否定与开放:关于“语言起源”假说的哲学反思

Denial and Openness: Philosophical Reflection on Language Origin Hypothesis

自人类有意识伊始,就已开始不断探索语言起源问题,从悠久的神授说到现代科学视域下的实证研究都在摸索探寻语言的起源和本质。然而,至今依然是假说林立,莫衷一是。之所以出现假说的内在矛盾,原因在于:首先,这些假说都力图从肯定的视域来界定语言是什么,探析语言缘何而起,发掘语言之功用,它们越从肯定视域解释语言起源或本质,自身假说的限度和力度就越有限;其次,是研究理路的内在差异性;最后,就是对于语言、起源概念的认知差异。因此,本文试图从否定式的视域重新厘定关于语言起源的重要假说,剖析其研究理路,以语言作为生命实践为理据,探究语言起源背后的深层哲学问题。

Ever since people had consciousness,they began to explore language origin from the perspectives of divine rights to empirical study of modern times. Despite the efforts,language origin remains a hypothesis. The reason mainly lies in the fact that hypothesis tries hard to define what language is,what its origin is and what functions it plays from a positive perspective. This makes hypothesis less convincing. Moreover,inner differences exist in the study routes of hypothesis. Finally,there are cognitive differences as to language origin. In light of these,this paper,taking language as a kind of life practice,tries to probe into the philosophical issue that lies behind language origin by reshaping language origin hypothesis from a negative perspective.