Ferdinand de Saussure Lecture

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    Constantine 1 University Lecturer: Ms. Mouleme Manel

    2ndyear Linguistics

    European Structur ali sm-F erdinand de Saussre-

    Structuralism

    As it is defined by Richards and Schmidt (2002) it is an approach to linguistics

    which stresses the importance of language as a system (p519). Therefore, language is no

    longer seen as separate units ( such as sounds, words, sentence) but as a structured system.

    Ferdinand de Saussure

    Ferdinand de Saussure is a Swiss scholar and often known as the father of modernlinguistics. He is also known for his book Cours de Linguistique Generale which is a

    collection of his lectures since he died without having written any major work on general

    linguistics. But thanks to his students and colleagues who have collected his lecture notes

    after his death to be that famous book (1916) which had a great influence on linguistics

    especially in Europe. He is also famous for the dichotomies he made as:

    - Langue and parole

    -Diachrony vs synchrony

    -Signifier vs signified

    -paradigmatic vs syntagmatic

    His crucial contribution is that all language items are essentially interlinked and that

    language is carefully built structure of interwoven elements. Therefore, linguists since de

    Saussure were structural, as structural means the recognition that language is a patterned

    system composed of interdependent elements, rather than a collection of unconnected

    individual elements.

    1.Synchrony vs diachr ony

    Synchronic(syn=alike, chronos=time) means to study language as it is (or was) at any

    particular point in time i.e, it is the analysis of a language at a single point of time without

    giving any attention to the other historical events.

    Diachronic (dia=through, chronos=time) It is to look at the way in which a language

    develops or changes over time( Buer,2007,p43)

    2.Langue vs parole

    Langue= is the abstract system (social code). Crystal (2007) defines it as the sum of word-images stored in the minds of individuals (p411).

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    Parole= isthe actual, concrete act of a person-a dynamic, social activity in a particular time

    and place(Crystal, 1997, 410).

    3.Language as a system of signs: the linguistic sign as arbitrary union of a signifier and a

    signified

    To introduce his distinction between signifier/ signified, de Saussure defines language

    as being a symbolic system based on pure or arbitrary convention infinitely extendible and

    modifiable according to the needs and the conditions of the speakers

    De Saussure said that there are two sides of the study of meaning, but he stressed the

    idea that the relation between them is arbitrary. He called the two sides as sigifiant( the thing

    that signifies or sound image) and signifi( the thing signified, or concept) this

    relationship which de saussure called the linguistic sign (Crystal, 1997). Therefore langue is

    seen as a system of signs (Crystal , 1997).

    4.Syntagmatic vs Paradigmatic

    If a sign is in a linear sequence, the relationship is calledsyntagmatic(Crystal,1997).

    It means that this relation is of combination

    If a sign is contrasting with other signs in the sentence the relationship is called

    paradigmaticor associative (Crystal,1997, 411)

    Syntagmatic

    She + can + go

    .

    Paradigmatic .

    He + will + run

    I + may + sit

    You + might+ see

    Etc etc etc.

    Concept

    Sound image

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    Suntagmatic vs. paradigmatic (Crystal,1997 ,411)

    References

    Bauer , L.(2007). The Linguistics Students Handbook.Edinburgh: Edinburgh

    University Press.

    Crystal, D.(1997). The Cambridge Encyclopedia of Language(2nded). Cambridge:

    Cambridge University Press.

    Fichards, J. C, and Schmidt, R. (2002).Longman Dictionary of Language Teaching

    and Applied Linguistics. London: Longman.

    Stockwell , P.(ed)(2007).Language and Linguistics. The Key Concepts.(2nded). Oxon:

    Routledge.

    Widdowson, H.G.(1996).Linguistics. Oxford: Oxford University Press.