Constantine 1 University

Lecturer: Ms. Mouleme Manel

2nd year Linguistics

European Structuralism-Ferdinand de SaussreStructuralism

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 modern
linguistics. 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 diachrony
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 wordimages stored in the minds of individuals (p411).
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Parole= is the actual, concrete act of a person-a dynamic, social activity in a particular time
and place(Crystal, 1997, 410).

Concept
Sound image

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 called syntagmatic (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
paradigmatic or associative (Crystal,1997, 411)
Syntagmatic

She

can +

go

.
Paradigmatic

.
He

will +

run

may +

sit

You
Etc

might+

see

etc

etc.
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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 (2nd ed). 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.(2nd ed). Oxon:
Routledge.
Widdowson, H.G.(1996). Linguistics. Oxford: Oxford University Press.