“操作”还是“行事”——基于《言语行为》中operant内涵的翻译批评

On “Operant”in Verbal Behavior and Its Translation

《言语行为》是斯金纳运用行为主义理论探讨语言问题的大胆尝试,他在书中所建立的术语体系备受学界质疑。斯金纳本人这样回应质疑的原因:学界未能深刻理解书中operant一词的内涵。本文梳理《言语行为》一书中的核心概念,包括行为、行事、言语行为、言语行事、言语反应,以及言语行事的三相依存关系,进而考察它们内在的区别与联系,指出《言语行为》中operant的核心是强调其对听者的影响。在探究operant所体现功能思想的基础上,比较汉语"操作"与"行事"的意义与用法,指出"行事"是符合斯金纳本意的最佳译法。

Verbal Behavior is Skinner s ambitious attempt to apply his Behaviorism in language exploration.Since its publication,the book has been criticized about the coined terms.In Skinner s view,the criticism might be unfair due to a poor understanding of the key term in the book-operant.This paper explores the meaning of operant and relations among the core concepts in Verbal Behavior-behavior,operant,verbal behavior,verbal operant,verbal operant and verbal response.Besides,the functional aspect of operant implies how to translate it properly.