语言是思维的物质外壳,字、词是语言自由运用的最基本单位,人们在语言实践中致力字、词的知识考古,在古与今、中与外的意义世界寻觅异同、探究因革,由字通词、由词通道,这恰与当下流行的概念史研究、词与物研究相贯通。这门兴味无穷的学问是历史的,也是文化的,故可命名“历史文化语义学”,它脱胎于中华历史悠久的训诂学,是从训诂这一劲拔的老干上生发出的生气盎然的新枝。
From Exegesis to Historical and Cultural Semantics
Feng Tianyu(Wuhan University)
Abstract Language is the material shell of thinking and characters and words are the most basic units in the free use of a language. In language practice, people always devote themselves to the archaeological study of the knowledge of characters and words, trying to figure out similarities and differences and explore the derivation and changes in a world of meaning, both ancient and modern, at home and abroad. By analyzing the meaning of characters, we can understand the connotation of words. By analyzing the meaning of words, the deeper Tao( 道 )can finally be thoroughly understood, which is just connected with the current popular study of conceptual history and the study of words and objects. This field of learning, sparkling end‐ less interest, is both historical and cultural, hence can be named "historical and cultural semantics". It is de‐ rived from the ancient Chinese exegetics and is a vibrant new branch issued from the vigorous old trunk of exegetics.
Key words name; characters and words; Tao(道); culture semantics
■ 作者简介 冯天瑜,武汉大学人文社会科学资深教授、中国传统文化研究中心名誉主任;湖北 武汉 430072。