乔姆斯基语言学术思想在中国--简约性“神奇原则”的科学魅力

Impacts of Chomsky’s Language Theory in China:Enchantment of Simplicity as a“Miracle Creed”

乔姆斯基语言学术思想通过文献翻译、学术研究、会议组织和平台建设等多种渠道的传播,对中国语言学术界产生了巨大影响。从乔姆斯基学术思想的核心要义即简约性“神奇原则”来看,可以围绕语言的普遍性与差异性、语言系统的简约性以及理论建构与理论评价的标准与方法等3个核心论题加以梳理,其影响涉及的领域包括现代汉语、汉语方言、上古汉语、中国境内少数民族语言、儿童语言习得及老年语言认知等。乔姆斯基对中国的语言学学科建设理念也产生了深刻的影响:(1)语言学具有科学属性,可以是自然科学;(2)语言学是可以为其他众多学科提供研究课题、研究方法甚至研究范式的领先科学。

Revolving around the seminar concept of simplicity as the“Miracle Creed”,as claimed by Einstein and Chomsky,this paper attempts to appropriate its implications as emphasized by Chomsky and evaluate the impact this principle has on Chinese linguistic study.The paper fi rst off ers a recount of the translation and dissemination of Chomsky’s theory and ideas in China,with a focus mainly on literature translation and extensive local application,including topic-focus conferences ever organized and research platforms developed.Then,the bulk of the paper is devoted to the application of Chomsky’s theory in Chinese language study.It comprehensively reviews the research endeavors of Chinese scholars under the infl uence of Chomskyan linguistics,involving topics such as language universality vs.language diversity,the nature of simplicity principle,and methodologies regarding theory formulation and theory evaluation.These studies inspired by Chomsky’s theory range from Mandarin Chinese,Chinese dialects,ancient Chinese,and languages of ethnic minorities within China,to child language acquisition and elderly language cognition.In conclusion,the paper also examines the positive roles that Chomskyan ideas play in the construction of linguistics as an academic discipline in Chinese universities.