ferdinand de saussure

1. Ferdinand de Saussure
Tom Wichmann

2. Background
. 1857 - 1913 (55yrs)
. Born Geneva, Switzerland
. Notable 20thC Linguist, argued as grandfather of modern linguistics
. Studied the history of language (diachronic study) but also the notion
of the linguistic sign (Semiotics/Semiology) (Synchronic)

3. Philosophies/Main Theory
Semiology-langue (language) & parole. This theory dictates that all
linguistic signs are made up of two components ,signifier & signified.
They both exist together and without one or the other the sign would
make no sense and have no meaning.
• - The signifier is the form the sign takes, the real world object, the
word.
• - The signified is the concept, the abstract idea behind the word that
conveys meaning.
• EXAMPLE: ‘geznet' can be seen as a signifier as it is a real world entity.
But this word holds no meaning as it does not have hold a 'signified'
therefore it the sign has no meaning.

4. What impact Saussure has on Media
• As media is the study of signs and sign systems , Saussure’s work has
a major impact on the subject. His theory of semiotics is how we gain
meaning from every media text as each one contains signs. This does
not only apply to words but extends across all sign systems.
• EXAMPLE: The colour black (signifier) in context can be read and
associated with evil (signified). And this is often applied in film.

5. Bibliography/key books
• Course of General Linguistics – (1916) - (Cours de linguistique
générale)
Book published by Bally & Sechehaye et al, students of Saussure from
Univeristy of Geneva. Included the notes from Saussure’s lectures and
was published after his death.
• . Memoir on the Primitive System of Vowels in Indo-European
Languages - (1878) - (Mémoire sur le système primitif des voyelles
dans les langues indo-européennes).
This Looked at how vowels were formed in the European langugues