"Course in General Linguistics" Quotes
A groundbreaking exploration of the structure and functions of language by Ferdinand de Saussure.
linguistics | 236 pages | Published in NaN
Quotes
Language is a system of signs that expresses ideas.
languagecommunicationsigns
The linguistic sign unites, not a thing and a name, but a concept and a sound-image.
linguistic signconceptsound-image
The sign is arbitrary.
linguistic signarbitrary
Language is a social institution.
languagesocietysocial institution
The individual is powerless to modify the language they speak.
languageindividual
Speech is a part of language, but only a part.
speechlanguage
Language is not a function of thought.
languagethought
The value of a linguistic sign is purely negative.
linguistic signvalue
Language is a system of differences without positive terms.
languagesystemdifferences
The sign is not a link between a thing and a name, but between a concept and a sound pattern.
linguistic signconceptsound pattern
