Saussurean Structuralism

Saussurean Structuralism, developed by linguist Ferdinand de Saussure, sees language as a system of interconnected signs where meaning arises from differences between words, not from any inherent connection to things they represent. Words gain meaning through their relationships within the system—for example, “cat” and “dog” are defined partly by what they are not. This approach emphasizes that language is a structured, rule-based system, and understanding it involves analyzing these relationships and patterns rather than just looking at individual words or sounds.