观念论和随意性——洛克的规定主义语言观

十七世纪英国哲学家洛克的语言观建构于经验主义认识论的基础之上。语词与事物间存在着“观念” 这一中介,表指关系成了私密的个人行为,这就对符号行为的主体间性构成了威胁。洛克的五条规则和定义法表 明他的语言观是规定主义的。尽管洛克对语义发展和语义扩展有独到见解,并且对十九世纪以后的语言学发展有 深远的影响,但这些影响大都不是直接的。

Ideational Theory and Voluntariness--Normativism in Locke's Conception of Language

This paper probes into John Locke’s conception of language. It is argued that Locke’s conception of language is based theoretically on his empiricist epistemology. Lock argues that a word has no direct relationship with the object it refers to, idea is the medium; however, an ideational theory like this couldn’t work well, because not all ‘ideas’ can be found. Signification for Locke is but a type of private, personal behavior, which is a threat to the intersubjectivity of semiotic behavior. From a modern linguistic viewpoint, Locke’s conception of language is normative. Locke has initial insight into the mechanism of semantic development, and his ideology has far-reaching influence, though the influence is indirect in most cases.