著者

立本 秀洋

出版者

日本英語表現学会

雑誌

英語表現研究 (ISSN:09104275)

巻号頁・発行日

vol.36, pp.49-63, 2019-06-01 (Released:2019-11-11)

参考文献数

10

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Language is indispensable part of the philosophy of Mikhail Bakhtin, who is known for his explanation of what underlies Dostoevskii’s and Rabelais’ ways of composing their works. He criticizes the theories on language proposed by Saussure and Vossler, saying that one should see language as being intertwined with the contexts where it is used. Language is neither a concrete system nor a medium in which one can see their thoughts expressing themselves. In Bakhtin’s view, language does not exist unless someone uses it, but no one can use it at their own will because there exist form and rules that restrict one’s free use of it. Nevertheless, one does not need to be conscious of form when speaking in their mother tongue, so it can be said that in mother tongue, language is automatic to some extent. In this sense, “a foreign language” should be considered not only as a language spoken by people in a foreign country but also as a language that does not grant one the automatic use. It is in learning foreign languages that one has to encounter form and rules of language. That is where one is required to be active and responsible in exercising their language ability.