Exploring the Quantum Nature of Language: Philosophical Re-examination and Paradigm Reconstruction of the Theory of Norms and Exploitations

doi:10.3969/j.issn.1674-8921.2026.01.010

Abstract

Abstract:

Rooted in the deep integration of lexicography and corpus linguistics, Patrick Hanks’ Theory of Norms and Exploitations (TNE) constructs a lexically centered, corpus-driven, and bottom-up framework for language analysis. Conceptualizing natural language as a preference system characterized by intrinsic probability, the theory advocates employing statistical methods for its observation and description. This approach not only opens new avenues for corpus-based research but also consolidates the theoretical and empirical foundations of linguistics centered on lexical analysis. This paper demonstrates that the linguistic probability, uncertainty, and analogy revealed by TNE resonate deeply with the essential properties of quantum thinking: probability, uncertainty, and non-locality. Re-examining TNE through the lens of quantum philosophy not only deepens the understanding of its theoretical underpinnings but also reveals the quantum nature of language, providing a solid theoretical basis and a novel epistemological path for facilitating a paradigm shift in linguistic research.

Key words: Theory of Norms and Exploitations (TNE), quantum philosophy, probability, uncertainty, analogy

CLC Number:

WANG Renqiang, ZHAO Shiyu. Exploring the Quantum Nature of Language: Philosophical Re-examination and Paradigm Reconstruction of the Theory of Norms and Exploitations[J]. Contemporary Foreign Languages Studies, 2026, 26(1): 126-135.

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