Zlatev Jordan
Lund University, Centre for Languages and Literature, Box 201, 221 00 Lund, Sweden.
J Physiol Paris. 2008 Jan-May;102(1-3):137-51. doi: 10.1016/j.jphysparis.2008.03.016. Epub 2008 May 27.
How can we reconcile the conception of language as a conventional-normative semiotic system with a perception/action-based account of its structure and meaning? And why should linguistic meaning--as opposed to linguistic expression--be so closely related to motor activity and its neural underpinnings, as suggested by recent findings? A conceptual framework and evolutionary scenario building on the concept of bodily mimesis [Zlatev, J., 2005. What's in a schema? Bodily mimesis and the grounding of language. In: Hampe, B. (Ed.), From Perception to Meaning: Image Schemas in Cognitive Linguistics. Mouton de Gruyter, Berlin, pp. 313-343] imply answers to these questions. The article presents evidence for a particular evolutionary stage model by reviewing recent evidence on the capacity of non-human primates for intersubjectivity, imitation and gestural communication, and from neuroscientific studies of these capacities in monkeys and human subjects. It is argued that "mirror neuron" systems can subserve basic motoric and social capacities, but they need to be considerably extended in order to provide an efficient basis for bodily mimesis, and even more so for language. It is argued that while language may be ultimately "grounded" in perception and action, it is essential not to try to reduce it to them.
我们如何能将语言视为一种约定俗成的规范性符号系统的概念，与基于感知/行动的语言结构和意义解释相协调呢？而且，正如最近的研究结果所表明的，为什么语言意义（与语言表达相对）会与运动活动及其神经基础如此紧密相关呢？一个基于身体模仿概念的概念框架和进化场景[兹拉特夫，J.，2005年。图式中有什么？身体模仿与语言的基础。载于：汉佩，B.（编），《从感知到意义：认知语言学中的意象图式》。缪尔敦·德·格鲁伊特出版社，柏林，第313 - 343页]暗示了对这些问题的答案。本文通过回顾关于非人类灵长类动物的主体间性、模仿和手势交流能力的最新证据，以及对猴子和人类受试者这些能力的神经科学研究，为一个特定的进化阶段模型提供了证据。有人认为，“镜像神经元”系统可以辅助基本的运动和社交能力，但它们需要大幅扩展，以便为身体模仿提供一个有效的基础，对语言来说更是如此。有人认为，虽然语言最终可能“基于”感知和行动，但至关重要的是不要试图将其简化为感知和行动。
