语言地图说——西方语言哲学新问题研究系列之五

A Map Theory of Language

图像论主张语言和世界之间存在着一种同构的一一对应的图像关系,但是这种传统的语言观却无法解释言外之意和言不尽意的现象。我们认为,语言并非世界的图像,而更像世界的一幅地图,并把这种语言观称为"语言地图说"。语言地图说认为,虽然语言与世界在一定程度上具有同构关系,但是语言与世界之间却是不对称的,这是因为(1)语言和地图一样,不会也不需要把所有东西都表达出来;(2)从理论上来说,正如地图不可能标记出外部世界的一切对象,语言也不可能完全地表征外部世界,否则,它将变得和世界一样精确无比,从而成为我们难以背负的语言包袱。相对于图像论而言,语言地图说至少有两个优点。第一,它不仅揭示了语言和世界的映射关系,而且也较好地解释了言外之意和言不尽意两种语言现象。第二,它符合经济原则,即语言是经济的,不必和世界一样精确,因为一个沉重的语言包袱不利于人类的进化。同时,它也告诉我们,构造理想语言的企图注定是要失败的。

The Picture theory claims that there is an isomorphic picturing relation, or a sort of one-to-one correspondence, between language and the world, but this theory owes us an explanation for both what is unsaid and what is unsayable. We suggest that language should not be conceived as a picture, but as a Map of the world. The map theory argues that, although there is a certain mapping relation between language and the world, language is bound to be assymetrical with the world, because （ 1 ） language always leaves a lot unsaid just as a map leaves many geographical objects unmarked, and （2） it is in principle impossible for language to fully represent the world, just as a map cannot mark all the world as it stands ; otherwise, language would eventually become an unbearable burden for us. The map theory has at least two advantages over the Picture theory. Firstly, it can not only explain the mapping relation between language and the world, but can also put both what is unsaid and what is unsayable in proper places. Secondly, it is of a piece with the principle of economy, according to which language has to be coarse-grained for us humans to avoid the sensory overload for the sake of evolution. Besides, it shows that any attempt to construct an ideal language is doomed to failure.