Synchronic

共时的

One of the two main temporal dimensions of linguistics investigation introduced by Ferdinand de Saussure, the other being diachronic. In synchronic linguistics, languages are studied at a theoretical point in time: one describes a ‘state’ of the language, disregarding whatever changes might be taking place. Most synchronic descriptions are of contemporary language states, but their importance as a preliminary to diachronic study has been stressed since Saussure. Linguistic investigations, unless specified to the contrary, are assumed to be synchronic; they display synchronicity.

瑞士语言学家菲迪南德·德·索绪尔引入语言学研究的两大时间维度之一，另一个是历时维度。共时语言学是研究理论上处于一个时点的语言：描写语言的一个“状态”，不管正在发生哪些变化。大多数共时描写都是描写当代的语言状态，但作为历时研究的预备，其重要性自索绪尔以来一直得到重视。语言研究，除非另有特别说明，一般认为是指共时研究。