本文討論中國境內少數民族語言的現象如何有助於解決漢語音韻學的問題，包括上古音的流音、陰聲字、聲調來源、清鼻音、圓唇舌根音等，這些都可以從少數民族語言的現象得到很好的啟示，進而解決漢語上古音的一些疑難問題。有親屬關係的藏緬語言固然如此，即使其它沒有親屬關係的語言有時也可以提供有用的線索，因而取得更能令人滿意的研究成果。

　　This paper discusses how the study of minority languages in Southwest China can help provide clues to resolving problems in Archaic Chinese phonology, including the liquids, the syllable-finals of yinshengzi, evolution of tones, voiceless nasals, laterals and labiovelars. A vexing problem is that l in Chinese corresponds to r in Tibeto-Burman languages, and vice versa. Another controversial issue is whether there were syllable-final consonants in yinshengzi in Archaic Chinese. Careful comparative studies of Chinese and Tibeto-Burman languages may help resolve such vexing problems. Not only the genetically related Tibeto-Burman languages, but also genetically unrelated languages may shed light on how to account for Archaic Chinese phonology, including the voiceless nasals and labiovelars, as found in the phonologies of the minority languages of different language families.

上古音; 流音; 陰聲字; 聲調; 清鼻音; 圓唇舌根音

Archaic Chinese; liquids; yinshengzi; evolution of tones; voiceless nasals; labiovelars