语言意义的来源

The Origin of Linguistic Meaning

语言意义的来源问题是意义理论中一个非常重要的问题,它致力于探讨任一语言表达式为什么会具有这样或那样的意义。语言的意义与外在世界以及人类的内在认知相关,其来源在于二者相结合的部分。我们知道,理想的精确语言是一种逻辑语言,它严格地描绘出世界本来的样子,其语义与"真"概念紧密相连;而日常生活中的自然语言的意义则包含了语言主体的心理内容,在各种实现沟通的语言实践中起作用,须满足公共性和可交流性的要求。在这两个维度下,意义都体现出规范性的特征:前一方面本身有客观的规律可循,而后一方面则有规则或公共约定可依。因此,我们认为语言意义的来源是规范的。

The problem of the origin of linguistic meaning is foundational in meaning theories. It explores the question why a linguistic expression holds a meaning in one way or another. Linguistic meanings have everything to do with the world and man’s cognition,and its origin lies in a combination of the two. As is known,the precise logical language rigorously describes the world as it is,whose meaning is related to truth. While meanings of natural language involve mental contents of linguistic agents,which features in variable linguistic practice and stick to the requirement for commonality and communicability. In both the two dimensions above,meaning is normative: On one hand,there are objective laws to follow;on the other hand,there are rules or conventions to abide by. Therefore,we think that the origin of linguistic meaning is normal.