| Research Abstract |
To grasp the historical conditions on the near-merger phenomena of the consonant phonemes in various Japanese dialects, the investigation in 2001-2002 has been excuted through the following points of view.
1) diachronical survey on the data-base that the head investigator had been conpiled and completion of the sound data-base by field reseach and systematic analysis of them.
2) formulation and correction of the hypothesis on the near-merger phenomena among consonant phonemes, and the expantion of the hypothesis onto the problem among vowel phonemes.
As for 1), in addition to the data-base the investigator had been conpiled, a systematic phonological reseach and high-level digital recording using DAT was excuted on the 5 dialects (Wan, Onotsu, Shumichi, Aden and Kamikatetsu) in Kikai island located in north of Amami mainland in Kagoshima Pref., and 4 dialects (Katetsu, Doren, Ukeamuro and Yoro) in Setouchi districts located in south of Amami mainland.
As for 2), 'The Historical Classification of the Central Vowels in Amami dialects' was published in "Kokugogaku Kenkyu (Tohoku Univ.) 40", and 'The Historical Variety of the Central-Vowel Syllables Preceded by Coronal-Siblants Consonants in Amami Dialects' was addressed by the investigator at the 307th annual conference of THE PHONETIC SOCIETY OF JAPAN.
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