SOAS Research Online

Abstract

The thesis is a study of certain phonetic, phonological, and grammatical aspects of the Lhasa dialect of Tibetan as spoken by Rinzin Wangpo. For this purpose such phonetic criteria as there are for distinguishing Words are first stated; atter which, the Phrase unit is distinguished. Criteria are adduced for distinguishing those grammatical categories, (Verb, Verbal Particle) which supply the characteristic grammatical constituents of Words comprised in the Verbal Phrase. All lexical items that can be classified as Verb-constituent (or Verb) lexical items, and as VerbalParticle- constituent (or Verbal-Particle) lexical items are then subjected to phonological analysis: they are classified prosodically in accordance with the prosodic types of Word or Piece in which each can be exemplified; and then such of the phonetic data as remain to be accounted for atter the prosodic analysis has been completed are stated as exponents of terms in phonematic systems. The thesis is, therefore, restricted to the Verbal Phrase, except that, where Verb constituent lexical items are exemplifiable in the Noun Phrase, (in Nominalized forms and in certain disyllabic Nouns), it is necessary, in order that the phonetic and phonological description of these lexical items shall be complete, to go outside the Verbal Phrase.