Saussurean Tradition in Linguistics

Abstract

This chapter elaborates Saussurean tradition in linguistics. The Swiss linguist Ferdinand de Saussure established his reputation at an early age, with his 1878 monograph Memoire sur le Systeme primitif des voyelles dans les langues indo-européennes. To trace the Saussurean tradition in 20th century linguistics, the chapter considers nine key elements of Saussure's view of language. For each a summary is given of the condition prior to Saussure, of Saussure's own view, and of how his view has shaped linguistic inquiry in the years since the publication of the Cours. Saussure's problem was to delineate a study of language that would be neither historical nor ahistorical, neither psychological nor apsychological; yet more systematic than Whitneyan general linguistics, so as to be at least the equal in intellectual and methodological rigor to the historical, psychological, and phonetic approaches. The idea that speech is the original and primal form of language, and writing a secondary imitation of speech, runs counter to the general popular accordance of greater prestige to writing.