语言符号任意性和理据性关系刍议

A Brief Discussion of the Relationships between Arbitrariness and Motivation in Linguistic Symbols

语言符号音义之间的关系是任意的还是有理据性的问题,众多语言学家进行了长时间讨论。本文从语言现象本身的分析出发,将语言符号区分为不同的层级,有的层级任意性占主导,有的层级理据性占主导,任意性和理据性都只能解释语言符号部分层级的音义关系。从根本上说,语言符号音义之间的关系是任意性的。

Numerous linguists have spent quite a long time discussing whether the relationship between phonemes and meaning of linguistic symbols is arbitrary or motivational. This paper, based on the analysis of linguistic phenomenon, divides linguistic symbols into different categories. In some categories, arbitrariness is dominant while in others motivation is. Either arbitrariness or motivation can only explain the connection between phoneme and meaning in some linguistic categories. Generally speaking, the relationship between phoneme and meaning of linguistic symbols is arbitrary.