Émile Benveniste

Émile Benveniste was a French linguist and semiotician known for his influential work on language and communication. He studied how languages develop, function, and reflect human thought and culture. Benveniste emphasized the importance of context, especially the role of personal and social factors, in understanding meaning. His research helped clarify how words and sentences express relationships between speakers and listeners, highlighting that language is a social act rooted in shared understanding. His insights have had a lasting impact on linguistics, semiotics, and the study of human communication.