重探语言符号任意性原则

Re-exploring Arbitrary Principle of Linguistic Symbol

索绪尔关于语言符号任意性原则的论述,其自身是包含一些瑕疵和漏洞的。在重新考察了索绪尔关于语言符号任意性原则的相关论述后,发现了它自身存在的问题:把单纯符号和合成符号作为区分任意性与可论证性(理据性)的一个标准;以不同语言系统之内能指和所指结合关系的差别来证明同一语言系统之内能指和所指结合关系的任意性;忽视了语言符号能指和所指之间的社会、人文联系;把"任意性"与"约定俗成"当作同一概念;在用"所指"和"能指"分别替代语言符号的"概念"和"音响形象"时,也无法逃避名实(名称与客观事物)联系这一客观存在的事实,结果造成任意性理论在论证时前后不一致。这些问题的存在,造成了语言学理论上的模糊,引起了学界学者的争鸣。因此,需探究并明确语言符号任意性原则所应该具有的真正内涵,即语言符号的能指和所指之间没有生理和本能性的联系,而且语言符号与它所指称的事物或现象的物理属性无关。

Saussure＇ s discussion on the arbitrary principle of linguistic signs has its own flaws and inadequacies. After re-examining Saussure＇ s relevant essays on the principle, the author found out these problems：taking simple symbols and compound symbols as a sole standard for differentiating arbitrariness and defensibility; employing the distinctions of signifier-and-signified associative relations of-different language systems to prove the arbitrariness of associative relations within one language system; neglecting the connection of society and humanities between signifier and signified of linguistic signs ; regarding ＂arbitrariness＂ and ＂conventionality＂ as one concept; when replacing the linguistic signs ＂concept＂ and ＂sound image＂ respectively with ＂signified＂ and ＂signifier＂, he could not avoid the connection between title and objective matters, and consequently the theory of arbitrariness failed to hold identical view in reasoning. Such issues aroused the chaos in linguistic theories and triggered disputes in academia. Therefore, the author suggests the real connotation of arbitrary principle of linguistic signs should be explored and clarified. He also considers there be physiologi cally and instinctively no connection between signifier and signified, and linguistic signs be irrelevant to physical attributes of the thing or phenomena their refer to.