那加蘭邦藏緬語之「預估進位」數詞系統及其對系譜分類的作用

Overcounting Numeral Systems and Their Relevance to Sub-grouping in the Tibeto-Burman Languages of Nagaland

本文評估印度東北部那加蘭邦藏緬語族語言之間親屬關係最具影響力的某些論述，著重探討是否有足夠的證據將其建構為藏緬語族「那加語支」。調查結論認為：儘管音韻和詞彙的對應似乎足以說明那加蘭邦語言都屬於藏緬語族語言；討論當地語言內部的系譜分類時，那些現象卻作用有限。除了孔亞克諸語言基於詞彙創新，公認與景頗語及博多－－加羅語同群；其餘那加蘭邦語言的下位分群，仍因缺乏有效的標準而未有定論。本文對此提供了新的證據。根據十九世紀末二十世紀初的文獻記錄，那加蘭邦中、南部的語言（即奧和昂那米－－波丘語言）曾經有類型罕見的「預估進位」數詞系統。該複雜的數詞系統，經由歷史比較的分析，不像是彼此移借的結果，也不曾見於鄰近的孔亞克、卡爾比、澤梅、庫基及唐庫爾諸語言中。本文認為，那加蘭邦中、南部的藏緬語族語言「預估進位」數詞模式反映傳承的創新演變，顯示這些語言之間有密切的系譜關係。

This paper presents an appraisal of the most influential genetic classifications that have been proposed for the Tibeto-Burman languages of Nagaland, north-east India, and weighs up the evidence for the validity of a ‘Naga’ branch within Tibeto- Burman. The survey concludes that while phonological and lexical correspondences might be generally useful for establishing the affiliation of these languages to the Tibeto-Burman family, such criteria shed limited light on the problem of establishing lower level sub-groupings. Apart from the Konyak languages, which have been convincingly grouped with Jinghpaw and the Bodo-Garo languages on the basis of lexical innovations, sub-grouping within the languages of Nagaland remains inconclusive for want of robust diagnostic criteria. The paper presents new evidence for an intermediate grouping of languages of the central and southern regions of Nagaland (i.e. the Ao and Angami-Pochuri clusters), the historicalcomparative basis for this being typologically rare overcounting numeral systems documented in the languages of these two regions in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The complexity of overcounting numeral systems lessens the likelihood of their being borrowed, and such patterns have never been reported in contiguous Konyak, Karbi, Zeme, Kuki or Tangkhul languages. The paper concludes that the erstwhile presence of overcounting patterns in Tibeto-Burman languages of central and southern Nagaland must therefore represent an inherited innovation indicative of a close genetic relationship.