论乔姆斯基语法理论的人文精神

On the Humanistic Spirit of Chomskyan Theory of Grammar

乔姆斯基语法理论的产生有其思想文化理论背景,早期受笛卡尔影响最深,康德哲学对乔姆斯基语法理论的形成和发展有重要作用。乔姆斯基语法理论中的“生成能力”和“语法规则”是有同一性意义的。能力是规则的潜在形态,规则是能力的外在显现,并可表达为形式系统.语言使用者关于规则系统的基础知识即为能力。乔姆斯基的普遍语法形式犹康德的先天知性形式和“图式”,其人文精神在于揭示人类心智和思维特征的普遍性,进而可以把人定义为“语言符号的动物”。

Chomskyan theory of grammar can be traced to a special theoretical background of thoughts and culture. Chomsky's early works were deeply influenced by Descartes, while Kant's philosophy played an important role in the formulation and development of his theory. 'Generative ability' and 'grammar rules' in Chomsky's theory are identical in their senses:while the ability is a latent form of the rules, the rules are manifestation of the ability and can be expressed in formal system. Language ability is but language users fundamental knowledge of the rule system. In Chomsky's Universal Grammar, as in Kants transcendental knowledge and the concept of 'schema' , the humanistic spirit lies in the effort to reveal the universality of human mind and thinking, hence the definition of humanity as 'the animal of the language symbol'.