Linguistics 23/24

A. Predict the right concept in the right gap : Langue/ signifier/ synchronic/ parole/ signified/ diachronic.

(note that one word is to be mentioned twice).

De Saussure put forward a set of dichotomies in his work” Course of General Linguistics”. One

dichotomy is concerned with the linguistic sign which has two sides. The first side involves the

1................................which is the material form of the sign. This is the element that we can see,

hear, taste, touch or smell. In other words, this is the physical form of the sign.

The second side is the 2.........................which is the mental concept associated with a sign. In

other words, it is the concept, meaning or the thing associated with the 3..........................

The second dichotomy includes two sides of language. The first side is 4...........................which

refers to the abstract system shared by all the speakers of the same language, like English,

Arabic, French. The second side is called 5.................. referring to the real speech of the

individual or the unique language of the individual.

The third dichotomy includes a distinction between two approaches to language study. The first

approach is 6.......................dealing with language study at any particular or specific point in time

in the past or present, while the second approach is 7..........................which is interested in

looking at language change and development through time.

B. Define and give examples of these concepts.

Signifier and signified

Langue and parole

Glosseme

Linguistic determinism

Linguistic relativity

C. Differentiate between Saussurean (European) structuralism and American structuralism and identify the

similarities between the two.