This book examines the ways in which the noted linguist Ferdinand de Saussure attempts to establish linguistics as a science. The focus of the book is on Saussure's use of analogies to craft a linguistic object (langue) amenable to a scientific study. Saussure used analogies to define and delimit his notions of sign, language as well as linguistics. Hence, these analogies provide a vantage point to observe palpable tensions within Saussurean thought and thereby present before the reader Saussurean thought in all its complexity. The study also discusses the nature of the relationship between writing and langue, syntax and pragmatics, linguistics and standard usage, Comparative-Historical Linguistics and Synchronic Linguistics etc. in Saussurean thought.
Avinash Pandey is a faculty member in the Department of Linguistics, University of Mumbai. His research work involves a sustained engagement with Structuralism. His recent publications have been in areas such as Semantics/ Pragmatics, Multilinguality in Education, Language in Society, Linguistic theory etc. He has carried out research projects in the areas of Machine-Human interaction, Linguistic Landscapes and Orality. He publishes in both English and Marathi.
My relationship with the academic work of Ferdinand de Saussure is not limited to an interest in his scholarship. It intricately criss-crosses my learnings as a linguist. Right from my MA days, I have lived with the Course in General Linguistics by my side. This relationship was surely nurtured by the descriptive leanings of Deccan College Post Graduate and Research Institute (DCPRI) during my time there. Understanding Saussure, assimilating him and engaging with him has been a constant activity for me ever since. My visit to the University of Geneve to participate in the centenary celebrations of the publication of the Course as well as to his residence nearby only added to the biographical relevance of Saussure to my being as a linguist. Of course, my indulgence with Saussure is but a small moment in the development of modern linguistics in India. DCPRI has played a crucial role in the history of linguistics in India: Structuralism, especially its American variant. found its feet in DCPRI through summer schools and winter seminars organized in the 1950s, funded by Rockefeller Foundation as part of its post-world-war-II expansion efforts. These developments were further part of a larger engagement with modem linguistics and a description of Indian languages, initially inspired by the work of Sir George Grierson. These engagements informed the linguistic organization of states in India. The role of Deccan College in these developments, especially through the works of Prof. Katre, is well-acknowledged. Being a student in DCPRI made me part of the dynamics associated with the history of linguistics in India. My awareness of this legacy, then visible all around me. naturally drew me to the master whose work connected me with both of the above-mentioned trends. This monograph is a part of this connection and continuous engagement.
**Contents and Sample Pages**
For privacy concerns, please view our Privacy Policy
Send as free online greeting card
Email a Friend
Manage Wishlist