再论语言的任意性和象似性

Redefining of Arbitrariness and Iconicity of Language

语言的象似性与任意性之争由来已久,雅各布逊(1965)被看作是象似性第一次对任意性提出的挑战。细查象似性与任意性的原委与分歧,会发现所谓的象似性对任意性的挑战违反了同一律,属于历时运作,是个别语言的特征而非语言的普遍的本质特征。对语言象似性的重新定位可以得出结论:象似性学说不构成对任意性原则的挑战和补充。

The disputes on arbitrariness and iconicity have long been debated. Jacobson （1965） is regarded as the first time to put forward challenges to arbitrariness from the perspective of iconicity. Based on this paper, if the careful inspection on the origins and differences of arbitrariness and iconicity is carried out,it＇s easy to detect that the so - called challenge from iconicity to arbitrariness violates the law of identity, belongs to the synchronic operation, and is the individual characteristic of language but not the universal nature. With the redefining of the characteristics of arbitrariness and iconicity of language, it＇ s easy to draw a conclusion ： the iconicity concept cannot be the challenge as well as supplement to the principle of arbitrariness.