The Dual Origins of Structuralism: East and West


 The Dual Origins of Structuralism: Eastern European and French Perspectives

Introduction:

Structuralism found its roots in two distinct geographical and temporal contexts: Eastern Europe in the late 1920s, particularly through the Prague Linguistic Circle, and France in the 1950s. The reception of Saussurean linguistics varied significantly between these two sources, leading to diverse interpretations and applications of structuralist principles.

Eastern European Structuralism: Dialectical Integration and Early Contributions

The first source of structuralism emerged in the late 1920s during the First International Congress of Linguistics in The Hague. Swiss linguists Bally and Sechehaye, along with Russian linguists including Jakobson and Trubetzkoy, played a pivotal role in introducing Saussure's ideas to an international audience.

The Prague Linguistic Circle, representing Eastern European structuralism, challenged the presumed dichotomies in Saussure's Course in General Linguistics, emphasizing a dialectical integration between synchrony and diachrony, system, and subject. It is worth noting that the presumed dichotomies found in what is known as Saussure's Course in General Linguistics are not supported by either Saussure's own writings or the students' notes.

These early readers, notably Jakobson, criticized Saussure's presumed doctrines, offering an alternative perspective that allied with phenomenology, drawing inspiration from Husserl and Hegel. This alliance allowed them to deconstruct the alleged Saussurean linguistics, rejecting polarizing views on language change and prioritizing the needs of the linguistic system itself.

Importantly, the term "structuralism" was first introduced by Jakobson at this congress, signifying a departure from Saussure's own terminology. Contrary to misconceptions, Prague structuralism extended beyond specialized linguistic study, influencing various areas such as aesthetics, literature, visual arts, and folklore. (Stawarska 2015)

French Structuralism: The Scientistic Perspective and Selective Reading

The second starting point of structuralism gained prominence in the 1950s in France, marking a resurgence of Saussurean linguistics. While Saussure was not well-received within the field of linguistics itself, he became a central reference across the human sciences in France, particularly in phenomenological philosophy, anthropology, literary studies, and psychoanalysis.

French structuralists, including Levi-Strauss and Lacan, celebrated Saussurean linguistics as a resource elevating human sciences to the level of natural sciences. They adhered to Saussurean doctrine, emphasizing the priority of synchrony over diachrony and the importance of a system of rules and relations over subjectivity (again, these dichotomies are not supported by either Saussure's own writings or the students' notes).This scientistic perspective led them to view linguistic elements as universally applicable hard facts, comparable to those studied in the natural sciences.

However, French structuralists selectively picked elements from the Course in General Linguistics, edited by Bally and Sechehaye, emphasizing a separable existence between language as an objective code and its usage. This selective reading projected a logic of hierarchies, omitting nuances present in Saussure's original text. (Stawarska 2015)

The Legacy and Overlook of Eastern European Structuralism:

Despite its early contributions, Eastern European structuralism, represented by the Prague Linguistic Circle, was overshadowed by its French counterpart. Misconceptions about Prague structuralism being confined to specialized linguistic study or merely a restatement of Russian formalism contributed to its historical erasure. Francocentrism and political factors, including the Communist takeover in Eastern Europe after the World War II, further marginalized and silenced the intellectual contributions of Prague structuralism (Stawarska 2015).

Conclusion:

The dual origins of structuralism in Eastern Europe and France highlight the diverse receptions and interpretations of Saussure's ideas. While Eastern European structuralism emphasized dialectical integration and challenged dichotomies, French structuralism embraced a scientistic perspective with a selective reading of Saussure's work. The historical erasure of Eastern European structuralism underscores the impact of political and institutional contexts on the development and recognition of intellectual ideas.

Bibliography

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

 

 

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