语言学Chapter12.docVIP

Chapter 12 Theories and Schools of Modern Linguistics 12.0 Introduction – Ferdinand de Saussure The Swiss linguist Ferdinand de Saussure (1857~1913) is “father of modern linguistics” and “a master of a discipline which he made modern.” His important ideas about linguistics were collected in Course in General Linguistics (1916), which was published by his students C. Bally and A. Sechehaye. Saussure argues that the linguistic unit is a sign. The linguistic sign unites, not a sign and a name, but a concept and a sound image. He called the concept signified and the sound image signifier. The linguistics sign has two characteristics. First, the relationship between the signifier and the signified is arbitrary. Secondly, the linguistic sign is characterized by the linear nature of the signifier. Saussure makes a distinction between langue and parole. He suggests that the task of a linguist is to study langue, since it is a coherent and analyzable object. It is this distinction that leads to the distinction of phonetics and phonology. Distinction between diachronic and synchronic studies is another great contribution Saussure makes to general linguistics. [Warning (especially to ): This note is first posted by icywarmtea on . Any unauthorized post to other websites such as is strictly not allowed. – icywarmtea] [Advice: The so-called website is far from being good. There are some materials stolen from this website () there. Except for those, we can hardly find any useful materials there. Please don’t go to that website, which can only waste your time. – icywarmtea] 12.1 The Prague School 12.1.1 Introduction The Prague School has three points of special importance: (1) It stresses that the synchronic study of language is fully justified as it can draw on complete and controllable material for investigation. (2) It emphasizes the systemic character of language, arguing that no element of any language can be satisfactory analyzed or evaluated if viewed in isolation. In oth