语言·文字·文化漫谈

A Brief Talk about Language,Character and Culture

语言是人类特有的音义结合的符号,而文字是对语言的记载和传承,是符号的符号。语言是第一性的符号,文字是第二性的符号,而文化的精深内涵又尽显于语言文字的运用之中。现代汉语是我们的母语,我们要学好用好它,就应该对语言、文字、文化的各自特点和三者之间的紧密交融有深刻认识。

Language is a system of arbitrary symbols with sound and meaning used for human communication while character is the record of language, the symbol for symbol. In a sense, language is primary symbol and character is secondary symbol. However, the connotation of culture is being made explicit in the language being used. Chinese is our native language and when we are to use it very well, we have to grasp the respective features of the language, the character and the culture as well as the close relationships among them.