Author(s)

Jiaocheng Wang ¹, Yifan Zhang ¹

Affiliation(s)

¹ School of Humanities, Communication University of China, Beijing, People's Republic of China

Corresponding Author

Jiaocheng Wang

ABSTRACT

This paper makes an in-depth analysis and discussion on Saussure's concept of linguistic sign in combination with Course in General Linguistics, the analysis shows that Saussure's linguistic sign has rich connotations: First, language is a system of signs; second, linguistics belongs to semiotics; third, linguistic sign is the combination of signals and signification. Arbitrariness and linearity are the two basic principles of Saussure's linguistic sign. Iconicity is a discussion of linguistic sign from the perspective of combinational linguistic sign, which cannot shake the position of Saussure's arbitrariness principle of linguistic sign. The linearity of linguistic sign is the foundation of the formation of linguistic system structure. Saussure's linguistic sign has the sociality, psychology, systematicness, stabilization, variability and universality. The contribution of Saussure's view of linguistic sign lies in clarifying the research object of linguistics, laying the theoretical foundation of modern semiotics, promoting interdisciplinary research and driving the construction of linguistic semiotics. The connotation, basic principles, characteristics and contribution of Saussure's linguistic sign can fully reflect his perspective on language. 

KEYWORDS

Linguistic Sign, Connotation, Basic Principle, Characteristic, Contribution

CITE THIS PAPER

Jiaocheng Wang, Yifan Zhang, The foresight of Saussure's outlook on language. Advances in Educational Technology and Psychology (2022) Vol. 6: 30-37. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.23977/aetp.2022.060506.

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