LINGUISTICS

How do we know things are different? 🤷‍♂️

You would almost certainly know the difference between a dress, a guitar, and a table, if somebody mentioned them to you in conversation. But have you ever stopped to wonder why you know this? Ferdinand de Saussure did, and his Course in General Linguistics was fundamental to the field we now call Post-Structuralism.

Saussure created different categories in language: the sign, the signifier, and the signified. The signifier is the sound of a word as it is spoken (aloud or in our heads), the signified is the concept that this word evokes in our minds, and the sign is the combination of the two. To use ‘cat’ as an example, the signifier is the sound this word makes when you say it, the signified is the cute, furry animal, and the sign is the two put together, which make up the word you see on your screen.

In Saussure’s view, the only reason why we know that a ‘cat’ is a furry animal is because it has a sound that is different from ‘hat’. No language has meaning by itself – all language only has meaning because it is different to everything else in the linguistic system. So we only know that ‘cat’ is the furry animal because we know it isn’t a hat, or a dress, or a guitar, or a table.

💡 Things to consider

• Re-signification: According to Saussure, language systems only work if everybody who participates in the language system agrees on what the signifiers refer to. If some people started calling what we know to be a ‘cat’ a ‘dog’ instead, then they might begin the process of re-signification, where a concept that is signified is given a new name, or signifier. How quickly do you think this process could happen? Do the names we give things impact how we understand them?

• Arbitrariness: Saussure makes it clear that the connection between the signifier and the signified is arbitrary. There is no reason for the sound we make when we say a word to indicate the concept behind that word. How does this impact how we think about language? If language doesn’t inherently have any meaning, who (or what) gives it meaning? Does it matter?

• Different languages: The French bleu and the German blau both express the same thing as the English blue. But do all of these signifiers have exactly the same signified concept? How do we know if an English person and a German person think about the colour in the same way?

🔎 Find out more

• Phillips, J.W. Structuralism and semiotics.

• What is Post-Structuralism? (YouTube video)

🍒 The cherry on top

• 🧪 The Periodic Table's Hidden Histories: This New Yorker piece explores how the periodic table isn’t just a scientific tool — it’s also a cultural artefact, shaped by politics, nationalism, and even war. A brilliant read if you’re interested in Chemistry or The History of Science.

• 🌍 Geography in a Digital Age: In this insightful lecture, Professor Mark Whitehead of Aberystwyth University explores how smart technology is transforming our world — from reshaping social life and work to raising concerns about surveillance and inequality. A sharp, critical resource if you’re interested in Geography.

• 🛑 Censorship in the UK: This site offers a concise history of censorship in the United Kingdom, tracing its evolution from early restrictions on printing presses to modern debates over digital content and state surveillance. A strong primer if you’re interested in Politics or Media Studies.

👀 Keep your eyes peeled for…

• 6th May

  • UEA Philosophy Taster

• 7th May

  • Glasgow Chemistry Taster

  • UEA History Taster

• 8th May

  • Chemistry and Environmental Science Taster

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