CLOSE REVIEWWhat is Ferdinand de Saussure's theory of relational meaning?
Define relational meaning, explain with an example, and state how this theory relates to the philosophy of language in general.
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Saussure's theory of relational meaning contends that the meanings of words arise through their relationships with other words. "good" means nothing unless it is in opposition to "bad." The meaning of the word "bachelor" comes from its relationships to other words, such as "man," "married," and "spinster." Saussure's theory is the foundation of linguistic structuralism, which states that the meanings of signs come from the structure of the whole system they come from, not their reference to reality. It describes a kind of "conceptual" meaning, rather than "referential" meaning.
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Which of the following is NOT an implication of Saussure's theory?
- A.
People are not really male or female.
- B.
All words imply their opposites.
- C.
All word-meanings are culturally relative.
- D.
All differences in meaning can be described in terms of binaries.
- E.
All of the above are implications of Saussure's theory.
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