索绪尔语言符号学与皮尔斯符号学两大理论系统的要点——兼论对语言符号任意性的置疑和对索绪尔的挑战

Highlights of Saussure's Semiotics and Peirce's Semiotics

长期以来 ,语言符号任意性问题一直是国内外学术界争论的问题。在我国 ,尤其在 1999年王寅教授发表了有关语言符号象似性和向索绪尔挑战的文章和著作《论语言符号象似性———对索绪尔任意说的挑战与补充》以来 ,我国学术界展开了大论战。与此同时 ,索绪尔的语言符号任意性受到了置疑 ,他的语言符号学理论受到了挑战。索绪尔的理论是现代语言学的基础 ,而语言符号任意性又是这个理论的支柱之一。因此 ,上述争论意义极为重大。笔者认为 ,索绪尔语言符号学和皮尔斯符号学是两个完全不同的理论体系 ,它们各自的符号和象似性符号有着不同的概念 ,因此 ,不能用皮尔斯的象似性概念来评论索绪尔理论 ,否则争论永无休止 ,而且会把思想搞乱。要解决这个争论 ,必需彻底搞清这两大理论系统和它们各自的有关符号和语言任意性的概念。

Arbitrariness of linguistic sign has long been controversial in academic circles both at home and abroad. In China, this issue has been under heated debate since Professor Wang Ying published in 1999 his book On Iconicity of Linguistic Sign - A Challenge and a Complement to Saussure's Arbitrariness of Linguistic Sign. In the meantime, Saussure's arbitrariness has been questioned and his whole theory on linguistics and semiology challenged. As is known to all, Saussure's theory is the basis of different schools of modern linguistics and arbitrariness is one of the cornerstones of the theory, this debate, therefore, is of extremely great significance. The author believes that Saussure's linguistics and semiology on the one hand and Peirce's semiotics on the other, are two entirely different systems. Saussure's system in general and his theory of linguistic arbitrariness are not supposed to be judged by Peirce's theory of iconicity. Otherwise the debate will be inconclusive and will surely cause further confusion. Consequently, a thorough and clear comprehension of the essentials of these two systems is the prerequisite for the solution of the issue..