基于第11版《新华字典》相关修订的理论语言学思考

An Appraisal of the Related Revisions in the 11th Edition of Xinhua Dictionary from the Perspective of Linguistic Theories

从语言符号的任意性、语言和言语的关系、语义的渐变性和梯度范畴化以及语法和用法的关系出发,对第11版《新华字典》的相关修订进行思考能更好地探讨相关修订所折射出来的理论语言学中的一些基本问题。受外语影响而对某些词或语素增音或增义这一事实从外语译介的角度证明了语言符号的任意性依然是普通语言学的基石;对某些词义的增减、例证的取舍以及释义表达方式的修订丰富了对语言和言语关系的认识;某些语词语义变化所带来的词类功能的变化进一步证实了语义渐变性是梯度范畴化的动因之一;相关修订事实表明,语法源于具有社会性的用法。

An appraisal of the related revisions in the 1 lth edition of Xinhua Dictionary is conducted from the perspectives of arbitrariness as linguistic sign, relationship between language and speech, gradualness of semantic change and gradient categorization, and relationship between grammar and usage. The fact that the additional pronun- ciations or meanings are given to specific Chinese characters under the influence of loanwords proves from the intro- duction of loanwords that language is arbitrary in nature. The increase and decrease of related meanings for specific Chinese characters, the addition and deletion of related sample words, phrases or sentences, and the revision of ex- pression for some meaning explanations deepen our understanding of the relationship between language and speech. The muhifunetionality of word class in use as a result of semantic change further proves that gradualness of semantic change is one of the motivations of gradient categorization. The related revisions also point to the fact that grammar comes from the usages that are social in nature.