In the Footsteps of Austen: Saussure's Unconventional Views on Language

 Introduction

Jane Austen's opening line from "Pride and Prejudice," "It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife," is celebrated for its craftsmanship and effectiveness. Austen condenses key themes and character motivations into a single sentence, showcasing her ability to convey complex ideas with elegant simplicity. Acting as a teaser, it entices readers to explore further, eager to uncover the story's intricacies.

Ferdinand de Saussure's introductory statement, "I have taken it as an obvious truth, that the link between the sign and the idea represented, is radically arbitrary," to his lecture on Absolute and Relative Arbitrariness in language echoes the celebrated opening lines of "Pride and Prejudice" in several respects. Similar to Austen's famous line, Saussure's assertion—"I have taken it as an obvious truth"—immediately captures the reader's attention, suggesting universality. By framing his assertion as an "obvious truth," Saussure engages readers and prompts them to contemplate the implications of this fundamental premise in his linguistic theory. Just as Austen's opening line invites readers to delve deeper into her narrative, Saussure's statement prompts exploration into the complexities of language and its arbitrariness.

With the stage set by Austen's memorable opening lines and Saussure's engaging assertion, let's shift our focus to the core themes of the lecture on May 9th, 1911.

Absolute and Relative Arbitrariness: The Double Nature of Language

The lesson begins with the statement: "I have taken it as an obvious truth that the link between the sign and the idea represented is radically arbitrary." But language is not simple; it has a double nature, so he qualifies his statement immediately after by adding: “In every language, we must distinguish between what remains radically arbitrary (unmotivated) and what can be called relative arbitrariness (motivated)”. He illustrates this distinction in the following way:

For example, vingt, dix-neuf ['twenty´,'nineteen']. In vingt, it is absolutely unmotivated. Dix-neuf is not completely unmotivated, you can see in what sense vingt in fact relates to no coexisting term in the language. Dix-neuf relates to coexisting terms in the language (dix['ten'] and neuf ['nine']). Notebook VII 85a

It should be noted that when Saussure speaks of “motivation” in language he refers to “internal motivation”; the motivation of Dix-neuf ['nineteen'] comes from within the system: dix['ten'] and neuf ['nine']. This "motivation" contrasts sharply with the nomenclaturist one.

Redefining Linguistic Typology: Looking Awry at Language

Saussure revisited the topic, likely prompted by his students' perplexed expressions, in the lesson of May 12, 1911:

But I must go back to the fact in itself in order to clarify it. Every language contains the two elements side by side - the completely unmotivated and the relatively motivated - mixed in various proportions. Notebook VIII 87a

It is here that we witness another instance of the Copernican Revolution at play as he delves into the distinction between morphologic and syntactic languages, assessing the role they assign to motivated and unmotivated elements within the system:

You can quite quickly assess, when studying any language, even without going deeply into it, the place <appreciable or otherwise> it assigns to the motivated element as compared with the indestructible mass of the unmotivated. Notebook VIII 88a

In morphologic languages like German, words are built from smaller units including prefixes, suffixes, and roots. These languages heavily rely on morphological changes to convey grammatical information such as tense, aspect, and plurality. Conversely, syntactic languages like English rely primarily on word order and sentence structure to convey meaning, with the arrangement of words determining grammatical relationships and nuances of meaning.

Saussure, challenging traditional views, examines the typological classification of languages into morphological and syntactic languages not by considering their use of smaller units or the significance of word order, but through the lens of arbitrariness, which is a remarkable departure from established norms.

He explains that every language contains two elements: the completely unmotivated and the relatively motivated, blended in varying proportions. By studying a language, one can discern the prominence it gives to motivated versus unmotivated elements.

For instance, English emphasizes unmotivated words more than German. Saussure suggests that languages maximizing unmotivated elements are more "lexicological" (syntactic languages), while those minimizing such elements are more "grammatical" (morphologic languages).

Saussure identifies two opposing tendencies in all languages: a preference for the lexicological instrument, comprised of isolated words, and a preference for the grammatical instrument, consisting of interconnected units. The lexicological instrument functions like isolated pigeonholes (casiers isolés), while the grammatical instrument operates as a chain of linked rings (une chaîne formée d'anneaux unis entre eux), where one unit is related to another.

Once again, he offers a fresh perspective on language, encouraging us to interpret reality from a new angle.

Conclusion

Saussure continues to be an uncharted territory in the 21st century. He consistently surprises linguists with his innovative approaches, challenging well-established beliefs. Whether it's questioning nomenclaturist views of language, which see language as a mere list of terms for a list of things, or reevaluating the traditional distinction between lexicology and grammar, where facts are explained through the differential character of language, Saussure's insights continue to provoke thought.

In this case, Saussure offers a novel perspective on the typological classification of languages into morphological and syntactic categories through the lens of arbitrariness, not by relying on the use of smaller units or word order.

His exploration highlights the dynamic nature of language and the complexities inherent in its structure. Saussure's surviving writings serve as a reminder to approach language with curiosity and open-mindedness, ready to challenge conventional theories and explore new avenues of understanding.

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 Bibliography

Saussure, F. (1910-1911). Troisième cours de linguistique générale: d'après les cahiers d'Emile Constantin [Saussure's Third Course of Lectures on General Linguistics: From the Notebooks of Emile Constantin]. (R. Harris, Trans.) University of Oxford.1993

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen. Project Gutenberg.