「火輪船」、「火船」與「輪船」：近代輪船之指稱及其概念差異

Huolunchuan, ''Huochuan'', and ''Lunchuan''：The Signifier and Conceptual Distinctions of Modern Steamships

對於新事物的命名，正是人們企圖以自身認知世界之感官經驗，從舊有的使用方式之中，找尋和其具有相似性的事物，透過將其放入自身已知系統的其中一環，從而消解對此項未知事物的陌生感。作為西方航海東來的功臣，晚清人們以「火輪船」、「火船」與「輪船」稱呼那些停在港口的西洋船舶，而在這些音響結構的背後，人們也間接地透過稱呼，進行對於「西方」及其帶來之西學、戰火與交通方式改變之回應。語言乃是音響結構與概念之媒介，其組合而成之某一符號，必然形成和其它組合之間的分野，本研究企圖以「火輪船」、「火船」與「輪船」三個當時對於西洋船舶之指稱，梳理這些符號中所蘊含之經驗積累、侵略警惕與務實取向等，透過爬梳這些不同觀點的呈現，思考人們如何透過不同符號的歧異，進行對於西方世界之回應。

The naming of unfamiliar objects often reflects people’s efforts to understand the new through their own sensory and cognitive experiences of the world. By identifying similarities with previous modes of use and placing the unknown within an existing system of meaning, individuals attempt to reduce its unfamiliarity and integrate it into their known worldview.
As key agents of Western maritime expansion, steamships arriving in Chinese ports during the late Qing period were referred to by terms such as huolunchuan (wheel steamship火輪船), huochuan (wheel steamship火船), and lunchuan (wheel-boat輪船). These linguistic choices were not merely descriptive but embodied deeper cultural reactions to the West, including the influx of Western knowledge, the disruption brought by warfare, and the transformation of transportation systems.
Language serves as a medium between phonetic structure and conceptual meaning, and each linguistic sign necessarily differentiates itself from others. This study focuses on the three terms—huolunchuan, huochuan, and lunchuan—used to refer to Western ships, analyzing how they encapsulate layers of experiential knowledge, vigilance toward foreign encroachment, and pragmatic adaptation. By examining these divergent linguistic choices, this paper explores how late Qing society responded to the Western world through subtle shifts in terminology and symbolic meaning.