作为文化的语法--功能语言学的人类学解释

Grammar as culture: An anthropological interpretation of Hallidayan linguistics

本文认为系统功能语言学从本质上讲是一种人类学或人种学的语言研究方法。如果我们不指出这一点,系统功能语言学在中国很有可能被误读,至少可以说被肤浅地对待。系统功能语言学的主要贡献在于社会语言学、人种语言学。它代表的是语言研究的人文主义传统,终极的研究目标在于社会、文化中的人。系统功能语言学是关于经验、社会、文化的理论。我们关于文化的视角不同于一般文化、文明研究的学者,是一种语言/语法的视角;我们关于语言的视角不同于主流语言学学者,是一种社会或社会符号学的视角。

This paper argues that systemic functional linguistics is essentially an anthropological or ethnographical way of looking at language. If this feature is not pointed out, Hallidayan linguistics must be misread, or at least superficially treated. The main contribution of systemic functional linguistics is in sociolinguistics and ethnolinguistics. It represents the humanistic tradition of language studies and the ultimate goal of this school of language studies lies in human beings insociety and culture. It is a theory about experience, society and culture. Different from scholars on culture and civilization studies, our perspective on culture is one of linguistics. And different from mainstream linguistics, our perspective on language is one of society, or more exactly, of social semiotics.