Tar!K______ 1
Structuralism
Structuralism is a school of linguistics that focuses on the structure of language. It
emerged through the ideas of Ferdinand De Saussure who is considered as the father of
modern linguistics and the father of structuralism. De Saussure claims that linguistics is a
part of semiology which concerns the structure of signs and the laws that govern them
within society. His dichotomy of Langue and Parole is considered as the basis of
structuralism.
In Europe, the Prague school developed a branch of structuralism that attempted to
study language change and relied on the observation of realia. In addition to this, the
Copenhagen school contributed to the development of structural linguistics by giving
importance to the form of language and using logical empiricism. In the first half of the
twentieth century, European structuralism became predominant in America. This approach
developed mainly through ideas of Edward Sapir who views language as an acquired
function of culture and has provided some concepts that shaped structural linguistics.
Moreover, Sapir and his student Benjamin Lee Whorf developed the Sapir-Whorf
hypothesis which includes two main concepts: Linguistic determinism which implies that
language conditions the way of thinking, and Linguistic relativity which means that each
language is distinct from the other languages.
Sapir and Bloomfield are considered as founders of the American structuralism.
However, Leonard Bloomfield is viewed as the most important representative of this school
as he contributed to the development of structuralism through his methodology and
rejection of philosophical ideas. He accepts De Saussure’s ideas, but he gives more
importance to phonology. He also insists on the analysis of the structure of language
through the study of grammar. American structuralism is represented by the
Bloomfieldians including Zelling Harris, Charles Hocket, Henry Lee Smith and George
Trager.
Structural linguistics relies on the idea that langue is abstract and parole is concrete.
Thus, the role of the linguist is to study the concrete level of language. Structuralism is
based on the following assumptions that can be summarize d as follows:
It focuses on the spoken language.
It relies on the objective study of language.
It gives importance to the synchronic study.
Structuralism
Structuralism is a school of linguistics that focuses on the structure of language. It
emerged through the ideas of Ferdinand De Saussure who is considered as the father of
modern linguistics and the father of structuralism. De Saussure claims that linguistics is a
part of semiology which concerns the structure of signs and the laws that govern them
within society. His dichotomy of Langue and Parole is considered as the basis of
structuralism.
In Europe, the Prague school developed a branch of structuralism that attempted to
study language change and relied on the observation of realia. In addition to this, the
Copenhagen school contributed to the development of structural linguistics by giving
importance to the form of language and using logical empiricism. In the first half of the
twentieth century, European structuralism became predominant in America. This approach
developed mainly through ideas of Edward Sapir who views language as an acquired
function of culture and has provided some concepts that shaped structural linguistics.
Moreover, Sapir and his student Benjamin Lee Whorf developed the Sapir-Whorf
hypothesis which includes two main concepts: Linguistic determinism which implies that
language conditions the way of thinking, and Linguistic relativity which means that each
language is distinct from the other languages.
Sapir and Bloomfield are considered as founders of the American structuralism.
However, Leonard Bloomfield is viewed as the most important representative of this school
as he contributed to the development of structuralism through his methodology and
rejection of philosophical ideas. He accepts De Saussure’s ideas, but he gives more
importance to phonology. He also insists on the analysis of the structure of language
through the study of grammar. American structuralism is represented by the
Bloomfieldians including Zelling Harris, Charles Hocket, Henry Lee Smith and George
Trager.
Structural linguistics relies on the idea that langue is abstract and parole is concrete.
Thus, the role of the linguist is to study the concrete level of language. Structuralism is
based on the following assumptions that can be summarize d as follows:
It focuses on the spoken language.
It relies on the objective study of language.
It gives importance to the synchronic study.
