Saussure's Quote Response

“the bond between the signifier and the signified is radically arbitrary" (35)

When Saussure states that the signifier and the signified are radically arbitrary, he means that the symbolic sign system is random. The signifier is the sound-image “tree” is only called a “tree” in English because that is what English speakers have agreed upon. The signified is the common concept, which we have of the “tree”.

The signified is harder to grasp because we do not have a specific meaning. When it comes to certain things everyone has a different opinion of what the thing means to them. We all understand the sound-image (signifier) but ours thoughts are different. For example, while a green light can mean “go” to some people. The same green light, to English majors also might represents Gatsby’s hopes and dreams for his feature, in Scott Fitzgerald’s, The Great Gatsby. All the symbolic sign system is, is a matter of interpretation.

Saussure supports this statement by bringing up the notion of value. Saussure argues, that value would be “compromised, for it would include an externally imposed element.” Value is an operative principle which makes the connective relationship of idea and sound random.

This idea is important in understanding Saussure’s theory of language because it helps us to determine the symbolic content. Our idea of signs helps us by categorizing or focusing on a group of the same object, (books, magazines, maps, billboards). No matter how complex and confusing Saussure’s theories are, his main objective is to make the language system more organized. And this goes hand in hand with the importance of the theory of language.

This idea, for me, makes things a little more confusing than it needs to be. Instead of using words such as signifier and signified, he should just simplify it to sound and thought. I certainly appreciate the complexity of the English language more but personally I feel that it would be easier for me to understand if a had a clear and narrow definition of what language theory is instead of giving examples to explain language theory. But on the other hand, there are no clear definitions and that what makes literary theory interesting. And I enjoy intellectual play.

Saussure’s theory of language changed the way I thought about literature because I would have never have thought about the significance of sound-image. And I just assumed that everyone’s thought was the same as the sounds. I understood that everyone thoughts might be random but the basic principle of the word would be the same.