Terra Incognita: Revisiting the Concepts of Term, Value, Word, and Meaning in General Linguistics

 

Introduction

In our previous article, "Saussure on Terms, Values, Words, and Meanings," we explored Saussure's insights into how these concepts are intricately linked, often blurring the lines between them. He stressed that despite their close interrelation, maintaining distinctions among these elements is crucial for understanding language's structure, which relies on both similarity and difference.

We observe a similar phenomenon in Derrida's terminology with concepts like "writing," "arche-writing," "trace," "différance," and "supplementarity." These terms, when examined through a deconstructive lens, shed light on Saussure's ideas and help us better understand the intricate relationships between term, value, word, and meaning in language.

For example, J. Hillis Miller notes that the "trace" aligns closely with "arche-writing" and "différance," though each term has unique connotations: "...the trace is more or less the equivalent of 'arche-writing', as it is of 'différance'. I say 'more or less' because the valences of 'arche-trace' are not quite the same as those of 'arche-writing', nor are those of either quite the same as 'différance'" (OG 47, 65, 66–7, 70–1). Derek Attridge adds that Derrida uses various names for "writing," including "trace," "différance," and "supplementarity": "Here Derrida calls it writing; he will give it other names in the pages that follow, including trace, différance, and supplementarity" (OG 44–7). (Gaston and Maclachlan 2011).

It should be noted that Derrida, in contrast to Saussure, embraced the inherent ambiguity in language and used it as a tool for his deconstructive project, rather than being troubled by it. Whether this is the right strategy is open to debate.

In today's discussion, we will delve deeper into the interconnected concepts of Term, Value, Word, and Meaning within the framework of General Linguistics. By building on Saussure’s key ideas, we aim to further dissect these relationships and reinforce the complex, relational nature of language, as opposed to a simplistic, static view.

The Hinge-like Nature of Concepts: A Second Look

In his June 30, 1911, lecture, Ferdinand de Saussure explores the complex interplay between "value" and "meaning" (or signified), revealing the confusion stemming from their intertwined nature. Saussure examines how the value, synonymous with meaning, becomes entangled with the auditory image (signifier). To elucidate this relationship, he presents a diagram featuring slots, each symbolizing a sign within the linguistic system. Each slot comprises a signified and a signifier, yet distinguishing these elements becomes complex due to the overlap of meanings arising from interactions with other signs:

The diagram illustrates that a sign’s value or meaning is determined not only by its internal relationship between signifier and signified but also by its position and connections within the broader language system. This interconnectedness complicates the separation of meaning from the direct signifier-signified link and the broader relational context of other signs. The hinge-like nature of value thus blurs the distinction between meanings derived from the signifier and those from the overall linguistic network, highlighting the intricate, multifaceted nature of linguistic signs.

Value in Linguistics and Economy: An Analogy

Saussure explores the concept of "value" by drawing parallels between linguistics and economics, highlighting its dual nature. He identifies two key aspects defining value in both fields. First, value arises from the interaction between dissimilar elements. In linguistics, this involves the signifier (auditory image) and the signified (meaning), which together form a linguistic sign and are crucial for understanding value within the language system.

Second, value is shaped by comparisons among similar elements. In linguistics, this means comparing linguistic signs. A sign's value is influenced by its differences and relationships with other signs in the system, with its meaning being determined by its distinction from other words.

Saussure emphasizes that this dual nature—stemming from both the exchange between signifier and signified and the comparison among signs—is fundamental to understanding value in linguistics and is applicable to other fields as well. This paradoxical nature is key to grasping how value is established.

Understanding How Value Works: Paradoxical Truth in Linguistics

Saussure uses the example of a 20-franc coin to illustrate how value is determined by both exchange and comparison. Initially, he shows that the coin’s value is defined by what it can be exchanged for, such as pounds of bread. Here, the coin (signifier) is exchanged for bread (signified), demonstrating how value arises from the relationship between dissimilar entities.

He then compares the 20-franc coin to other coins like the one-franc, two-franc coins, or a guinea. This comparison establishes its relative value. In linguistics, this is akin to how a word’s meaning is shaped by its differences and relationships with other signs:

These two elements are essential for value. For example, a 20-franc coin. Its value is a matter of a dissimilar thing that I can exchange (e.g. pounds of bread), 2) the comparison between the 20-franc coin and one-franc and two-franc coins, etc., or coins of similar value (guinea). The value is at the same time the counterpart of the one and the counterpart of the other. Constantin's Notebook X 136a

Thus, the 20-franc coin’s value is derived from both its exchange value (bread) and its comparative value with other coins. This dual nature of value—through exchange and comparison—is key to understanding how value operates in various contexts.

The Importance of Considering Both Language as a System and Signs in Isolation

The meaning of a word cannot be fully understood by merely examining its exchange value alone, analogous to the signified in the signifier-signified relationship; it involves comparing it with other words within the language system. Words cannot be understood in isolation, as they are presented in dictionaries, because their meanings are shaped by their relationships with other terms.

The word’s value is derived from its place within a network of comparable terms. This system, consisting of coexisting words, defines a term’s value through its contrasts and relationships. Hence, a word’s meaning is influenced not only by what it signifies but also by how it differs from and relates to other words.

You can never find the meaning of a word by considering only the exchangeable item, but you have to compare the series of comparable words. You cannot take words in isolation. This is how the system is one of the sources of value. It is the sum of comparable terms set against the idea exchanged. Constantin's Notebook X 136a

Saussure emphasizes that a word’s value and meaning are contextual, determined by the surrounding words and their interactions. The context—whether syntagmatic (in sequences like sentences) or associative (in related networks)—is essential for grasping a word's meaning.

You must approach [it (corr.)] from outside by starting from the system and coexisting terms. Constantin's Notebook X 136a

We must stress that, according to Saussure, the starting point is the language system, not the sign. Critics who overlook this often miss that in his linguistic theory the sign emerges from this network (jeu) of differences.

Conclusion

Saussure's analysis of terms, values, words, and meanings reveals the complex network that underpins linguistic structure, as value arises from both the exchange between dissimilar entities and the comparison among similar ones. This dual nature highlights the intricacy of meaning within the language system, where each sign’s value is shaped by its relationship with others.

Understanding a word requires considering both its direct signifier-signified connection and its broader context within the language system. This approach reinforces Saussure's view that language is a dynamic system of interrelated signs. His work challenges simplistic notions of meaning and underscores the profound interconnectedness of linguistic elements, offering a deeper perspective on how we construct and understand meaning.

Related Post

Saussure on Terms, Values, Words and Meanings: Insights from Constantin's Notebooks

https://derridaforlinguists.blogspot.com/2024/07/blog-post_24.html

 Core Meaning and the Dynamics of Presence and Absence in Linguistics: A Differential Approach

https://derridaforlinguists.blogspot.com/2024/07/blog-post_20.html

Bibliography

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. Cours de linguistique générale. Edited by Charles Bally and Albert Sechehaye, with the collaboration of Albert Riedlinger. Arbre d’Or, Genève, 2005.

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

Derrida, Jacques. Of Grammatology. Corrected Edition. Translated by Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak. The Johns Hopkins University Press, 1997. Copyright © 1974, 1976, 1997 by The Johns Hopkins University Press.

Gaston, Sean, and Ian Maclachlan, eds. Reading Derrida's "Of Grammatology". London: Continuum International Publishing Group, 2011.