矛盾性的中文諺語與權變思維關係之初探

A Preliminary Inquiry into the Relationship between Antinomic Chinese Proverbs and the Contingent Thinking Style

本文主要分析因地制宜的權變思維如何處理中文矛盾性諺語，同時質疑傳統對諺語的界定。文中以權變思維說明諺語的選擇，是以滿足使用者現階段需求為標準；所以諺語的文字結構雖矛盾，但使用者卻可因需求的不同，而選擇性地運用諺語。此種因地制宜的思維策略，將可解除諺語矛盾性的現象。從權變的角度觀之，諺語僅是工具，本身不具獨立的功能，亦非一般人所認定的智慧或真理。諺語它可以被教化者引為規範個人行為的工具，但也可作為人們合理化自己行為的工具。

This article discuss as the functions of proverbs in everyday life and suggests that people's ability to avoid the potentially antinomic proverbs reflects an important cognitive feature in human thinking; namely, contingent thinking. People use proverbs selectively to justify their needs in a situation. Therefore, despite prevalence of antinomic proverbs, people are not usually aware of their existence. From this point of view, proverbs are used not because they are carriers of truths, but because of their instrumental value in a situation. Ideally, proverbs convey the normative principles of a society to its members. In reality, they often become the tools with which people use to justify their behaviors.