Structure, Sign and Play in the Discourse of Human Science

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 We seem as a species to be driven by a desire to make meanings: above all, we are surely Homo significans - meaning-makers.

                                       -Daniel Chandler



To begin with we have to know about two individuals.

1. Ferdinand de Saussure (1857-1913)

• Swiss Linguist and Semiotician

• laid the groundwork for structuralism and modern linguistics

• Father of Semiology

• one should know of this important work of Saussure that was published by his students posthumously. It is- Course in General Linguistics (1916). This book contains of all Saussure's essays.

• Saussure's theory of sign, signifier, and signified comes under semiotics. His studies on signs are called semiology. In simple terms, Semiology is related to Saussure and Semiotics is an umbrella term used to refer to the study of signs.

• Ferdinand de Saussure due to his attitude and style of critique is regarded aa a structuralist philosopher.

 

2. Jacques Derrida  (1930 -2004 )

• Jacques Derrida, an influential and prolific philosopher of the 20th century challenged and gave a critical response to structuralism.

• Derrida questioned Ferdinand de Saussure's works on linguistics. Thus resulting in the inauguration of the theory of Deconstruction.


Key Pointers on Deconstruction: 

• it is a philosophical and critical theory approach that originated with French philosopher Jacques Derrida.

• involves analyzing and questioning the assumptions and structures underlying language, texts, and ideas, aiming to reveal hidden meanings and contradictions.

• it often challenges traditional binary oppositions and emphasizes the instability of meaning.


Understanding the relationship of sign, signifier, and SIGNIFIED 

- Sign, According to Saussure a sign consists of both signifier and signified.

Sign- A sign is a physical marker that carries some information and it gives direct and precise information about anything. It is opposed to symbols.

Eg- The gesture of waving a hand is a Sign. This gesture could be a sign of Hello or Bye.

A language consists of 2 parts- Signifier and Signified.


Signifier- Signifier is the actual sound when we utter any kind of word.

For instance, if we say 

" tree" The sound of the word tree comes under signifier.

Signified- When we pronounce any kind of word. It obviously carries a picture in our minds. For instance, when we say tree, definitely it gives a mental picture in my head that mental picture is called the signified.

Another example - is Apple.


Views of Derrida on Ferdinand Saussure s' idea of Sign, Signifier, and Signified:

- Jacques Derrida, the post-structuralist did not align with the idea put forward by Saussure. Derrida's' idea about the relationship between signifier and signified is not to be understood like Saussure.

-Derrida questioned the fixity of meaning that Saussure associated with the idea Sign, Signifier, and Signified.

-Derrida in his essay "Structure, Sign and Play in the Discourse of Human Science" aims to promote a multiplicity of meanings and understanding.

- For instance, there exist certain abstract words as signifiers whose signified is different in different individual's perspective.

For eg:- Beauty, Beauty is a signifier but the signified can vary from person to person. Beauty for me can give a different mental picture than it gives to you.

- He argued that meaning is not inherent in signs themselves but is created through a complex interplay of language, context, and interpretation.

- Derrida introduced the concept of "differance" suggesting the instability, and endless play of meanings in language.

- He argued that language doesn't have fixed meanings and that meaning is constantly deferred or deferred endlessly challenging the traditional notion of a fixed and stable relationship between signifier and signified.

- Derrida thus points out that every signifier produces a never-ending scope of meaning.

In this way, Derrida's point of view on Sign, Signifier, and Signified can be concluded.


The above note is a part of Group Discussion of B.A 5th Semester Student of Nazir Ajmal Memorial College of Education, Hojai  held under the supervision of Aditi Ghosh, Assistant Professor of Maryam Ajmal Memorial College of Science & Technology, Hojai.


Contributed by- (Sumaiya Parbin Choudhury, Mohsina Amin and Mirklirso Kronihangpi)

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