Language: I don't understand.

This week’s pop-culture blog was supposed to be about applying one of the analysis’ we read for homework this week to a YouTube clip (either Beauvorian, Saussurean, or Derridean).  I chose to examine Saussure.  My attempt is as follows:

Ferdinand de Saussure was born on November 26^th of 1857, and passed away February 22^nd, 1913.  He was a Swiss linguist who was responsible for many significant changes in linguistics during the 20^th century.  It can also be noted that his ideas are what the fundamentals of Structuralism are based off of.  According to Saussure, language is not a function of the speaker; it is a product that is passively taken in by the individual.  He created the concept of Semiotics, which consists of sign, signifiers, and signified.  These three concepts show the study of signs and the processes that they associate with.  These can be defined as:

*Sign—appoints the subject under survey

*Signified—the concept of the ‘sign’

*Signifier—the sound, symbol, or word that represents the ‘sign’

So, to put these concepts into effect, we can use the example of a cactus.  The physicality of the cactus would be the ‘sign’.  The concept of a prickly plant that holds a large amount of water would be the ‘signified’; and the letters that spell C-A-C-T-U-S would be the ‘signifier’. 

So bottom line, Saussure feels that there is no semiotics -- no natural connection between words and symbols.  Saussure feels as though humans have no natural born association (or should not be) between the word cactus and a living organism that is prickly and holds water.  From when we are born and as we grow up, we learn how to associate words with symbols as a means of communication.  However, not just one word can be associated with a single symbol because there is more than one word per symbol (usually).  For example, plant and cactus – both words can be used for the same symbol.  Similar to this is the fact that many different languages will share the same word, such as the word ‘no’.  (Best word I could come up with while watching the Super Bowl ;] )

In closing, Saussure’s whole argument is that “language is a form, not a substance”.  Language is not a formula of words; instead language is influenced through the culture in which we live.

So this whole time, I have been trying to find a funny YouTube clip that would relate in anyway with Saussure’s concept.  I was not as successful as I wanted to be, but I was able to find this one:

This video shows how ridiculous the English language can be.  It does not quite show the connection between words and symbols, but it does show how words can be very similar yet different all at once.  A person would assume that words spelled similar would be similar (in both phonetics and meaning), however they are VERY different.  It is just weird to see how the English language works.. it is a good thing we all know it, or else it would be extremely hard to learn ;]