Deconstruction and Linguistics: Revisiting Derrida's Reading of Saussure's Cours

 

Introduction

Jacques Derrida's deconstructive philosophy has had a profound and lasting impact on the study of language and structural linguistics. Among his primary critiques was the assessment of Ferdinand de Saussure's linguistics, which he accused of being deeply rooted in metaphysics of presence and phonocentrism (Derrida1998). However, this text aims to reassess Derrida's critique by delving not only into the "Course in General Linguistics" but also Saussure's unpublished writings, manuscripts, notes, and other materials. Through this examination, we seek to establish connections between deconstruction and linguistics as envisioned by Saussure, shedding light on how Saussure's unpublished writings challenge Derrida's assertions (Stawarska 2015). Furthermore, we will explore the tension between Derrida's proclamation of the "end of the book" in "Of Grammatology" and his attachment to Saussure's "Course in General Linguistics," despite his knowledge of the unpublished materials, revealing the ideological role of the Course in Derrida's interpretation. Lastly, we will conclude by considering Saussure's manuscript writing as a demonstration of unrestrained textual creativity (Starobinski 1979).

I. Revisiting Derrida's Critique

Derrida's critique of Saussure's linguistics revolves around the accusation that it upholds metaphysics of presence and phonocentrism. According to Derrida, Saussure privileges speech sound (phone) as the site of direct signifying presence, contrasting it with writing, which he deems secondary and corrupted. This binary, as Derrida argues, aligns with a broader metaphysical tradition that prioritizes immediate presence over absence—a theme he deconstructed passionately throughout his career (Derrida1998).

However, Derrida's critique rests on his characteristic disregard for Saussure's posthumous papers. Saussure's unpublished writings reveal a more nuanced perspective. In his notes, Saussure demonstrates a keen awareness of the complexities of linguistic signification, transcending the binary opposition of speech and writing. He explores the notion that language is a dynamic system of relational terms, challenging the idea of a single fact in linguistics as being self-contained (Écrits de Linguistique Générale).

This reassessment allows us to bridge the gap between deconstruction and linguistics (Stawarska 2015). Saussure's writings indicate a willingness to engage with the inherent complexities of language, aligning with the spirit of deconstruction. Instead of reducing Saussure's linguistics to a rigid system, we can interpret it as an exploration of language's inherent ambiguity and fluidity.

II. The Tension Between "The End of the Book" and Attachment to the Course

Derrida's deconstructive philosophy is often associated with "the end of the book" and the celebration of “the beginning of writing” (Derrida1998). He challenges the limitations of the traditional book format, advocating for a more open-ended and fragmented approach to textuality.

However, a tension arises when we examine Derrida's attachment to Saussure's "Course in General Linguistics." Despite his critique of structuralism and its reliance on canonical texts, Derrida's interpretation of Saussure remains firmly bound to the Course. This attachment highlights the ideological function of the Course in Derrida's reading, similar to its role in the earlier structuralist reception by figures such as Levi-Strauss and Lacan (Stawarska 2015).

This tension suggests that Derrida's deconstruction, while challenging traditional literary and philosophical norms, still depends on the authority of the great author and the canonical text. Saussure's Course continues to serve as a foundational text, even within deconstruction, revealing the enduring influence of the civilization of the book (Daylight 2011).

III. Saussure's Manuscript: Writing as Unconstrained Textual Creativity

Saussure's extensive manuscript writing presents an alternative to the traditional book format and embodies the boundless textuality that Derrida advocates. His manuscripts, spanning various topics from linguistics to mythology, history, anagrams, poetry, spiritualist ceremonies, channeling sessions, and paranormal encounters, exemplify a diverse and expansive exploration of language and signification.

Saussure's writings invite a distinct style of reading, one that embraces the ever-changing and limitless essence of language. His reluctance to publish his extensive notes should not be viewed as a failure but as a testament to his dedication to profound contemplation of language without the constraints of traditional publishing, as indicated by the quote below from "Words upon Words" (Starobinski 1979):

On a torn, undated page, we find this note from Ferdinand de Saussure:

“...absolutely incomprehensible if I were not forced to confess that I suffer from a morbid horror of the pen, and that this work is for me an experience of sheer torture, quite out of proportion to its relative unimportance. In the case of linguistics, the torture is increased for me by the fact that the simpler and more obvious a theory may be, the more difficult it is to express it simply, because I state as a fact that there is not one single term in this particular science which has ever been based on a simple idea, and that this being so, one is tempted five or six times between the beginning and the end of a sentence to rewrite."

Conclusion

In revisiting Derrida's critique of Saussure's linguistics, we discover that Saussure's unpublished writings challenge Derrida's claims and offer a more nuanced view of language. The tension between Derrida's celebration of "the end of the book" and his attachment to the Course highlights the enduring influence of canonical texts. Finally, Saussure's manuscript writing embodies unrestrained textual creativity, inviting a distinct, wandering reading that aligns with the principles of deconstruction as envisioned by Derrida but that he failed to embody in his deconstruction of the Course. In this reconsideration, we find that perhaps Saussure was the last philosopher of the book and the first thinker of writing (Derrida1998).

Note:  This text reads better when placed next to: Trigger Warning: Approach "Course in General Linguistics" with Caution.

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Riddle Me This:

1. What was one of Jacques Derrida's key critiques of Ferdinand de Saussure's linguistics?

a) Embracing metaphysics of presence and phonocentrism

b) Focusing too much on written language

c) Ignoring the importance of spoken language

d) Rejecting the study of structural linguistics

2. How does Saussure's unpublished writings challenge Derrida's critique?

a) By reaffirming the binary opposition of speech and writing

b) By confirming the rigidity of structural linguistics

c) By transcending the binary opposition of speech and writing and exploring language as a dynamic system of relational terms

d) By dismissing the importance of linguistic signification

3. What is the tension discussed in the blog regarding Derrida's philosophy?

a) The tension between his celebration of the "end of the book" and his attachment to Saussure's Course in General Linguistics

b) The tension between his deconstruction of language and his endorsement of metaphysics

c) The tension between his attachment to structuralism and his rejection of linguistic theory

d) The tension between his interest in linguistics and his focus on literary criticism

4. What does Saussure's manuscript writing represent, according to the blog?

a) A rejection of textual creativity

b) A failure to publish important linguistic theories

c) An example of bound textuality

d) Unrestricted textual creativity that aligns with the principles of deconstruction

Answers:

1. a) Embracing metaphysics of presence and phonocentrism
2. c) By transcending the binary opposition of speech and writing and exploring language as a dynamic system of relational terms
3. a) The tension between his celebration of the "end of the book" and his attachment to Saussure's Course in General Linguistics
4. d) Unrestricted textual creativity that aligns with the principles of deconstruction

Bibliography :

Saussure, Ferdinand de. 1916. Cours de linguistique générale. Edited by Charles Bally and Albert Sechehaye, with Albert Riedlinger. Lausanne: Libraire Payot.

Derrida, Jacques. 1981. Positions. Translated and annotated by Alan Bass. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

Derrida, Jacques. 1998. Of Grammatology. Translated by Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press.

Stawarska, Beata. 2015. Saussure’s Philosophy of Language as Phenomenology: Undoing the Doctrine of the Course in General Linguistics. Oxford UP.

Bouquet, Simon, Rudolf Engler, and Antoinette Weil, eds. ESCRITOS SOBRE LINGÜÍSTICA GENERAL. Translated by Clara Ubaldina Lorda Mur. Original title: Écrits de linguistique générale, de Ferdinand de Saussure. © Éditions Gallimard, 2002.

Tallis, Raymond. Not Saussure: A Critique of Post-Saussurean Literary Theory. Macmillan Press, 1988.

Daylight, Russell. What if Derrida was wrong about Saussure? Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press, 2011.

Starobinski, Jean. Words upon Words: The Anagrams of Ferdinand de Saussure. Translated by Olivia Emmet. New Haven and London: Yale University Press, 1979.

Sanders, Carol, ed. The Cambridge Companion to Saussure. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2004.