Speech

AnonymousThe Commercial Press · ChinaJul 2024

2.0

Word count: 8.2K words
Chapters: 1

Summary

Speech refers to people's use of language and has two senses: first, the process of speaking and writing, an activity of human beings, called speech activity or speech behavior; second, the words people speak and the things they write, also called speech works.

Editor's review

The book Speech takes the concept of "speech" as its object and unfolds it on two levels: one is the behavioral process of speaking and writing, i.e., speech activity or speech behavior; the other is the words people speak and the things they write, i.e., speech works. This distinction may seem simple, yet it touches on a fundamental question in language studies—are we studying the act of "speaking" or the "words spoken"? This edition is based on the original Republican-era Commercial Press printing, retaining the character of modern scholarly compilation, and is suitable as a conceptual primer for beginners in linguistics. Its value lies not in offering a systematic course but in helping readers clarify the everyday, loosely used terms "language" and "speech," laying a conceptual foundation for further reading in linguistics. While reading, reflect on your own daily expressive experience and consider how the two layers—behavior and works—interweave in actual communication.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers new to linguistics who need to clarify basic concepts
Liberal arts students interested in the distinction between speech behavior and speech works
Readers who wish to understand modern scholarly expression through an old printed edition
Primary and secondary school language teachers using it as a reference for conceptual clarification

Not a good fit for

Readers expecting a systematic linguistics textbook or a complete theoretical framework
Readers who only want practical speaking skills and expression training
Professional researchers who prefer contemporary cutting-edge linguistic schools

Reading tips

Begin with the opening definition of the two senses of "speech" and restate it in your own words before reading on.
While reading, jot down everyday examples where "speaking" and "the words spoken" are confused, and compare them with the text.
Read alongside the conceptual chapters of a modern introductory linguistics textbook to fill in theoretical background.
After finishing, try to explain the difference between speech activity and speech works to others in two sentences.

About the publisher

The Commercial Press China · Founded in 1897

"Republic-era Commercial Press Original Editions" refers to original books printed by The Commercial Press during the Republican period, not a separate publishing house. Judging from the 300 titles held in the collection, its publishing focus centers on classical poetry and lyrics, literary appreciation, classic works, military texts, prose and miscellaneous writings, and Eastern philosophy. Representative titles include Wang Guowei's Renjian Cihua, Zhong Rong's Shipin, the lyric collections of Xin Qiji and Liu Yong, Sun Wu's The Art of War, and Lü Buwei's Xianshi Lan. Its author resources are mainly classical writers, together with modern scholars such as Li Jingbang and Guo Huaruo, whose collations and annotations are also represented, giving the list a character centered on original texts while attending to annotation and appreciation. Public information on the precise Republican-era catalog and printings is limited; this overview is based only on the titles held in the collection.

版权信息

FAQ

What is the difference between "speech" and "language"?

According to the book's definition, speech emphasizes people's concrete use of language, including the behavioral process of speaking and writing and the works produced; language leans more toward the sign system itself that is used. One is concrete use, the other a systemic tool; grasp this distinction while reading to avoid mixing them up.

Is this book a systematic linguistics textbook?

No. Judging from the materials, the book offers conceptual explanation around the two senses of "speech," and its length and format are closer to a thematic analysis than a systematic course. Those seeking a complete linguistic framework should use another textbook; this book is suitable as supplementary reading for conceptual introduction.

Will the Republican-era original printing be hard to read?

Possibly. The characters, punctuation, and expressive habits of old typesetting differ somewhat from today's, and may feel unfamiliar at first. It is advisable to slow down; for difficult sentences, grasp the general meaning first rather than sticking to every word, and keep the focus on understanding the two core definitions.

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About the author

Anonymous Author

Anonymous is not a real personal name but a general Chinese designation for authors whose names are unknown, lost, or unsigned. Neither nationality nor dates of birth and death can be verified, and available public information is limited, so the works attributed to this name are the only basis for description. The collection holds 2,078 works under Anonymous, spanning medicine, classics, historical readings, ancient poetry, classical literature, and philosophy. Representative works include The Yellow Emperor's Inner Canon: Lingshu, Mencius, The Book of Documents, Nineteen Old Poems, Complete Song Ci, and The Peacock Flies Southeast. Most of these works took shape through long transmission and editing, emerging either from collective folk creation or from authors whose names were lost over time. In ancient China, the Book of Songs, the Great Learning, and many popular storybooks and plays were signed Anonymous because their authors could not be traced. Anonymous works cross the classics, histories, philosophical writings, medical texts, and poetry; their subjects are broad, and their styles vary from archaic simplicity to clear naturalness, making them important and influential sources for understanding ancient Chinese thought, medicine, and literature.