國語羅馬字(Gwoyeu Romatzyh)系統是一套官話漢字拉丁化轉寫方案,由林語堂提倡,趙元任作研究,並在1928年推出。這套轉寫方案最突出的特點便是將字的聲調表現在它的拼寫之中,而不需要使用數字和額外符號表示。例如漢語拼音方案的a在羅馬字中可以寫作a(陰平),ar(陽平),aa(上聲),ah(去聲)。除此之外,國語羅馬字系統與漢語拼音方案相比還有其他幾個特點:
1.漢語拼音方案中的j,q,x與zh,ch,sh兩組聲母在羅馬字中是一組聲母j,ch,sh。這不僅照顧了漢語語音的演變(即聲母的顎化),也符合普通話音系中兩組聲母的互補分布。這種互補分布在漢語拼音方案中比較難以看出來。
2.漢語拼音方案中的ü在羅馬字中寫作iu。歷史上漢語/y/(即拼音ü)的產生和iu(合口三等)密切相關,這種表示方法符合漢語撮口呼的產生條件。並且與上一條特點相輔相成,在j,ch,sh後帶i即說明聲母發生了鄂化(漢語拼音zh,ch,sh變成j,q,x),因此ju(漢語拼音zhu),而jiu(漢語拼音ju)。但是這種寫法易讓使用者將i當作介音而非把iu作為一個單元音看待。
3.舌尖元音單獨成為一個音位y,因此ji(漢語拼音ji),jy(漢語拼音zhi)。這能讓使用者意識到漢語普通話音系中舌尖元音和舌面元音/i/的區分,這在漢語拼音方案中不易做到。
4.iou,uei和uen在羅馬字系統中沒有省寫,而在拼音方案中省寫作了iu,ui和un
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