早期中国互联网的技术隐喻与话语实践(1987-2003)

The Technological Metaphors and Discourse Practice of Chinese Internet at Early Times(1987-2003)

20世纪90年代以来,早期中国互联网超常规模的创新扩散一直是西方学界津津乐道的议题。不同于传统上聚焦互联网接入与使用情况的测量,本文从认知语言学"隐喻"的视角切入,将技术的创新扩散视为一种意义整合的社会过程,并围绕特定事件与案例重访了1987-2003年间关于中国互联网的历史叙事。研究发现,这一时期中国社会生成出诸如"盗火""信息高速公路""知识英雄""第二人生""广场""江湖""家园"等多种隐喻。其背后是国家政府、市场经济、网民群体、国际势力等多元行动者在具体历史语境下的复杂互动,并且民族主义作为意识形态的"纽结点"缝合了诸隐喻之间的裂痕与间隙,使隐喻体系保持了整体的连贯。以上也揭示出早期中国互联网在全球与本土、国家与社会、集体与个体之间所形成的微妙平衡以及其历史意义。

The remarkable innovation diffusion of the Chinese Internet at early times has attracted western scholars’ attention since the 1990 s. In contrast to the traditional researches which focus on measuring Internet access and usage,this paper regards the diffusion of new technologies as a social process of meaning integration through the approach of"metaphor" from cognitive linguistics. Specifically, the researchers analysed the historical narratives of the Chinese Internet from 1987 to 2003. It is found that the metaphors like"stealing fire""information superhighway""knowledge hero""second life""square""jianghu""homeland" emerged during this period. Behind it is the complex interaction of multiple actors such as the state government, market economy, netizens and western force in the specific and historical context. In addition, nationalism played a role of ideological "nodal point" to suture the cracks and gaps among metaphors, so that it guarantees the consistency of the whole metaphorical system. The above also reveals the delicate balance of the Chinese Internet at early times between the global and local, the country and society, the collective and individual as well as its historical significance.