任意性原则的理论缺陷

The Fallacy of Arbitrariness in Language

索绪尔倡导的语言任意性原则被看作语言学中一场“哥白尼式”的革命,它推翻了传统的语言镜射的原子主义观点。然而,任意性原则从它诞生之日起就带有不容忽视的缺陷:它切断了语言与语言主体及世界的联系,切断了语言的历史流动,把语言意义来源归于抽象的系统结构,漠视概念形成的低级阶段。这一切最终导致任意性原则解释语言现象的无能。

Saussure＇s advocation of the principle of arbitrariness in language has always been regarded as a radical revolution in linguistics. This principle is opposed to the traditional linguistic atomism which sees language as a passive mirror. However, the principle of arbitrariness has its in-born defects ; it cuts off the connection between language, subject and the outside world, stops the historical fluidity of language, attributes linguistic meaning to abstract systems, and overlooks the initial phase of concept formation. All these defects lead to the inability of this principle in explaining language.