Synergistic Forces: Saussure's Conceptual Matrix and Kantian Antinomies

 Introduction

To appropriately address the dual nature of language, Ferdinand de Saussure proposes a series of Janus-like concepts, including Signifier/Signified, Langue/Parole, and the Synchronic and Diachronic dimensions of language. While subsequent scholars have often interpreted these paired concepts as clear-cut dichotomies, the term "dichotomy" may be somewhat misleading in this context. Instead, terms such as "solidarity" or "cooperation" more accurately encapsulate Saussure's intentions. This article explores how the tension between these seemingly opposing yet interrelated elements can be resolved when analyzed through the lens of Kantian antinomies—a notion that Saussure embraced, drawing on the work of Victor Henry.

Kantian Antinomies: A Philosophical Prelude

Immanuel Kant's exploration of antinomies in his "Critique of Pure Reason" delves into apparent contradictions that arise when reason attempts to grapple with metaphysical concepts beyond the limits of human experience. Kant identified four main antinomies, each dealing with pairs of contradictory assertions related to space, time, causality, and the nature of reality.

“…it (The Antinomy of Pure Reason) is two-sided, and each side of the illusion contradicts the other” (Gardner 1999)

Kant's resolution to these antinomies lies in transcendental idealism, asserting that contradictions emerge when reason tries to apply concepts derived from experience to the realm beyond experience. While metaphysical questions may be valid within the realm of appearances, they become problematic when applied to things in themselves—the noumenal world remains beyond our reach. Crucially, Kant's goal was not to favor one side of the contradiction but to highlight the limitations of human reason when venturing into the metaphysical:

"If in using principles of the understanding we apply our reason not merely to objects of experience, for the use of principles of understanding, but instead venture also to extend these principles beyond the boundaries of experience, then there arise sophistical theorems, which may neither hope for confirmation in experience nor fear refutation by it; and each of them is not only without contradiction in itself but even meets with conditions of its necessity in the nature of reason itself, only unfortunately the opposite has on its side equally valid and necessary grounds for its assertion." B 449 (Critique of Pure Reason translated by Guyer and Wood1998).

Victor Henry's Catalyst: Antinomies Linguistiques

Influenced by Kant, Victor Henry further developed the concept of antinomies in the linguistic context through his book "Antinomies linguistiques (1896)," where he explores the foundational paradoxes within linguistics, anticipating Ferdinand de Saussure's subsequent contributions. He delves into Kantian antinomies concerning the essence, origin, and interconnection of language and thought. Later, Roman Jakobson acknowledged the book's impact on Saussure's work. Henry's linguistic paradoxes, framed in a Kantian context, propose that meticulous analysis could lead to a coherent synthesis. Exploring opposing linguistic concepts, he revealed a dynamic relationship—a dialectical interplay reminiscent of Kant's antinomies (John E. Joseph 1996).

Saussure's Linguistic Antinomies: A Dialectical Tension

Ferdinand de Saussure, under the influence of Victor Henry, incorporated the idea of linguistic antinomies into his linguistic framework.

“Precisely for this reason, it will be good to start the study of the language from the historical viewpoint, not that it is more important than <the static [one] with which it forms a kind of antinomy>” (Riedlinger's Notebooks-Komatsu and Wolf 1996).

Notably, Saussure introduced, among others, the distinction of synchronic (static) and diachronic (historical) dimensions of language. The synchronic dimension captures language at a specific moment, where speakers are intimately familiar with their language. In contrast, the diachronic dimension involves language changes over time, less accessible to immediate linguistic sense and requiring learning:

“We form a link <in the chain> of the history of the language; we see that link but not the chain”(Riedlinger's Notebooks-Komatsu and Wolf 1996).

The dynamic between these linguistic dimensions, as well as other dichotomies such as Signifier/Signified and Langue/Parole, reflects a dialectical dynamic similar to Kant's antinomies. Saussure's linguistic antinomies illustrate the complex interplay between apparently contradictory elements within the study of language.

Some of his critics seem to have failed to capture the subtlety of his thinking and have accused him of phonocentrism. Consequently, they have also associated him with logocentrism and ethnocentrism. However, in reality, the relation between phonè and ink in Saussure should also be viewed through the prism of the Kantian antinomies.

Resolving Linguistic Conflict Through Kantian Antinomies

While Saussure's use of the term "antinomies" may not mirror Kant's precisely, the influence from Kantian philosophy, mediated through Victor Henry, is evident in Saussure's acknowledgment of conflicting yet interwoven elements in language. Interpreting Saussure's dichotomies through the lens of Kantian antinomies involves recognizing the dynamic relation between seemingly opposing elements and understanding their interconnectedness. In this dialectical understanding, the paired concepts in Saussure's linguistic theory contribute to the complex and evolving nature of language (John E. Joseph 2012).

In conclusion, Saussure's linguistic framework, shaped by the influences of Kantian philosophy and Victor Henry's insights, provides a distinctive perspective on language, embracing the inherent dialectical tension within linguistic structures and processes. By resolving these contradictions through the lens of Kantian antinomies, Saussure achieved a profound understanding of the intricate interplay between seemingly conflicting yet interlinked elements in the study of this complex phenomenon. 

His theory, when thoroughly understood and applied, presents contemporary linguists with a nuanced perspective that extends beyond traditional dichotomies, enriching our understanding of the dynamic and elusive nature of the discipline's object of study.

Related post: 

Synchronic and Diachronic Linguistics: Geometrical Clarity and Botanical Insight. December 28, 2023

https://derridaforlinguists.blogspot.com/2023/12/blog-post_28.html

Bibliography

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

De Saussure, Ferdinand. Premier Cours de Linguistique Générale (1907): D'après les Cahiers d'Albert Riedlinger. Saussure's First Course of Lectures on General Linguistics (1907): From the Notebooks of Albert Riedlinger. Edited by Eisuke Komatsu. Translated by George Wolf. Tokyo: Gakushuin University, 1996. Pergamon.

Joseph, John E. "'Undoubtedly a Powerful Influence': Victor Henry's Antinomies Linguistiques (1896), with an Annotated Translation of the First Chapter." Language & Communication 16, no. 2 (1996): 117-144.

John E. Joseph. SAUSSURE. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2012.

Kant, Immanuel. Critique of Pure Reason. Translated and edited by Paul Guyer and Allen W. Wood. University of Pennsylvania and Yale University. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1998.

Gardner, Sebastian. Routledge Philosophy GuideBook to Kant and the Critique of Pure Reason. First published 1999. Abingdon: Routledge, 1999.