Linguistic Sign
A Linguistic Sign is a sign that ...
- See: Langue and Parole, Phonetic, Grapheme, Phone (Phonetics), Ideation (Idea Generation), Referent, Natural Language, Sign.
References
2018
- (Wikipedia, 2018) ⇒ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sign_(linguistics) Retrieved:2018-3-6.
- There are many models of the linguistic sign. A classic model is the one by the Swiss linguist Ferdinand de Saussure. According to him, language is made up of signs and every sign has two sides (like a coin or a sheet of paper, both sides of which are inseparable):
the signifier (French signifiant), the "shape" of a word, its phonic component, i.e. the sequence of graphemes (letters), e.g., <"c">-<"a">-<"t">, or phonemes (speech sounds), e.g. /kæt/
the signified (French signifié), the ideational component, the concept or object that appears in our minds when we hear or read the signifier e.g. a small domesticated feline
(The signified is not to be confused with the “referent”. The former is a "mental concept", the latter the "actual object" in the world)
Saussure's understanding of sign is called the two-side model of sign.
Furthermore, Saussure separated speech acts (la parole) from the system of a language (la langue). Parole was the free will of the individual, whereas langue was regulated by the group, albeit unknowingly.
Saussure also postulated that once the convention is established, it is very difficult to change, which enables languages to remain both static, through a set vocabulary determined by conventions, and to grow, as new terms are needed to deal with situations and technologies not covered by the old.
- There are many models of the linguistic sign. A classic model is the one by the Swiss linguist Ferdinand de Saussure. According to him, language is made up of signs and every sign has two sides (like a coin or a sheet of paper, both sides of which are inseparable):
1916
- (Saussure, 1916) ⇒ Ferdinand de Saussure. (1916). “Cours de Linguistique Générale." (Course in General Linguistics)