An X-bar approach to the syllable structure of Mandarin

Abstract

In this paper we review various proposals regarding the syllable structure of Mandarin Chinese. We pay special attention to the status of the prenuclear glide, which has been analysed in different ways, none of which is entirely satisfactory, as we will show. We then argue in favour of an X-bar structure of the syllable, which will be seen as an improvement over the earlier proposals. The evidence will be drawn from phonological arguments, language games, phonetic experiments, the fanqie system, loanwords and the poetic rhyming system.