Saussure, Ferdinand de

Saussure, Ferdinand de
(1857–1913)
Swiss linguist generally considered the father of structural linguistics, and of structuralism in its wider application. Saussure locates the study of linguistics in the synchronic relationships of langue rather than parole : the structural and common aspects of language responsible for its use as a medium of communication. Signs, which for Saussure are combinations of signifier and signified (something like a concept or element of thought, rather than a thing that is represented), are the product of ‘systems of differences’: a sign has the value that it does in virtue of its place in a network of other possible choices. In his famous phrase, ‘there are only differences’. A word has its place in a sentence or other stretch of discourse (its ‘syntagmatic’ relations) but also its ‘associative’ relations with other words of its family (the terms that might be listed as partial substitutes in a thesaurus, for example). Saussure's work puts in its own vocabulary many of the distinctions of analytical semantic theory : see competence/performance, Sinn/Bedeutung, holism . His lectures were collected and published in 1916 as the Cours de linguistique générale (trs. as Course in General Linguistics, 1959).

Philosophy dictionary. . 2011.

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  • Saussure, Ferdinand de — born Nov. 26, 1857, Geneva, Switz. died Feb. 22, 1913, Geneva Swiss linguist. Though his only written work appeared while he was still a university student, Saussure became very influential as a teacher, principally at the University of Geneva… …   Universalium

  • Saussure, Ferdinand de — (1857 1913) A Swiss linguist who is generally considered to have been the founder of modern structural linguistics and, therefore, the grandfather of structuralism . The revolutionary nature of Saussure s work only became clear somewhat… …   Dictionary of sociology

  • Saussure, Ferdinand de — ► (1857 1913) Lingüista suizo formado en Leipzig. En 1879 publicó su Memoria sobre el sistema primitivo de las vocales en las lenguas indoeuropeas. Su Curso de lingüística general, publicado, sobre las notas de clase, por sus alumnos Ch. Bally y… …   Enciclopedia Universal

  • Saussure,Ferdinand de — Saus·sure (sō so͝orʹ, sürʹ), Ferdinand de. 1857 1913. Swiss linguist. The founder of structural linguistics, he declared that there is only an arbitrary relationship between a linguistic sign and that which it signifies. The posthumously… …   Universalium

  • Saussure, Ferdinand de — (1857 1913)    refer to the entries on semiotics and signifier, signified …   The Deleuze dictionary

  • Saussure, Ferdinand de —   (1857 1913)   see America , anagrams , hyper reality , nihilism , poetic resolution , semiotics , sign , simulation and value + structural law of value …   The Baudrillard dictionary

  • Saussure, Ferdinand de — (1857 1913)    refer to the entries on semiotics and signifier, signified …   The Deleuze dictionary

  • Saussure — Saussure, Ferdinand de …   Philosophy dictionary

  • Saussure — Saussure, Ferdinand de …   Dictionary of sociology

  • Ferdinand De Saussure — Pour les articles homonymes, voir Saussure. Ferdinand de Saussure Linguiste occidental XIXe siècle …   Wikipédia en Français

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