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    STRUCTURALISM

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    Structuralism views elements as having meaning only in relation to other elements within a larger structure. It focuses on the systematic relationships between units and rules of a system. Two major figures are Ferdinand de Saussure and Terence Hawkes. Saussure viewed language as a system of signs with units defined by their relationships. Structuralism examines how meaning arises through differences between signs and their arrangement within codes.

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    STRUCTURALISM

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    Structuralism views elements as having meaning only in relation to other elements within a larger structure. It focuses on the systematic relationships between units and rules of a system. Two major figures are Ferdinand de Saussure and Terence Hawkes. Saussure viewed language as a system of signs with units defined by their relationships. Structuralism examines how meaning arises through differences between signs and their arrangement within codes.

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    Structuralism views elements as having meaning only in relation to other elements within a larger structure. It focuses on the systematic relationships between units and rules of a system. Two major figures are Ferdinand de Saussure and Terence Hawkes. Saussure viewed language as a system of signs with units defined by their relationships. Structuralism examines how meaning arises through differences between signs and their arrangement within codes.

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    79 views2 pages

    STRUCTURALISM

    Uploaded by

    Hypingss 28
    Structuralism views elements as having meaning only in relation to other elements within a larger structure. It focuses on the systematic relationships between units and rules of a system. Two major figures are Ferdinand de Saussure and Terence Hawkes. Saussure viewed language as a system of signs with units defined by their relationships. Structuralism examines how meaning arises through differences between signs and their arrangement within codes.

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    STRUCTURALISM

    Structuralism is a system in which each in a group can only be understood by its relation to
    other elements as part of larger structure. As a literally theory, developed in the 1950's and 1960's,
    adopted from theories other area such as Sociology, Psychoanalysis, Anthropology, ect. There are
    several theories and notions regarding structuralism by some of the Major Figure, Among them are
    Ferdinand De Saussure and Terence Hawkes. These Major Figure has their own explanations and
    theories about structuralism.

    According to Terence Hawkes, Structuralism is a way to thinking about the world which is
    predominantly concerned with the perceptions and description of structures. At it's simplest,
    structuralism claims that the nature of every elements in any given situation has no significance by
    itself, and in fact is determined by all the other elements involved in that situation. The full
    significance of any entity cannot be perceived unless and until it is integrated into the structure of
    which it forms a part.

    As one of the major figure, Ferdinand De Saussure also explained about structuralism as a
    philosophical stance, that structrualist interested in the interrelationship between UNITS and RULES,
    where UNITS also called "Surface Phenomena" and RULES are "The Ways That Units Can Be Put
    Together". According to Saussure theories, structuralism is based upon three assumptions which is :

     The Systematic nature of language, where the whole is greater than the sum of it's parts.
     The Relational conception of the elements of language, where linguistics "entities" are
    defined in relationship of combination and contrast to one another.
     The Abritary Nature of linguistic elements, where they are difened in terms of the function
    and purpose they serve rather than in terms of their inherent qualities.

    Ferdinand De Saussure, as one of the structuralism expert said that he was not statisfied with
    the historical comparison of language. He said that such comparison only answered where a
    language come from, but not what language is. During the 19th century, European and North
    American had a different notions regarding structuralism.

    Here is the main tenets regarding structuralism according to European and North American:

    1. EUROPEAN STRUCTURALISM (1920's)

    Main Tenets :
     Language has a structure
     Language is a system of signs
     Language operates at two levels : Langue and Parole

    2. NORTH AMERICAN STRUCTURALISM (1930's - 1960's)

    Main Tenets :

     Linguistics is a descriptive science


     The primary form of language is the spoken one
     Every language is a system on its own right
     Language is a system in which smaller units arrange systematically
    to form larger ones
     Meaning should not be part of linguistic analysis
     The procedures to determine the units in language should be objective and rigorous.
     Language is observable speech, not knowledge

    Based on the explanation above, structuralism also has a universally underlying principles, which is :

     Meaning occurs through difference and SIGNS’ relationship to each other. Ex: woman vs. lady
     Much of our imaginative world is structured in binary sets (opposites) which assign structure and
    meaning to signs. Ex: cruel vs. humane
     Forms the basis of SEMIOTICS, the study of signs.
     Sign = union of SIGNIFIER and SIGNIFIED. Ex: c-a-t, fuzzy critter that goes “meow”
     CODES provide signs with context - cultural context, literary context, etc.
     Emphasizes that humans create meaning. Structuralism, then, allows us to examine our
    relationships with literature, art, society, etc.
     Our sense of self -- our consciousness -- exists in relation to outside collective influences. We are
    NOT self-contained!
     Reality is conventional; our perceptions of the world around us are bound up in conventions,
    codes, signs, etc. The “social construction of reality”.

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