#Quote
More Quotes by Ferdinand de Saussure
It is one of the aims of linguistics to define itself, to recognise what belongs within its domain. In those cases where it relies upon psychology, it will do so indirectly, remaining independent.
Speech has both an individual and a social side, and we cannot conceive of one without the other.
Without language, thought is a vague, uncharted nebula.
In general, the philological movement opened up countless sources relevant to linguistic issues, treating them in quite a different spirit from traditional grammar; for instance, the study of inscriptions and their language. But not yet in the spirit of linguistics.
Everyone, left to his own devices, forms an idea about what goes on in language which is very far from the truth.
Written forms obscure our view of language. They are not so much a garment as a disguise.
Psychologically our thought-apart from its expression in words-is only a shapeless and indistinct mass.
A linguistic system is a series of differences of sound combined with a series of differences of ideas.
It is only since linguistics has become more aware of its object of study, i.e. perceives the whole extent of it, that it is evident that this science can make a contribution to a range of studies that will be of interest to almost anyone.
Any psychology of sign systems will be part of social psychology - that is to say, will be exclusively social; it will involve the same psychology as is applicable in the case of languages.
