Naturalism vs Conventionalism
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Naturalism vs. Conventionalism
I. Naturalism and Conventionalism
At the very beginning of the existence of the linguistics, the problem of the origin of language and the meaning of language came into being. Until now, it is still a mystery and gives rise to much controversy. As far as the history of linguistics is concerned, in the ancient Greece, Platos dialogue the Cratylus has a clear and narrowly linguistic subject matter, specifically, the debate between conventionalism and naturalism in the theory of meaning. In the debate, hermogenes hold the view that language originated as a product of convention, so that the relationship between words and things is arbitrary. Whereas Cratylus holds the opposite position, that language came into being naturally and therefore an intrinsic relationship exists between words and things. It is an ability endowed by God. The debate thus basically presents the two opposite positions over the problem of the origin of the language.
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