论语言的简化现象及其成因

On Language Simplification and Its Causes

语言是一种社会现象 ,它随着社会的发展而发展 ,随着社会的变化而变化。所有活的语言都经历了变化过程 ,即便在差别最大的语言里也会发生非常相同的变化 ,而且都是朝简易的方向发展 ,这是因为人类倾向于最简易的表达方式。这一观点得到许多语言学家的支持。语言的简化现象反映在语音、词汇和句法方面 ,其产生过程受到语言、地域、心理、社会等诸多因素的影响和经济原则的驱动。研究语言简化现象对于把握语言发展的脉搏 ,更好地学习和运用语言具有一定的理论价值和实践意义。

Language is a social phenomenon. It changes with the social and cultural development. All the living languages have undergone the process of change and tend to develop in the same trend, i.e. the simple expression, because the human being prefers the simplest expression. Based on this view, the paper reviews the relevant researches made by many well-known linguists before examining the simplification in pronunciation, vocabulary and syntax,etc. and explores the process of simplification caused by such factors as linguistics, region, psychology and society, and driven by the principle of economy. A study of language simplification is of theoretical and practical significance, as it is helpful for understanding language development, learning and using language more effectively.