Structuralism Key Terms and Concepts
Binary oppositions
According to structuralism, we interpret the world by juxtaposing two opposite concepts against each other
Diachronic
Proceeds according to time by considering the order in which characteristics/details appear in a work - Chronological approach
Signifier
Sound-image that represents a concept, - Ex: Sound of Book represents the concept
Referent
The Physical object represented - Physical book, with a bound cover and pages, would be an example
Signified
The concept the sound-image represents - When you "book", you know it refers to a book
Parole
The use of language, which is an utterance or individual instance of language such as a sentence or a poem.
Arbitrary Nature of Language
We choose what each sign in our language means
Intertextuality
Writing or reading a text in relation to another - used by structuralists to gauge how texts fit into the system
Essentialism
Core belief that you believe there is a natural truth or essence behind a belief - rejected by structuralism because we have constructed reality through language
Saussure
Developed the key ideas of structuralism in his book "Course in General Linguistics"
Difference-based reality
Our reality is a system of comparisons and relations that produce meaning.
Langue
Overall System of Language and The Language as a Whole
Synchronic
Proceeding without regard to time, general characteristics without considering the order in which they appear