文字系统初探:汉字和字母文字

本文通过对中国汉字和字母书写系统(表音文字)之间的比较,展示了汉字作为表意文字的典型所具有的属性。本文首先运用了认知语言学以及语言哲学的观点探讨了汉字的“意象”和“全息”;然后对一些被认为是理所当然的传统观点(如汉字比字母文字复杂、落后)进行了讨论;最后文章提出汉字有其存在发展的理据,应充分加以认识。

Approaching Writing Systems: Chinese Characters versus Alphabetic Writing System

Through the comparison between Chinese characters and alphabetic writing system(phonograph),this paper exhibits the distinctive features of Chinese characters as the typical example of ideograph.Firstly,this paper makes use of some theories in cognitive linguistics and philosophy of language to explore the "image" and "holograph" of characters.Then discusses even refutes some traditional points of view,such as characters are more complicated and less advanced than alphabetic writing system.Finally,the paper proposes that characters have the motivation for its existence and development which should be fully understood and investigated.