On The Issues Of Language In Merleau-Ponty's Horizon Of Existentialism

Phenomenologist Merleau-Ponty combines phenomenology with French existentialism,and forms his unique existential-phenomenology which is founded on the phenomenal body and the perceptual experience.Merleau-Ponty attaches great importance to language problems,so his philosophical emphasis on experience reflects existential features in the process of being "to the language itself".This paper traces back the theoretical origins of Merleau-Ponty's existential language thought from phenomenology,existentialism and structural linguistics,and clarifies the key concepts:"body" and "perception".Merleau-Ponty's existential language thought can be divided into early,middle and late stages.In the early stage,Merleau-Ponty subordinates language problems to the problems of perception and body,because his main philosophical concern rests on the world of perception and the transference from transcendental consciousness to the body-subject.The existential feature of language is discovered by Merleau-Ponty.In the middle stage,Merleau-Ponty launches a full range of thinking on language,and his phenomenology of language highlights the centrality of language praxis,and the close relationship between language and body-subject's existential experience is on the rise.Language fully demonstrates its transcendence and alterity.In the late stage,Merleau-Ponty treats language on the ontological level,and language is given the equal status to Being.Language is not only reflected in existence,but also reflected in Being.Merleau-Ponty's existential language thought is mainly featured by the phenomenological approach,existentialism and inclusiveness.Moreover,Merleau-Ponty's existential language thought has an important influence on the shift of traditional language research paradigm,the pragmatic turn of language philosophy and the reflection and overcoming of binary opposites in modern philosophy.