Tai A1 tone, is left unmarked. The national Zhuang orthography distinguishes two tones for syllables ending in an oral consonant “oral” syllables, Modern tones resulting from Proto-Tai D1 and D2 tone categories, the two tone categories that resulted forn the historic split based on the voicing quality of syllable onsets, are distinguished from each other based on the character used to represent the final oral consonant phoneme. Checked syllable tones which result from Proto-Tai Tone D1 79 in Chinese numbering system are marked by using {p}, {t} or {k} to represent the final consonant, according to the place of articulation. Checked syllable tones which resulted from Proto-Tai Tone D2 810 in Chinese tone numbering system are represented using {b}, {d} or {g} for the final consonant, according to the place of articulation. The final oral consonant phoneme represented by {p} and {b}, for example, is the same, although these graphs represent two different phonemes when used in syllable initial position. As many Zhuang languages also preserve evidence of a further tone split among “checked” syllables based on historic vowel length, the transcription of the vowel phonemes in these syllables can further distinguish among checked syllable tones. As we have seen, in Nong Zhuang there is no longer a phonemic contrast between long and short vowels in these syllables, and possibly as a result, some of the checked syllable tone categories have now merged, although in different ways in different areas of the Nong language area. The Yunnan Language Commission’s modification of the orthography handles this situation by under-representing three of the historic tone categories, marking tone number 7, the tone resulting from the Proto-Tai tone Li labeled “D1S,” with a “p,” “t,” or “k” according to the place of final consonant articulation. The other checked tone categories, tones 8, 9, and 10, are marked with a “b,” “d,” or “g,” regardless of whether the tone reflex is that corresponding to D2S, D1L or D2L. Readers are expected to determine the lexeme with the proper tone by context. Using the Yunnan Language Commission modified orthography, all low a vowels occurring prior to a oral consonant syllable coda are considered phonemically short and an “e” character is always added to the “a” in this environment. Unlike in the national orthography, the presence of this “e” does not indicate the tone of the syllable. 120 National Zhuang Orthography Yunnan Language Commission Orthography Chinese Tone Category Numbering Toneme Corresponding Historic Proto-Tai Tone Nong Zhuang Tone Pitch Value 1 A1 ²⁴ ¹³, ³⁵, ¹ ʔ ³ –z –z 2 A2 ³³ ⁴⁴ –j –j 3 C1 ²² –x –x 4 C2 ⁵³ ⁵⁵ –q –q 5 B1 ¹¹ ， ¹² –h –h 6 B2 ³¹ –p, –t, or –k –p, –t, or –k 7 or 7 , short D1S ⁵⁵ –b, –d, or –g –b, –d, or –g 8 or 8 , short D2S ³³ ⁵⁵ –p, –t, or –k –b, –d, or –g 9 or 7 长 , long D1L ¹¹ ¹³ –b, –d, or –g –b, –d, or –g 10 or 8 长 , long D2L ³¹ ³³, ¹¹ The following table provides examples of Nong words as presented in the Yunnan Language Commission form of the Zhuang orthography, organized by tone category. The spelling conventions used for some words are our own and do not necessarily represent the manner in which the Yunnan Language Commission linguists would represent these words. 121 Examples of Orthographic Tone Representation Ortho- graphy WSMLW YSKX GNBH MGXZ wjgwn MLPJD XCGJ WSLHL GNSFZ GNXGN English Proto-Tai Form PT Tone ∅ un- marked Tone 1 A1 bae pai²⁴ pei²⁴ pai²⁴ pei²⁴ pay¹⁴ pai²⁴ pei²⁴ pai²⁴ pai³⁵ pei³⁵ to go pəi A1 bi pi²⁴ piə²⁴ pi²⁴ pi²⁴ pii¹⁴ pi²⁴ pi²⁴ pi²⁴ pi³⁵ piː³⁵ year pi A1 pi pʰi²⁴ pʰi²⁴ pʰi²⁴ pʰi²⁴ pʰii¹⁴ pʰi²⁴ pʰi²⁴ ti³³ pʰi²² pʰi³⁵ pʰi³⁵ ghost phlru̥i A1 bing piŋ²⁴ piŋ²⁴ piŋ²⁴ piŋ²⁴ piŋ¹⁴ piŋ²⁴ piŋ²⁴ piŋ²⁴ piŋ³⁵ piŋ³⁵ leech pliŋ A1 paen pʰən²⁴ pʰən²⁴ pʰɔ²² pʰən²⁴ pʰan¹⁴ pʰən²² pʰən²⁴ pʰan²² pʰan³⁵ pʰu³⁵ to dream fan A1 mbang ʔbaːŋ²⁴ ʔbaːŋ²⁴ ʔbaːŋ²⁴ ʔbaːŋ²⁴ baaŋ¹⁴ ʔbaːŋ²⁴ ʔbaːŋ²⁴ ʔbaːŋ²⁴ ʔbaːŋ³⁵ ʔbaːŋ³⁵ thin, flimsy ʔbaŋ A1 mbaw ʔbaɯ²⁴ ʔbaɯ²⁴ ʔbaɯ²⁴ ʔbəɯ²⁴ baɰ¹⁴ ʔbəɯ²⁴ ʔbaɯ²⁴ ʔbəɯ²⁴ ʔbaɯ³⁵ ʔbəɯ³⁵ leaf ʔbəɯ A1 mbin ʔban²⁴ ʔbən²⁴ ʔban²⁴ ʔbən²⁴ ban¹⁴ ʔbən²⁴ ʔban²⁴ ʔban²⁴ ʔbin³⁵ ʔbʲɛn³⁵ to fly ʔbin A1 -z Tone 2 A1 biz pi³³ pi³³ pi³³ pii⁴⁴ pi³³ pi³³ pi³³ pi³³ pi³³ fat Adj. bi A2 maenz man³³ man³³ man³³ man³³ man⁴⁴ man³³ mən³³ man³³ man³³ man³³ round mon A2 faenz fan³³ kʰo²⁴fən³³ fan³³ fən³³ fan⁴⁴ fan³³ fan³³ fan³³ fan³³ fən³³ seed van A2 faez fei⁵⁵ fei³³ fai³³ fei³³ fay⁴⁴ fei³³ fei⁵⁵ fai³³ fai³³ fei³³ fire vɛi A2 -j Tone 3 C1 paij pʰai²² pʰaːi²² pʰaːi²² pʰaːi³³ pʰaay²² pʰaːi²² pʰai²² pʰaːi⁵⁵ phaːi²² pʰaːi²² cotton fai C1 paenj fu²⁴ pʰɯ²⁴ pʰan²² pʰan²² pʰan²² pʰən²² pʰan²² pən²² to twist rope fan C1 mbij ʔbi²² ʔbi²² ʔbi²² ʔbi²² bii²² ʔbi²² ʔbi²² ʔbi²² ʔbi²² ʔbi²² butterfly ʔba C1 mbanj ʔbaːn²² ʔbaːn²² ʔbaːn²² ʔbaːn²² baan²² ʔbaːn²² ʔbaːn²² ʔbaːn²² ʔbaːn²² ʔbaːn²² small village ʔban C1 -x Tone 4 C2 maex mei⁵⁵ mɛi⁵⁵ mai⁵³ mɛi⁵⁵ may⁵⁵ mei⁵⁵ mɛi⁵⁵ mai³³ mai⁵³ mei⁵³ tree məi C2 fax fa⁵⁵ fa⁵⁵ fa⁵³ fa⁵⁵ faa⁵⁵ fa⁵³ ⁵⁵ fa⁵⁵ fa⁵⁵ fa⁵³ fa⁵³ sky va C2 dongx toːŋ⁵⁵ ʔan²²tɔːŋ⁵⁵ toaŋ⁵³ tɔːŋ⁵⁵ toŋ⁵⁵ tɔŋ⁵⁵ tɔːŋ⁵⁵ toŋ⁵⁵ toːŋ⁵³ taːŋ⁵³ abdomen, belly duɔŋ C2 -q Tone 5 B1 paq pɔ³¹ pʰaː¹¹ pʰa¹¹ hən³³ pʰaː¹¹ pʰaa²¹ pʰa¹¹ pʰa¹¹ pɔ²² pʰa¹¹ to split pha B1 mboq ʔbo¹¹ ʔbɔ¹¹ ʔbo³¹ ʔbɔ¹¹ boo²¹, ʔbɔʔ¹¹ ʔbo¹¹ ʔbo¹¹ ʔbo¹¹ ʔbo¹² not, no ʔbɔ B1 122 bɔɔ²¹ pwiq pʰɯei¹¹ pʰɯi¹¹ pʰɯi¹¹ pʰɯi¹¹ pʰɯy²¹ pʰwei¹¹ pʰɯi¹¹ pʰʷai¹¹ pʰi¹¹ pʰi¹¹ to spit out phu̥i? B1 mbaq ʔba¹¹ ʔba¹¹ ʔba¹¹ ʔba¹¹ baa²¹ ʔba¹¹ ʔba¹¹ ʔba¹¹ ʔba¹¹ ʔba¹¹ shoulder ʔba B1 -h Tone 6 B2 boh po³¹ po³¹ po³¹ po³¹ poo³¹ po³¹ po³¹ po³¹ father bɔ B2 meh me³¹ me³¹ mei³¹ me³¹ mee³¹ me³¹ mi³¹moi²² mɛ²² miɛ³¹ me³¹ mother mɛ B2 mumh mum²² məm³¹ mum³¹ məm³¹ mum³¹ mum³¹ məm³¹ mum⁵⁵ mum³¹ mum³¹ beard mum B2 daeuh tou³¹ tau³¹ tau³¹ tau³¹ taw³¹ tau³¹ tou³¹ tau³¹ tau³¹ tau³¹ ashes vlau B2 dah ta³¹ ta³¹ ta³¹ ta³¹ taa³¹ ta³¹ ta³¹ ta³¹ ta³¹ taː³¹ river da B2 -ptk Tone 7 + p, t, k D1S baet pat⁵⁵ pat⁵⁵ pat⁵⁵ pat⁵⁵ pat⁵⁵ pat⁵⁵ pat⁵⁵ pat⁵⁵ pat⁵⁵ pʲɛt⁵⁵ duck pi̥et D1S paet pʰat⁵⁵ pʰat⁵⁵ pʰat⁵⁵ pʰat⁵⁵ pʰat⁵⁵ pʰat⁵⁵ pʰʲət⁵⁵ hot, spicy phet D1S bik pik⁵⁵ pik⁵⁵ pʲək⁵¹ pik⁵⁵ pik⁵⁵ pik⁵⁵ pik⁵⁵ pik⁵⁵ pik⁵⁵ pik⁵⁵ wing piək D1L puk pʰuk⁵⁵ pʰok⁵⁵ pʰɔk⁵⁵ pʰok⁵⁵ pʰuk⁵⁵ pʰok⁵⁵ pʰok⁵⁵ pʰok⁵⁵ pʰok⁵⁵ pʰok⁵⁵ to tie, bundle fruək D1L; D2L doak tauk⁵⁵ tɔk⁵⁵ tuɔk⁵⁵ tɔk⁵⁵ tɔk⁵⁵ tɔk⁵⁵ tʷɔk⁵⁵ tʷɔk⁵⁵ tɔk⁵⁵ tɔk⁵⁵ to fall tok D1S -bdg Tone 8 + p, t, k D2S foag fɔk³³ fɔk³³ foak³³ fɔk³³ fɔk⁴⁴ fɔk³³ fɔk³³,fʷɔk³³ fʷɔk⁵⁵ fɔk⁵⁵ fɔk³³ to swell vok D2S dub tup⁴⁴ tup⁵⁵ top³³ to fight dup D2S maed mat³³ mat³³ mat³³ mat³³ mat⁴⁴ mat³³ mat³³ mat³¹ mat⁵⁵ mat³³ ant mot D2S -bdg Tone 9 + p, t, k D1L boad pɔt¹¹ pʷɔt¹¹ pɔt¹¹ pɔːt¹¹ pɔt²¹ pɔət¹¹ pwɔt¹¹ pʷɔt¹¹ pɔt¹¹ pɔːt¹³,pɔɯt¹³ lungs pɔɯ̥ɔt D1L mbud ʔbʷɔt¹¹ ʔbuət¹¹ ʔbɔat¹¹ ʔbwət¹¹ bɔt²¹ ʔbɔat¹¹ ʔbwɔt¹¹ ʔbʷɔt¹¹ ʔbɔt¹¹ ʔbɔt¹² blind ʔbɔt D1L tud tʰɔt¹¹ tʰuat¹¹ tʰuat¹¹ tʰʷɔt¹¹ tʰɔt²¹ tɔet¹¹, tɔːt¹¹ tʰʷat¹¹ tʰʷat¹¹ tʰɔt¹¹ tʰɔt¹¹,tʰʷɔt¹¹ to take off thɔt D1L baeg pak¹¹ pak¹¹ pak¹¹ pak¹¹ paak²¹ pak¹¹ pak¹¹ pak¹¹ pak¹¹ pu³³pak¹¹ mouth pak D1L taeg tʰak¹¹ tʰak¹¹ tʰak¹¹ tʰak¹¹ tʰaak²¹ tʰak¹¹ tʰak¹¹ tʰak³³ tʰak¹¹ tʰak¹³ to dry in the air prak D1L ndaed ʔdat¹¹ ʔdat¹¹ ʔdat¹¹ ʔdat¹¹ daat²¹ ʔdat¹¹ ʔdat¹¹ ʔdat¹¹ ʔdat¹¹ ʔdat¹³ hot; warm ʔdɯat D1L -bdg Tone 10 + p, t, k D2L 123 big pɯk³¹ pɯk³¹ pjɯk³¹ pɯk³¹ pɤk³¹ pik³¹ pɯk³¹ pik⁵⁵ pik³¹ pik³¹ tomorrow vruok D2SD2L fug fɔk³¹ fuk³¹ fɔk³¹ fuk³¹ fuk⁵⁵ fuk³¹ fək³¹ fuk⁵⁵ fuk³¹ fuk³¹ mat vuək D2L maeg mak³¹ blade; MW for mak D2L bladed objects

4.2.2 Orthographic Representation of Consonants