What do language, stories, fashion, myths, and even memes have in common? They all follow patterns—they all have structures. And one man, long before hashtags or TikTok trends, figured out that to truly understand meaning, you have to look at the system behind it.
That man was Ferdinand de Saussure, the Swiss linguist whose revolutionary ideas laid the groundwork for what we now call structuralism. His influence didn’t stop at language; it spread across literature, anthropology, psychology, and cultural studies. Not bad for someone whose lectures were published after his death!
In this post, we’ll break down:
- What Saussure believed about language
- How his ideas formed the foundation of structuralism
- Why his legacy still matters today
Let’s unpack the structure—of structuralism.
Who Was Ferdinand de Saussure?
Ferdinand de Saussure (1857–1913) was a Swiss linguist and professor at the University of Geneva. He didn’t publish much during his lifetime, but after he passed away, his students compiled notes from his lectures into a book titled "Course in General Linguistics" (1916). That book would change the future of linguistics forever.
Saussure wasn’t just interested in words—he wanted to understand the system of language. He asked questions no one else had thought to ask, like:
- How do we know what words mean?
- Is language a list of things, or something more?
- Can we study language like we study science?
Spoiler alert: yes, we can.
Language as a System of Signs
At the heart of Saussure’s theory is the idea that language is a system of signs. But wait—what’s a sign?
The Two Parts of a Sign:
- Signifier – the form of the word (sound, letters, etc.)
Example: the word “cat” - Signified – the concept the word refers to
Example: the furry animal with whiskers and a tail
Put them together, and you get a sign.
But—and this is crucial—Saussure argued that the relationship between the signifier and the signified is arbitrary. There’s no natural reason why the word “cat” means cat. It only works because everyone in a language group agrees on it.
That means meaning doesn’t come from things themselves—it comes from the structure of the system.
It’s All About Differences
Saussure’s next big idea: signs only have meaning through differences.
We know what “hot” means because we understand what it isn’t: “cold.”
“Dog” isn’t “log” or “fog.”
Words exist in relation to other words.
So language is not just a vocabulary list—it’s a web of contrasts. That’s what Saussure meant when he said, “in language, there are only differences without positive terms.”
He basically said: meaning is not in the word, it’s in the system the word belongs to.
Langue vs. Parole
Another one of Saussure’s famous concepts is the difference between:
- Langue – the system or structure of a language, shared by a community
- Parole – the actual speech or language used by individuals
Think of langue as the rules of chess, and parole as someone playing the game.
Saussure believed linguistics should focus on langue—the deeper structure of language, not just the surface-level speech we hear every day.
The Birth of Structuralism
All of these ideas—signs, arbitrariness, structure, differences—paved the way for a movement called structuralism.
Structuralism says: if we want to understand meaning, we have to understand the structure behind it.
Saussure’s work made people realize that language isn’t a random collection of words—it’s a system. That system shapes how we think, how we communicate, and even how we see the world.
And once scholars applied this approach to language, they started applying it to everything.
Saussure’s Influence Beyond Linguistics
Here’s how Saussure’s ideas influenced other fields:
1. Anthropology – Claude Lévi-Strauss
He applied structuralism to myths and kinship systems, arguing that human cultures follow patterns just like language does.
2. Literary Theory – Roland Barthes
He said that stories, symbols, and even clothing can be "read" like texts—systems of signs that reveal meaning through structure.
3. Psychoanalysis – Jacques Lacan
Lacan believed that the unconscious is structured like a language, borrowing heavily from Saussure’s theory of signs.
4. Cultural Studies – Stuart Hall
Media, advertisements, and pop culture were now seen as “texts” full of signs that reflect and shape ideology.
Saussure started a ripple effect that turned into a tsunami across the humanities.
Criticism and Limitations
Of course, no theory is perfect. Structuralism—and Saussure’s ideas—have faced criticism, especially from post-structuralists like Derrida and Foucault.
The main critiques:
- Too rigid: Critics say structuralism sees systems as too stable and ignores change, history, or human agency.
- Ignores speaker intention: What about emotion, creativity, and ambiguity in language?
- Overemphasis on structure: Not everything in human experience fits neatly into a system.
Still, even critics of structuralism owe a lot to Saussure. You can’t rebel against something unless it made a big impact first!
Why Saussure Still Matters Today
Even in our hyper-digital world, Saussure’s ideas are everywhere:
- Social media symbols (like emojis) work because we all agree on what they mean. That's semiotics!
- Brand logos are signs that carry meanings beyond their visual design.
- Memes are basically mini-systems of signs—ever-evolving, and understood through cultural context.
Saussure taught us that language is not just a tool—it’s a map of the mind and culture. And once you start seeing signs and structures, you realize they’re all around you.
Classroom Activity: Spot the Structure
Have students bring in 3 ads, memes, or logos and analyze:
- What is the signifier?
- What is the signified?
- How does the meaning come from differences or cultural agreement?
This is a fun, visual way to bring Saussure's abstract ideas into the real world.
Final Thoughts: A Quiet Revolution
Ferdinand de Saussure wasn’t flashy. He didn’t go viral. But he quietly sparked a revolution in how we think about language, meaning, and the world itself.
His genius was in seeing patterns where others saw chaos, in turning language into a science of structure.
So the next time you scroll through your feed, hear a clever pun, or see a cryptic logo—remember: there's a system behind that sign. And chances are, it started with Saussure.
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