本文試圖透過存有論詮釋學的觀點，闡釋在赫德《論語言的起源》一書中所涵蘊的「以音構義」的意義理論。我將先指出赫德對於Süßmilch的「語言上帝起源論」與Condillac的「語言動物起源論」的批判，係基於他發現到在語言哲學中一直存在著音義背離的兩難問題。赫德試圖透過建立「聽覺的存有論優位性」、「語言與理性的同構性」與「語言的世界開顯性」等論點，來說明語音對於語意建構的重要性。並藉此為語言的情感表達性、世界開顯性、與溝通互動性等三方面的作用，做出統一的解釋。本文將據此闡述赫德開啟哲學的語言學轉向的思想功績所在。

This paper contains a reinterpretation of J. G. Herder’s “Essay on the Origin of Language” from an ontological hermeneutic perspective. The author points out that the proposal of Herder for his philosophy of language presents a theory of meaning which emphasizes the important role of voice in the construction of meaning of words. Herder criticizes both of Süßmilch’s “theory of god’s origin of language” and Condillac’s “theory of animal origin of language”, because they cannot overcome the antinomy between meaning and voice in the traditional philosophy of language. In each side of this antinomy the functions of language will be narrowed. In order to bridge the gap between the two Herder developed his theory of meaning in which “the ontological priority of hearing”, “the co-construction of language and reason” and “the world-disclosing function of language” are explained.