语言、话语与中国的对外传播

Language,Discourse and the Dissemination of Chinese Culture

语言是构建话语的关键性因素,话语是语言的运用。语言具有指向性、传播性、描述性、逻辑性、民族性等功能和特征,如果在运用语言时忽视了这些功能和特征,就会产生相应的“问题话语”。长期以来,困扰中国对外传播的一个重要问题是:究竟用什么样的话语来说服世界。诚然,中国已经拥有了独特的话语,但中国话语的目的就是要试图说服世界,究竟以什么样的方式即如何运用语言来说服世界才是最关键的。社会科学知识大致包括两类:一类是本土的地方性知识,另一类是全球的普遍性知识。一方面,由于普遍性主要是来自西方,所以东方国家长期来面临着社会科学本土化的任务;另一方面,本土化知识必须要走向世界,使之转化成为普遍性知识。中国对外传播就是中国本土化知识走向世界并转化为普遍性知识的过程。鉴于此,中国话语必须要具有可对话性、可理解性、可接受性,此外还要克服话语的自恋、孤僻、偏执和对抗性,要善于利用可置换性的文化符号进行话语对接和语境的塑造。

Language is a key factor in discourse construction and discourse in turn reflects the application of language.Language has the functions and features such as directiveness,dissemination,description,logics and ethnicity.If these functions or features are ignored in the application,“problematic discourses”may occur.For a long time,a major issue in the dissemination of Chinese culture is:What kind of discourse can be used to persuade the world?Obviously,China has got its unique discourse.The paramount purpose of Chinese discourse is to persuade the world.The key point is in what way or how to use language to persuade the world.Generally,there are two kinds of knowledge in social sciences,that is,local knowledge and universal knowledge.On the one hand,an oriental state has a long-term task of localizing social sciences since universal knowledge mainly comes from the West.On the other hand,local knowledge must be transformed into universal knowledge otherwise it cannot be accepted in the world.The dissemination of Chinese culture is also the process of transforming local knowledge into universal knowledge.For that reason,Chinese discourse must be suitable for dialogues,understandable and acceptable.In addition,we shall also avoid self-obsession,solitariness,paranoid and antagonism so as to master the skill of using replaceable cultural signs to conduct the dialogues and create a sound language environment.