语言的定义

语言观的问题是语言研究的首要问题,是关系到语言研究的理论、目标、范围、途径、方法、重点、结果,乃至语言政策的制定等的关键问题。但语言学家在语言观上的分歧之大出人意料。本文搜集了自十九世纪初迄今六十多种关于语言的定义,分析了语言学家对这种分歧采取的四种态度,据此而认为“语言是人类认知世界及进行表述的方式和过程”。

Definitions of Language

A proper definition is of vital importance in the study of languages, which leads to the solution of such important issues as theory, target, scope, way to pursue, methodology, emphasis, result, and even adoption of language policy. However, for the past two centuries there has been a surprisingly great diversity among linguists as to what language is. This paper collects more than 60 definitions since the early 19th century, analyzes four different attitudes of the linguists towards the divergence, and finally proposes a new and tentative definition for further discussion.