英：psychoanalysis; 法：psychanalyse; 德：Psychoanalyse
精神分析是由西格蒙德·弗洛伊德 (1856一1939)基于无意识的发现而开创的理论与实践。弗洛伊德把精神分析区分为 (1)一种研究无意识心理过程的方法：(2)一种治疗神经症性障碍的方法：以及 (3)由精神分析的研究方法与治疗方法所揭示出来的一套有关心理过程的理论 (Freud, 1923a:SEXVⅢ，235)。因此，“精神分析”一词就其本身而言便是带有歧义性的，因为它既可以指涉作为一种实践的精神分析，又可以指涉作为一种理论的精神分析，抑或两者皆可。在这部辞典中，当有必要避免此种歧义性的时候，“精神分析治疗”这一术语便被用来指涉作为一种实践的精神分析，而“精神分析理论”这一术语则被用来指涉作为一组思想的精神分析。
拉康起初接受的是精神科医生的训练，同时转向精神分析以辅助他的精神病学研究。于是，这便使拉康在1930年代亲自接受了精神分析家的训练。从此时起，一直到1981年他逝世为止，拉康都在致力于作为分析家的实践与发展精神分析的理论。在这一过程中，拉康建构出了一种极其独创的方式来讨论精神分析，这也同时体现并决定了一种极其独创的方式来操作治疗。因而，在此种意义上，我们便能够言及一种带有“拉康派”特色的精神分析治疗形式。然而，拉康从不承认自己创造了一种带有“拉康派”特色的精神分析形式。相反，当他描述自己从事精神分析的取径之时，他都仅仅是讲“精神分析”，从而便暗示他自己的取径是精神分析的唯一真正的形式，是唯一真正依循了弗洛伊德式方法的形式。因而，在拉康看来，三种主要的非拉康派的精神分析理论学派（即克莱因派精神分析[KLEINIAN PSYCHOANALYSIS]、自我心理学[EGO-PSYCHOLOGY]以及对象关系理论[OBJECT-RELATIONS THEORY])便统统背离了真正的精神分析，而他自己回到弗洛伊德便是旨在纠正这些学派的错误（见：回到弗洛伊德[REUD, RETURN TO]).
从一开始，拉康便认为精神分析理论是一种科学性而非宗教性的话语模式 (见：科学[SCIENCE]), 而且有着明确的对象。那些旨在把从精神分析中发展出来的概念应用于其他对象的做法，皆无法宣称自己是在进行“应用精神分析”(appliedpsychoanalysis), 因为精神分析理论并非一种关涉普遍性的主人话语，而是关于一种特定情境的理论 (E℃，747)。精神分析是一门自主的学科，虽然它可能从很多其他的学科借取了一些概念，但是这并不意味着它便依赖于其中的任何学科，因为它会以一种独特的方式来重新修改这些概念。因而，精神分析便既非隶属于心理学 (PSYCHOLOGY)的分支 (S20,77), 也非隶属于医学的分支，亦非隶属于哲学 (PHILOSOPHY)的分支 (S20,42),更非隶属于语言学 (LINGUISTICS)的分支 (S20,20)。当然，精神分析也不是一种心理治疗的形式 (Ec, 324), 因为它的目标并非是“治愈”，而是道出真理。
(psychanalyse) Psychoanalysis is the theory and practice initiated by Sigmund Freud (1856-1939) founded on the discovery of the unconscious. Freud distinguishes betweenpsychoanalysis as (i) a method for investigating unconscious mental processes, (ii) amethod for treating neurotic disorders, and (iii) a set of theories about the mentalprocesses revealed by the psychoanalytic method of investigation and treatment (Freud, 1923a: SE XVIII, 235). The word 'psychoanalysis'on its own is therefore ambiguous, since it can refer to psychoanalysis as a practice, or to psychoanalysis as a theory, or toboth. In this dictionary, when it is necessary to avoid this ambiguity, thetermpsychoanalytic treatment'is used to refer to psychoanalysis as a practice and thetermpsychoanalytic theory'is used to refer to psychoanalysis as a body of thought.
Lacan trained initially as a psychiatrist, and turned to psychoanalysis to help him withhis psychiatric research. This then led Lacan to train as a psychoanalyst himself in the1930s. From then on, until his death in 1981, he dedicated himself to practising as ananalyst and developing psychoanalytic theory. In the process, Lacan constructed a highlyoriginal way of discussing psychoanalysis which both reflected and determined anoriginal way of conducting the treatment; in this sense it is thus possible to speak of aspecifically Lacanian form of psychoanalytic treatment. However, Lacan never admitsthat he has created a distinctive Lacanian'form of psychoanalysis. On the contrary, when he describes his own approach to psychoanalysis, he speaks only ofpsychoanalysis', thus implying that his own approach is the only authentic form ofpsychoanalysis, the only one which is truly in line with Freud's approach. Thus the threemajor non-Lacanian schoolsof psychoanalytictheory (KLEINIAN PSYCHOANALYSIS, EGO-PSYCHOLOGY, OBJECT-RELATIONS THEORY) areall, in Lacan's view, deviations from authentic psychoanalysis whose errors his ownreturn to Freud is designed to correct. (See FREUD, RETURN TO.)
From the very beginning, Lacan argues that psychoanalytic theory is a scientific ratherthan a religious mode of discourse (see SCIENCE), with a specific object. Attempts toapply concepts developed in psychoanalytic theory to other objects cannot claim to bedoing 'applied psychoanalysis', since psychoanalytic theory is not a general masterdiscourse but the theory of a specific situation (Ec, 747). Psychoanalysis is anautonomous discipline; it may borrow concepts from many other disciplines, but thisdoes not mean that it is dependent on any of them, since it reworks these concepts in aunique way. Thus psychoanalysis is not a branch of PSYCHOLOGY (S20,77), nor ofmedicine, nor of PHILOSOPHY (S20,42), nor of LINGUISTICS (S20,20), and it iscertainly not a form of psychotherapy (Ec, 324), since its aim is not to 'cure'but toarticulate truth.