摘要
漢藏語言是中國各民族使用的主要語言，也是東南亞各國使用的重要語言，它的研究具有世界性。中國是漢藏語言的集中地和主要分布區域，中國研究漢藏語言具有悠久的歷史和卓越的成就，特別是49年以來，更是獲得了長足的進展。中國漢藏語言的研究經過半個世紀的實踐，基本上弄清了中國漢藏語言和方言的情況，解決了中國少數民族語言文字的實際問題，豐富了普通語言學的理論和方法，并在音系學、類型學和語言關係研究等諸多方面作出了應有的理論貢獻。本文重點討論了漢藏語言的發生學分類、族際共同語、標準語、語言影響與雙語的關係、語言與方言等問題，也提出了研究漢藏語言的基本特點、溝通漢語與民族語言之間研究、開展漢語與民族語言以及民族語言與民族語言之間的比較、加強與其他學科的結合和交流等研究漢藏語言的重要方法和途徑。
Sino-Tebetan (ST) languages include the major languages spoken by various ethnic minorities in China and important languages used in Southeast Asian countries. There has always been international participation in research on ST languages. China has a high concerntration of ST languages, making it a principal region of ST languages. Chinese research into ST languages has a long history with remarkable achievements; progress in the field has been especially substantial since 1949. Chinese research in the past half century has succeeded in elucidating the basic situation of ST languages and dialects, has resolved the practical problems concerning the writing systems of minority languages, and has enriched the theory and methodology of general linguistics. Moreover, it has made important theoretical contributions to phonology, typology, the study of language relationships, and other sub-fields.
The present paper discusses important topics in the field of ST linguistics: genetic classification, lingua franca and languages common to different ethnic groups, standard varieties of languages, relationship between language contact and bilingualism, and the "language or dialect" problem. It also suggests some important methods and ways of studying ST languages: paying attention to the fundamental characteristics of ST languages, sharing notes between the study of Chinese and the study of minority languages, promoting comparative studies between Chinese and minority languages and among minority languages themselves, and strengthening the association and cooperation with other disciplines.