Four-stage evolution of Jìn Chinese entering tones: From Lǚliáng to Bìngzhōu

Abstract

This paper demonstrates the evolution of Jìn Chinese entering tones. The “flip-flop” phenomenon has been observed in Jìn entering tones. Both Lǚliáng and Bìngzhōu Jìn have two entering tones, namely, Yīnrù tone and Yángrù tone. The Bìngzhōu entering tones have a “Yīn-low vs. Yáng-high” contrast, which is opposite to the Lǚliáng “Yīnhigh vs. Yáng-low” contrast. 34 native Lǚliáng and Bìngzhōu Jìn speakers’ recordings have been acoustically and phonologically analyzed. This study reconstructs a four-stage path that shows how this “flip-flop” phenomenon, namely, the Lǚliáng “Yīn-high vs. Yáng-low” entering-tone contrast changed to the Bìngzhōu “Yīn-low vs. Yáng-high” contrast