不可动摇的语言符号任意性原则——再读索绪尔《普通语言学教程》

近年来,许多学者对索绪尔的任意性原则提出了挑战,并以语言符号的可论证性或象似性特征为依据,对任意性特征进行否定。根据符号、能指和所指的关系提出语言产生的模式,并针对"可论证"说和"象似"说对任意性原则提出的挑战进行商榷和反驳。我们的结论是:任意性是语言符号不可动摇的原则;可论证性或象似性只能是置于任意性这一根本原则之下的补充,而不可能替代任意性。

Arbitrariness As an Unbreakable Principle of the Linguistic Sign: Rereading Saussure's Course in General Linguistics

During the recent years,many scholars have aired challenging viewpoints concerning the principle of arbitrariness from the perspective of motivation or iconicity and have even made attempts to negate the arbitrariness of the linguistic sign.The author of the present paper manages to construct a language production model on the basis of the relationship between sign,signifier and signified,and presents his views concerning the theories of "motivation" and "iconicity".The conclusion is that arbitrariness is an unbreakable principle of the linguistic sign;motivation or iconicity can be a mere supplement to the understanding of language under the fundamental principle of arbitrariness instead of a substitute for arbitrariness.