Saussures definition of language :: essays research papers

Most studies of language take a diachronic climb up that emphasised, for instance, a "cause/effect" or sequential view of sum and communication. Saussure used a synchronic method of study that looked at simultaneous relationships. One result of the synchronic method was Saussures insistence on the double nature of language and linguistic elements.Saussure insisted on the authoritative nature of language Language is a structure, a functioning full-page in which the different parts ar determined by bingle another (Course in General Linguistics p. 9). The combined elements of parole and langue imprint language. Language states Saussure, manifests itself as speech (parole), the actual performance of speakers when they speak or write, withal language (langue), which represents the knowledge or competence that all speakers give of their language (Course in General Linguistics p. 8- 9).Speech says Saussure, has both an soul and social side always implies both establish s ystem and maturation (Course in General Linguistics p. 8). All changes in language materialize in parole, in the actual speech act. But only around of these changes become institutionalised in langue. Saussure states that langue, should not be mixed-up with human speech, it is a system or structure of speech codes. He argued that linguistic elements are relational, that it is viewpoint that creates the object of linguistic study. Because so some(prenominal) depends on viewpoint, the nature of the linguistic star sign is necessarily arbitrary.Saussure followed that if we are able to recognise things through mental representations, then the brain also has to recognise manner of speaking we hear via mental representations, in conjunction with distinguishing what the words mean via representations. From this, Saussure goes on to make the sign the unity of sound-image and concept. indeed like Aristotle he seems to think that there are mental facts (concepts). He does not believe however of the sound as a sign of those concepts, rather that the sound that travels due to the physical disturbance in the line of reasoning (is associated with a mental representation of the sound) the sound-image.