拟声词与语言符号的相对任意性——兼与裴文先生商榷

Onomatopoeic Words and Relative Arbitrariness of Linguistic Signs: A Discussion with Mr. Pei Wen

裴文先生认为语言符号在音响形象与概念之间的关系中存在绝对的任意性。这是对索绪尔理论的误解。裴先生认为拟声词不仅没有削弱语言符号任意性这一根本命题,反而进一步反证了语言符号的任意性,也是错误的。索绪尔关于拟声词的数目很少并且不是语言系统的有机成分的观点也是不正确的。语言符号任意性理论只具有相对的正确性,并非绝对的真理。拟声词的能指和所指之间的关系并不是完全任意的。

Mr. Pei Wen has misapprehended Saussure＇s theory by thinking that there is absolute arbitrariness in the relationship between sound-image and the concept of a linguistic sign. He is also mistaken in thinking that onomatopoeic words have strengthened rather than weakened the theory of arbitrariness of linguistic signs. Saussure was wrong in thinking that onomatopoeic words are very few and are not organic elements of language. The theory of arbitrariness of linguistic signs is only relatively correct and not absolutely true. For onomatopoeic words, there does exist a certain connection between the signifier and the corresponding signified.