Linguistic Determinism and Saussurean Semiotics

Linguistic Determinism and Relativism

The Impact of Language on Thought

Linguistic Determinism: This theory posits that language determines thought; therefore, its elements limit the way of thinking (language shapes our thoughts). The way we perceive time and space is part of our grammar. According to this theory, language is much more than a communication tool because it determines our perception of reality and our behavior.

Linguistic Relativism and Cultural Perception

Relativism: The fact of having a certain language makes us see reality in a specific way. Through language, we can understand the reality that surrounds us as well as communicate. This is why the author proposes how we are capable of perceiving reality. A person who speaks two different languages can capture reality in multiple ways. Referring to the Hopi language, speakers cannot express themselves using synonyms of time in the way the author describes (e.g., "10 days"). As a consequence, they have a different notion of time compared to SAE (Standard Average European) languages, which recognize time as present, past, and future.

Closing Thoughts on Cultural Perspectives

There are so many different cultures and so many languages to learn. One of the reasons why learning a language is interesting is that each language gives you a different and unique perspective when it comes to understanding the world from different points of view.

Ferdinand de Saussure and the Linguistic Sign

Language is composed of a set of purely sound signs called linguistic signs. The linguistic sign unit is made up of a concept and an image.

The author states that the signified (meaning) is the concept, such as a photo of a tree—the symbol that represents a tree. The signifier (acoustic image) refers to the sound or phonemes, such as the word "tree" itself. The author calls the combination of a concept and a sound-image a "sign" and uses the word "symbol" to designate the specific sign.

Key Characteristics of the Linguistic Sign

• Arbitrariness: This refers to the fact that language is imposed by society. We use these linguistic signs to communicate because they were imposed on us as children.
• Linearity: Linguistic signs are chains of sounds, since one sound is pronounced immediately after another to form a word, which is then represented by writing.
• Immutability: The linguistic sign (words) does not change; it does not mutate. These are imposed terms that are almost impossible to replace in the short or long term over time.
• Mutability: Conversely, signs can also be mutable, since a language can change over long periods of time in order to last. A language that does not change runs the risk of becoming extinct. The continuity of language sometimes implies a change, causing varying degrees of shifts in the relationship between the signified and the signifier.