语言变化的新视角:英、汉语言所指的趋同

On the Unification of Signification of English and Chinese

语言的变化是持续不断的,而不同时期的语言由于主客观因素的不同,其变化的特点也是不同的。索绪尔的所指概念,特别是所指的任意性及与语义的关系的观点,可以深刻地解释全球化背景下,英语与汉语两种语言相互影响所带来的语言的新变化:英语与汉语的所指的趋同现象。这种趋同是以弱势语言的所指向强势语言的所指趋同为特征的,并依据受外来影响的不同强度而在语言的不同领域表现出程度的不同。这种趋同的内在原因在于语言的变迁与变异,外来语言的影响通过这种变迁与变异改变了原有语言的沿流,使之沿着趋同于外来强势语言的所指系统的方向变化。英、汉语言所指的趋同减少了人们使用英语时的障碍,在能指不变的表象下使不同语言的所指系统趋于一致,进而可能拉近人们的思维方式,其后果之一则是英语实际上成为人们的思维语言,而语言与文化的多样性则将受到影响。

This paper discusses a language change tendency: the unification of the signification of English and Chinese. The authors first explain the concept of signification, emphasizing the arbitrage of signification and its relationship with the meaning. Then the authors put forward the examples and ways of this unification and analyses the features of various unifications. Next this paper probes the reasons behind this unification from the aspects of how the meaning changes and how Chinese accepts the influence of other language influences. At last the paper discusses the possible result and impact of this unification upon Chinese and other languages in the world.