The Swiss linguist Ferdinand de Saussure (1857-1913) has exerted a profound influence not only on twentieth century linguistics but on a whole range of disciplines within the humanities and social sciences. His central thesis was that the primary object in studying a language is the state of that language at a particular time - a so-called synchronic study. He went on to claim that a language state is a socially constituted system of signs that are quite arbitrary and that can only be defined in terms of their relationship ...
Read More
The Swiss linguist Ferdinand de Saussure (1857-1913) has exerted a profound influence not only on twentieth century linguistics but on a whole range of disciplines within the humanities and social sciences. His central thesis was that the primary object in studying a language is the state of that language at a particular time - a so-called synchronic study. He went on to claim that a language state is a socially constituted system of signs that are quite arbitrary and that can only be defined in terms of their relationship within the system. This new perspective has changed the way people think about linguistics and has led to important attempts to apply structuralist ideas in anthropology, literary criticism, and philosophy. Professor Holdcroft's book expounds and elaborates Saussure's central ideas. It also offers a critical assessment of them, arguing that many of Saussure's claims are either questionable or have been misunderstood.
Read Less
Add this copy of Saussure: Signs, System and Arbitrariness (Modern to cart. $11.07, good condition, Sold by Midtown Scholar Bookstore rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Harrisburg, PA, UNITED STATES, published 1991 by Cambridge University Press.
Add this copy of Saussure: Signs, System and Arbitrariness (Modern to cart. $22.00, very good condition, Sold by Hennessey + Ingalls rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Los Angeles, CA, UNITED STATES, published 1991 by Cambridge University Press.
Add this copy of Saussure: Signs, System and Arbitrariness (Modern to cart. $25.36, very good condition, Sold by Midtown Scholar Bookstore rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Harrisburg, PA, UNITED STATES, published 1991 by Cambridge University Press.
Add this copy of Saussure: Signs, System and Arbitrariness (Modern to cart. $37.54, good condition, Sold by Bonita rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Newport Coast, CA, UNITED STATES, published 1991 by Cambridge University Press.
Add this copy of Saussure to cart. $40.45, new condition, Sold by Ria Christie Books rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Uxbridge, MIDDLESEX, UNITED KINGDOM, published 1991 by Cambridge University Press.
Add this copy of Saussure: Signs, System and Arbitrariness (Modern to cart. $42.43, good condition, Sold by Bonita rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Newport Coast, CA, UNITED STATES, published 1991 by Cambridge University Press.