Objectivity and Subjectivity in Linguistics—Natural versus Human Sciences


 “The work of art, the ungraspable flower, more natural and more artificial than any other, is the Miracle of the Rose”.

« L'œuvre d'art, la fleur insaisissable, plus naturelle et plus artificielle que toute autre, est le Miracle de la Rose ».

Linguistics faces a distinctive set of challenges that set it apart from other sciences such as physics, for example. This article delves into the nuanced complexities encountered by linguistics, exploring the inherent tensions within the field and contrasting perspectives on the relationship between Experiential Language Awareness (speaker) and Scientific Language Awareness (linguist).

In the context of objective sciences, where accuracy is crucial, linguistics distinguishes itself due to its close ties to its subject—human language. Unlike other scientific disciplines that might encounter their objects for the first time, linguistics is distinctly connected to language through everyday experiences and usage. The linguist is intimately familiar with language, cultivating a relationship shaped by daily interactions and practical usage. This sets linguistics apart as a discipline deeply rooted in the lived experiences and continual engagement of individuals with the intricate nuances of human language. It presents a unique challenge, demanding a delicate equilibrium between maintaining scientific objectivity and recognizing the deep-seated connection with human engagement in language.

Within linguistics, two predominant perspectives grapple with the interplay between Subjective Language Awareness and Scientific Language Awareness: objectivism and physicalism. Objectivists, reminiscent of behaviorists, may acknowledge linguistic consciousness but hesitate to elevate it to the status of a scientific datum. In contrast, linguistic physicalists may advocate for reducing consciousness to physical processes, advocating for a singular focus on objectively construed language as a material process. An alternative viewpoint, a subjective or experiential perspective, contends for recognizing the primary significance of Experiential Language Awareness. This “third way” perspective asserts that a science of language should maintain a connection with speaking subjectivity (Stawarska 2015).

Saussure's general linguistics seems to align with this viewpoint, highlighting the precedence of Experiential Language Awareness over Scientific Language Awareness. In simpler terms, this approach emphasizes that understanding language should prioritize the experiences of language users over a purely scientific, descriptive, or objective analysis of language.

In Saussure's view, subjective experience takes precedence, and the linguist's stance aligns with that of a language user.

[231] Nothing enters the language before having been tried out in speech. All evolutionary phenomena have their roots in the linguistic activity of the individual (Harris).

Rien n’entre dans la langue sans avoir été essayé dans la parole, et tous les phénomènes évolutifs ont leur racine dans la sphère de l’individu (original French).

This perspective challenges the conventional categorization of linguistics within the mold of natural or exact sciences, necessitating the exploration of alternative concepts of scientific methodology. Saussure's proposed approach involves participatory reflection on language as experienced, lived, and employed in daily practice, transcending traditional objective scientific methodologies.

[23] Other sciences are provided with objects of study given in advance, which are then examined from different points of view. Nothing like that is the case in linguistics (Harris).

D’autres sciences opèrent sur des objets donnés d’avance et qu’on peut considérer ensuite à différents points de vue ; dans notre domaine, rien de semblable (original French).

Central to the discourse is the question of how Everyday Language Awareness and Formalized Language Expertise relate within linguistics. This query underscores a nuanced interplay within the field as it grapples with the tension between scientific objectivity and subjective experience. Alternative perspectives, exemplified by Saussure's approach, offer a unique lens for understanding the intricate relationship between language, consciousness, and subjective experience. The journey towards a holistic comprehension of linguistics presupposes embracing both the scientific and experiential dimensions of language.

Bibliography

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

Saussure, Ferdinand de. "Course in General Linguistics." Translated and annotated by Roy Harris. With a new introduction by Roy Harris. Bloomsbury, 2013.

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

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.

Derrida, Jacques. Glas. Translated by John P. Leavey, Jr., and Richard Rand. University of Nebraska Press, 1986.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

A Conversation with Saussure

Image
  A Conversation with Le Maître Student : I arrived in Geneva last night from France, taking the 8.45 train from Paris. I was eager to meet you because I stumbled upon a book that references your teachings. I'd like to read a passage from it and hear your thoughts: "In the eyes of Saussure, writing is a garb of perversion and debauchery, a cloak of corruption and disguise, a masquerade that must be exorcised – in other words, fended off – by the virtuous word: 'Writing veils the appearance of language; it is not a guise for language but a disguise'. A peculiar 'image.' One might already suspect that if writing is an 'image' and an external 'figuration,' this 'representation' is not without its implications. The exterior and interior share a relationship that is, as usual, anything but mere externalization." What's your perspective on this? Saussure : Before I dive into the topic, I'd like to acknowledge that the pass...
Read more

Historia and Différance: The Interplay of Narrative and Deconstruction

Image
Objective: To examine the philosophical and narrative parallels between Herodotus and Derrida, highlighting how Herodotus’ innovative treatment of history, origins, and storytelling elucidates key dimensions of Derrida’s deconstructive philosophy. This article argues that the ancient historian offers a tangible and accessible entry point into Derrida’s complex ideas, including his critique of metaphysics, the concept of différance, and the portrayal of history as fragmented, fluid, and nonlinear. Introduction Herodotus, the "father of history," as he is often called, occupies a singular place in intellectual tradition by blending narrative exploration with philosophical inquiry. Similarly, Jacques Derrida revolutionized contemporary thought through his challenges to established notions of origins, meaning, and causality. This article explores the relationship between these two figures, analyzing how the former’s fluid approach to beginnings, storytelling, and causati...
Read more

“There Is Nothing Outside”: A Parallel Between Nietzsche and Derrida’s Radical Critiques of Metaphysics

Image
Abstract This article explores the philosophical convergence between Nietzsche’s “there is nothing outside the whole” ( es gibt nichts außer dem Ganzen ) in Twilight of the Idols and Derrida’s “there is nothing outside the text” ( il n’y a pas de hors-texte ) in Of Grammatology . Both statements dismantle metaphysical frameworks by rejecting external origins or absolute truths and affirming systems as self-referential and interwoven. Nietzsche challenges the notion of divine or teleological causation, while Derrida critiques the idea of an independent "transcendental signified." By providing the intellectual background of these declarations and analyzing their shared themes, the article illuminates their joint significance in destabilizing Western philosophical traditions and revealing the immanent, dynamic nature of existence and meaning. Introduction The lines “there is nothing outside the whole” and “there is nothing outside the text” are cornerstones of Niet...
Read more