Ferdinand de Saussure and Structural Linguistics

Bella Ross
21 Mar 201405:14

Summary

TLDRFerdinand de Saussure, a pioneering Swiss linguist, established structural linguistics, introducing language as a system of contrasts and equivalences. His key concepts include the 'sign,' composed of the signifier (sounds/letters) and the signified (concepts), highlighting the arbitrary connection between them. He differentiated between 'langue' (the language system) and 'parole' (individual language use), and between 'synchrony' (studying language at a single point in time) and 'diachrony' (its evolution over time). Saussure's ideas transformed the study of language, emphasizing its structural nature.

Takeaways

  • 📚 Structural Linguistics is a theory introduced by Ferdinand de Saussure, viewing language as a structured system.
  • 👨‍🏫 Saussure is often regarded as the father of modern linguistics, a title sometimes shared with Noam Chomsky.
  • 📖 Saussure's most influential work, 'Course in General Linguistics,' was published posthumously in 1916.
  • 🔤 In Structural Linguistics, language consists of linguistic objects (like words or sounds) that are defined by their contrast with others in the system.
  • 🔗 A linguistic sign is made up of two parts: the 'signifier' (sound or letters) and the 'signified' (the concept).
  • 🎲 The relationship between the signifier and signified is arbitrary, as there’s no inherent reason why words are attached to their meanings.
  • 🗣️ Saussure differentiates between 'langue' (the abstract system of language) and 'parole' (the individual use of language).
  • ⏳ Synchrony refers to analyzing a language system at one point in time, while diachrony refers to its evolution over time.
  • 🛤️ The syntagmatic axis deals with the sequence of words or sounds, while the paradigmatic axis deals with how words or sounds can replace each other.
  • 🌐 Saussure's approach to language is structural, meaning linguistic meaning is derived from contrasts with other elements in the system, independent of social or cultural factors.

Q & A

  • Who is credited with founding the field of structural linguistics?

    -Ferdinand de Saussure, a Swiss linguist, is credited with founding the field of structural linguistics.

  • What is structural linguistics?

    -Structural linguistics is the idea that language is a system of contrast and equivalence. Language consists of linguistic objects, such as words or sounds, which are defined by their contrasts with other objects within the language system.

  • What is Saussure’s concept of a linguistic sign?

    -Saussure’s linguistic sign consists of two parts: the 'signifier,' which is the sound or written form of a word, and the 'signified,' which is the concept or idea that the word represents.

  • How does Saussure distinguish between the signified and the referent?

    -The 'signified' refers to the concept or idea of something in our minds, while the 'referent' is the actual, real-world object.

  • What does Saussure mean by saying the relationship between a signifier and its signified is arbitrary?

    -Saussure means that there is no inherent or natural connection between the signifier (e.g., the word 'cat') and the signified (the concept of a cat). The relationship is based on social convention.

  • What is the difference between 'langue' and 'parole' according to Saussure?

    -'Langue' refers to the abstract system of language, such as its grammar and phonology, while 'parole' refers to the actual use of language by individuals in specific situations.

  • What is the difference between synchrony and diachrony in linguistic analysis?

    -Synchrony refers to analyzing a language system at a single point in time, while diachrony refers to the study of how a language changes over time (historical linguistics).

  • What are the syntagmatic and paradigmatic axes in language?

    -The syntagmatic axis refers to the linear sequence of linguistic objects (e.g., the words in a sentence), while the paradigmatic axis refers to the set of objects that can replace each other in the same position within that sequence (e.g., replacing 'cat' with 'dog').

  • Why is structural linguistics considered a radical shift in the study of language?

    -Structural linguistics shifted the study of language away from social, cultural, or historical associations, focusing instead on language as a system of structural relations between linguistic objects.

  • How does meaning arise within a language system according to Saussure?

    -In Saussure's view, meaning arises through contrasts between linguistic objects. The meaning of an object is understood based on how it differs from other objects in the language system.

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Ähnliche Tags
Structural LinguisticsLanguage TheoryFerdinand SaussureSigns and SignifiersLanguage SystemsMeaning in LanguageSynchronic AnalysisDiachronic LinguisticsParadigm and SyntagmModern Linguistics
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