摘要
本文受当代人本主义哲学关于“哲学家建造一座理念的宫殿,却住在茅屋里” 等论断的启发,提出问题:“我们在茅屋里说话,为什么要为语言建造一座宫殿?”文章认为,现代语言学竭力堆砌理论、大肆为语言修筑宫殿的附魅行为,主要归咎于它坚信两个教条:意义的组合性原理和句法-语义同态原理。诸如空语类或轻动词、语壳结构或DP结构等假设概念和相应的理论方案,莫不是为了更好地体现这两个原理。但是,参照人类手势语的形式(结构)与意义(功能)之间的关系及其转喻机制,可以发现人类语言本质上是一种转喻性的符号系统,其形式与意义之间未必具有完全的对应关系和可归约性。因此,不需要为它假设这么多的空语类或轻动词等隐变量,以及语壳结构或DP结构等看不见的句法结构。总之,本文旨在为语言祛魅,希望语言学研究能够让语言呈现出其本来的朴素面貌。
Abstract
Inspired by an assertion of the contemporary humanism philosophy that “philosophers build a palace of ideal, but live in a hut”, this paper raises the question: We speak in our huts, but why should we build a palace of ideal for language? Modern linguists are enthusiastic in advancing various theories to account for practical use of language, which virtually amounts to “build a palace of ideal, but live in a hut”. Such enchantment behaviors are attributed to two beliefs, that is, the principle of Compositionality and Syntax-Semantics Isomorphism. A number of hypotheses or assumptions and their corresponding theoretical solutions, such as empty categories, light verbs, shell structures and DP structure, have been proposed just to address the two beliefs. However, the relation between form (structure) and meaning (function) holding in sign languages shows that human language is a symbolic system with metonymic nature. In other words, we can find that human language is essentially a metonymic symbol system, and its form and meaning do not necessarily have complete correspondence and reducibility. Therefore, the author believes that it is perhaps unnecessary to propose so many theoretical syntactic constructs as mentioned above. In short, taking a critical stand, this paper aims to disenchant the over-enchanted theoretical endeavours of language study in the hope of returning to the simple aspects of language nature in linguistic studies.
关键词
理念的宫殿 /
附魅/祛魅 /
组合性原理 /
同态原理 /
空语类/轻动词 /
语壳结构/DP结构
Key words
palace of ideal /
enchantment/disenchantment /
principle of compositionality /
isomorphism /
empty category/light verb /
shell structure/DP structure
袁毓林.
为什么要给语言建造一座宫殿?——从符号系统的转喻本质看语言学的过度附魅[J]. 语言战略研究. 2019, 4(4): 60-73 https://doi.org/10.19689/j.cnki.cn10-1361/h.20190405
Yuan Yulin.
Why Build a Palace for Language: On the Over-enchanted Linguistics from the Perspective of the Metonymic Nature of the Symbolic System[J]. Chinese Journal of Language Policy and Planning. 2019, 4(4): 60-73 https://doi.org/10.19689/j.cnki.cn10-1361/h.20190405
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基金
本课题得到教育部人文社会科学重点研究基地重大研究项目“汉语意合语法框架下的词汇语义知识表示及其计算系统研究”(18JJD740003)和国家社科基金重大项目《基于“互联网+”的国际汉语教学资源与智慧教育平台研究》(18ZDA295)的资助,承审稿人提出批评意见,谨致谢忱。