汉英词语理据对比

A Contrastive Study of Motivations in Chinese and English

词语理据指事物或现象获得名称的依据,是人对事物或现象的某些特征的概括。语言符号具有任意性,但同时又兼具理据性。任意性和理据性并不是完全对立的两个概念,不可将任何一方绝对化。语言理据具有民族性,各民族语言发生、变化、发展的动因各不相同,理据的隐显、强弱程度有别,因此,有了对比的理由和可能。探究语言理据,揭示创造和发展语言符号的动因,具有重要的理论意义。同时对于语言学习、语言教学和翻译也有重要的实践意义。

The motivation of words explains how things got their names and how the sounds, the formation and the meanings of words are related to their physical identities. Linguistic signs are arbitrary, and non-arbitrary. These two principles co-exist in harmony. Neither is absolute. Motivations of words vary in degree and opaqueness from language to language. That makes the comparison and contrast of the motivation of different languages possible. This paper attempts to make a contrastive study of the motivations of words in Chinese and English.