“衍指符号”:“语际书写”/“跨语际实践”的继续与推进

"A Super-sign": A Continuation and Promotion of "Interlingual Writing"/"Translingual Practice"

作为美国华裔批评界“新翻译理论”的积极建构者，著名学者刘禾教授运用符号学、话语分析和后殖民批评等方法，在2004年著作《帝国的话语政治》中提出“衍指符号”概念，这是她早些时候提出的“语际书写”和“跨语际实践”的继续与推进。“衍指符号”指的不是个别词语而是异质文化之间的意义链，同时跨越两种或多种语言的语义场，对人们可辨认的那些词语单位的意义构成显著影响；它横跨在不同语言的巨大鸿沟之间，通过跨越语音上、表意上的差异，在不同语言之间的夹缝中“苟且偷生”，并依靠一种以上的语言系统来完成任何特定言说现象的意义表达过程。它能引诱、迫使或指示现存符号穿越不同语言的疆界和符号媒介，进行移植和散播。因此，走近“衍指符号”，能促使跨语言概念的生成过程获得清晰的理论表达，有利于展示帝国碰撞过程与全球化的联系，为跨学科研究提供有益的经验。更为重要的是，它能启发我们对殖民主义体制进行深入批判，实现“新国际主义”的梦想。

As a passionate constructor of the American Chinese academia-based ＂New Translation Theory＂, Lydia H. Liu pro- poses a significant notion of ＂A Super-sign＂ through the text The Clash of Empires in 2004 ,by adopting approaches of semi- ology, discourse analysis and postcolonial criticism. ＂A ＂Super- sign＂ is to some extent a continuation and promotion of the two notions of ＂Interlingual Writing＂ and ＂Translingual Practice＂ proposed by her in earlier times. ＂A Super-sign＂ is not an individual word but a hetero-cultural signifying chain that simultane- ously crisscrosses the semantic fields of two or more languages, makes a notable impact on the meaning of recognizable verbal units,emerges out of the interstices of existing languages across the abyss of phonetic and ideographic differences, and requires more than one linguistic system to complete the process of signi- fication for any given verbal phenomenon. ＂A Super-sign＂ can thus induce, compel, and order the migration and dispersion of prior signs across different languages and different semiotic media. And consequently, approaching ＂A Super-sign＂ benefits the theoretically clear representation of discourse-generating process and the exhibition of the link of the clash of empires to the globalization as well as the furtherance of transdisciplinary studies at home. What is the most important,it may as well in- spire us to make a severe criticism of colonialism and realize the dream of a ＂new internationalism＂.