Derrida - Linguistics and logy

8/3/2019 Derrida - Linguistics and logy

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Linguistics and Grammatology

Jacques Derrida; Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak

SubStance, Vol. 4, No. 10. (Autumn, 1974), pp. 127-181.

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LINGUISTICS AND GRAMMATOLOGY ''

Jacques Derrida

W r i t i n g i s no t h i n g but t h e r e p r e -

s e n t a t i o n o fs p e e c h ; i t is b i z a r r e

t h a t one g i v

e s more c a r e t o t h ed e t e r m i n i n g

o f t h e image t h a n t o


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t h e o b j e c t .

J. J. Rousseau,Fragment i n e d i t

d ' u n e s s a i sur Zes Zangues

The c o n c e p t o f w r i t i n g s h o u l d d e fi n e t h e f i e l d o f a s c i e n c e .But c a n it b e d e t e r m i n e d by s c h o l a r s o

u t s i d e o f a l l t h e h i s t o r i c o -m e t a p h y s i c a l p r e d e t e r m i n a t i o n s t h a t wehave j u s t s i t u a t e d s oc l i n i c a l l y ? What c a n a s c i e n c e o f w r i

t i n g b e g i n t o s i g n i f y , i fit i s g r a n t e d :

1) t h a t t h e v e r y i d e a o f s c i e n c ewas b o r n i n a c e r t a i n

e p o c h o f w r i t i n g ;

2 ) t h a t it was t h o u g h t and f o r m u la t e d , a s t a s k , i d e a , p r o -j e c t , i n a l a n g u a g e i m p l y i n g a c e r t a i nk i n d o f s t r u c t u r a l l y anda x i o l o g i c a l l y d e t e r m i n e d r e l a t i o n s h i p

between s p e e c h and w r i t i n g ;3 ) t h a t , t o t h a t e x t e n t , it was f

i r s t r e l a t e d t o t h e con-

c e p t and t h e a d v e n t u r e of p h o n e t i c w r it i n g , v a l o r i z e d a s t h e

t e l o s o f a l l w r i t i n g , e v e n though whatwas always t h e exemplary

model o f s c i e n t i f i c i t y - - m a t h e m a t i c s - - c on s t a n t l y moved away from

t h a t g o a l ;

4) t h a t t h e s t r i c t e s t n o t i o n o f ag e n e r a l s c i e n c e o f ~ 1 r i t i r . gwas b o r n , f o r n o n - f o r t u i t o u s r e a s o n s ,

d u r i n g a c e r t a i n p e r i o d o ft h e w o r l d ' s h i s t o r y ( b e g i n n i n g around

t h e e i g h t e e n t h c e n t u r y ) andw i t h i n a c e r t a i n d e t e r m i n e d s y s t e m o f

r e l a t i o n s h i p s between" l i v i n g " s p e e c h and i n s c r i p t i o n ;

"c) G a y a t r i C h a k r a v o r t y S p i v a k f o r t h eE n g l i s h v e r s i o n . T h i s

e s s a y c o n s t i t u t e s t h e s e c o n d c h a n t e r o f,Jacques D e r r i d a ' s Oe l a

Grarnrnatologie. ( c ) Les E d i t i o n s de Y i nu i t , 1 9 6 7 . P r o f e s s o r

S p i v a k ' s E n y l i s h t r a n s l a t i o n o f t h e e n ti r e book i s f o r t h c o m i n g .P r i n t e d w i t h p e r m i s s i o n .


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SUB-STANCE N O . 1 0 , 1 9 7 4 7 37

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5) t h a t w r i t i n ? i s n o t o n l y an a ux i l i a r y means i n t h e s e r v i c eo f s c i e n c e - - a n d p o s s i b l y i t s o b j e c t - - h

u t f i r s t , a s I i u s s e r l i i l p a r -t i c u l a r p o i n t e d o u t i n T h e O r i g i n of Geometry, t h e c o n d i t i o n o ft h e p o s s i b i l i t y o f i d e a l o b j e c t s and t, h e r e f o r e o f s c i e n t i f i c ob-j e c t i v i t y . B e f o r e h e i n g i t s o b j e c t , wr i t i n g i s t!le c o n d i t i o n oft h e s p i s t 6 r c A .

6 ; t h a t h i s t o r i c i t y i t s e l f i s t i ed t o t h e n o s s i b i l i t y o fw r i t i n g ; t o t h e p o s s i b i l i t y o f w r i t i n g

i n g e n e r a l , 5eyond t h o s e

p a r t i c u l a r forms o f w r i t i n g i n t h e nameo f which we have l o n g5:)oken o f n e o p l e s rii t h o u t w r i t i n g andr r i t h o ~ i th i s t o r v . R e f o r eb e i n g t h e o b j e c t o f a h i s t o r y - - o f an hi s t o r i c a l s c i e n c e - - w r i t i n gopens t h e f i e l d o f h i s t o r y - - o f h i s t o r ic a l becoming. And t h e f o r -mer (Historic i n German) p r e s u p p o s e s th e l a t t e r ( G e s c h i c h t e ) .

The s c i e n c e o f w r i t i n g s h o u l d t ! le r e f o r e l o o k f o r i t s o b j e c ta t t h e r o o t s o f s c i e n t i f i c i t y . The h i

s t o r y o f w r i t i n g s h o u l dt u r n back toward t h e o r i g i n o f h i s t o r ic i t y . i\ s c i e n c e o f t h ep o s s i b i l i t y o f s c i e n c e ? A s c i e n c e o ft h e s c i e n c e which wouldno l o n g e r have a ZogicaZ h u t a grammaticaZ

form? A h i s t o r \ . o ft h e n o s s i b i l i t y o f h i s t o r y , o r a h i s t or y o f p h i l o s o p h y ?

The o o s i t i v e and t h e c l a s s i c a l s ci e n c e s o f w r i t i n g a r eo l ~ l i g e dt o r e p r e s s t h i s s o r t o f q u e s t io n . Up t o a c e r t a i n p o i n t ,such r e p r e s s i o n i s even n e c e s s a r y t o th e p r o g r e s s o f p o s i t i v ei n v e s t i g a t i o n . B e s i d e t h e f a c t t h a t it would s t i l l h e h e l dw i t h i n a p h i l o s o p h i z i n g l o g i c , t h e 0nt0phen0menoloj;ical q u e s t i o no f e s s e n c e , t h a t i s t o s a y of t h e o r i gi n o f ~ a r i t i n g ,c o u l d , 11yi t s e l f , o n l y p a r a l y z e o r s t e r i l i z e t h et y p o l o g i c a l o r h i s t o r i c a l

r e s e a r c h o f f a c t s .Yy i n t e n t i o n , n o r e o v e r , i s n o t t o

weigh t h a t p r e j u d i c i a lq u e s t i o n , t h a t d r y , n e c e s s a r y , and somewhat f a c i l e q u e s t i o n o f


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r i g h t , a g a i n s t t h e power and e f f i c a c yo f t h e p o s i t i v e r e s e a r c h e swhich we a r e a l l o w e d t o w i t n e s s t o d a y .

The g e n e s i s a n d s y s t e m ofs c r i p t s h a d n e v e r l e d t o s u c h p r o f o u n d, e x t e n d e d , a n d a s s u r e d ex-p l o r a t i o n s . I t i s n o t r e a l l y a m a t t e r

o f w e i g h i n g t h e q u e s t i o na g a i n s t t h e i m p o r t a n c e o f t h e d i s c o v e ry , s i n c e t h e q u e s t i o n s a r ei m p o n d e r a b l e , t h e y c a n n o t be w e i g h e d .I f t h e i s s u e i s n o t q u i t e

t h a t , it i s p e r h a p s b e c a u s e i t s r e p r e ss i o n h a s r e a l c o n s e q u e n c e si n t h e v e r y c o n t e n t o f t h e r e s e a r c h e st h a t , i n t h e p r e s e n t c a s eand i n a p r i v i l e g e d wav, a r e alwavs a rr a n g e d around t h e problemso f d e f i n i t i o n and commencement.

The g r a m m a t o l o g i s t l e a s t o f a l l ca n a v o i d q u e s t i o n i n g him-s e l f a b o u t t h e e s s e n c e of h i s o b j e c t in t h e form of a q u e s t i o n ofo r i g i n ; "What i s w r i t i n g ? " means "where

and when d o e s w r i t i n gb e g i n ? " The r e s p o n s e s g e n e r a l l y comev e r y q u i c k l y . They c i r c l ew i t h i n l i t t l e - c r i t i c i z e d c o n c e p t s andmove w i t h i n e v i d e n c e whichalways seems s e l f - e v i d e n t . I t i s a r o un d t h e s e r e s p o n s e s t h a t at y p o l o g y o f and a p e r s p e c t i v e on t h e g

rowth o f w r i t i n g a r e a1:iayso r g a n i z e d . A l l works d e a l i n g w i t h t h e

I i i s t o r v o f w r i t i n g a r e com-p o s e d i n t h e same form: a p h i l o s o p h i c a l

and t e l e o l o g i c a l c l a s s i -f i c a t i o n ex!lausts t h e c r i t i c a l p r o h l e ns i n a feri p a g e s ; one p a s s e silcxt t o an e x p o s i t i o n o f f a c t s . 1Ce have

n c o n t r a s t b e t l i e e n t h etheoretical f r : i g i l i t v o f tlic r e c o n s t r ~i c t i o n sand t h e h i s t o r i c a l ,: i c~ h ; ~ e o l o g ic a l , e t h n o l o g i c a l , p h i l t ~ l oq i c a lillcnlth of i n f o r m a t i o n .

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Linguistics and Grammatology

The question of the origin of writing and the question of

the origin of language are difficult to separate. Grammatolo-gists, who are generally by training historians, epigraphists,

and archaeologists, seldom relate their researches to the

modern science of language. It is all the more surprising that,


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among the "sciences of man," linguistics is the one science whose

scientificity is given as an example with a zealous and insistent

unanimity.

Has grammatology, then, the right to expect from linguistics

an essential assistance that it has almost never looked for? On

the contrary, does one not find efficaciously at work, in the

very movement by which linguistics sets itself up as a science,

a metaphysical presupposition about the relationship between

speech and writing? Would that presupposition not hinder the

constitution of a general science of writing? Is not the lift-

ing of that presupposition an overthrowing of the landscape

upon which the science of language is peacefully installed? For

better and for worse? For blindness as well as for productivity?

This is the second type of question that I now wish to outline.

To develop this question, I should like to approach, as a privi-

leged example, the project and texts of Ferdinand de Saussure.

That the particularity of the example does not interfere with

the generality of my argument is a point which I shall occasion-

ally try not merely to take for granted.

Linguistics thus wishes to be the science of language. Let

us set aside all the implicit decisions that have established

such a project and all the questions about its own origin that

the fecundity of this science allows to remain dormant. Let us

first simply consider that the scientificity of that science is

often acknowledged because of its phonoZogical foundations.

Phonology, it is often said today, communicates its scientificity

to linguistics, which in turn serves as the epistemological

model for all the sciences of man. Since the deliberate and

systematic phonological orientation of linguistics (Troubetskoy,

Jakobson, Vartinet) carries out an intention which was originally


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Saussure's, I shall, at least provisionally, confine myself to

the latter. Will my argument be equally applicable a fortiori to

the most accentuated forms of phonologism? The problem will at

least be stated.

The science of linguistics determines language--its field

of objectivity--in the last instance and in the irreducible sim-

plicity of its essence, as the unity of the phong, the glossa,

and the logos. This determination is by rights anterior to all

the possible differentiations that arose within the systems of

terminology of the different schools (language/speech [langue/

parole]; code/message; scheme/usage; linguistic/logic; phonologv/

phonematics/phonetics/glossematics). And even if one wished to

keep sonority on the side of the sensible and contingent signi-

fier (whichwould be strictly speaking impossible, since formal

identities isolated within a sensible mass are already idealities

that are not purely sensible), it would have to be admitted that

the immediate and privileged unit which founds significance and

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t h e a c t o f l a n g u a g e i s t h e a r t i c u l a t e d un i t y o f sound and s e n s ew i t h i n t h e p h o n i e . With r e g a r d t o t h i su n i t y , w r i t i n g wouldalways b e d e r i v a t i v e , a c c i d e n t a l , p a r t i cu l a r , e x t e r i o r , d o u b l i n gt h e s i g n i f i e r : p h o n e t i c . "Sign o f a s i gn , " s a i d A r i s t o t l e ,Rousseau, and H e g e l .

Y e t , t h e i n t e n t i o n t h a t i n s t i t u t e sg e n e r a l l i n g u i s t i c s a sa s c i e n c e r e m a i n s i n t h i s r e s p e c t w i t h i na c o n t r a d i c t i o n . I t s 1

d e c l a r e d p u r p o s e i n d e e d c o n f i r m s - - s a y i n gwhat goes w i t h o u t s a y -

i n g - - t h e s u b o r d i n a t i o n o f grammatology,t h e h i s t o r i c o - m e t a p h y s i -c a l r e d u c t i o n o f w r i t i n g t o t h e r a n k ofa n i n s t r u m e n t e n s l a v e d

t o a f u l l and o r i g i n a r i l y spoken l a n g u a ge . Rut a n o t h e r g e s t u r e( n o t a n o t h e r s t a t e m e n t o f p u r p o s e , h e r e


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what d o e s n o t go w i t h o u ts a y i n g i s done w i t h o u t b e i n g s a i d , w r i t te n w i t h o u t b e i n g p r o f f e r e d )l i b e r a t e s t h e f u t u r e o f a g e n e r a l grammatology o f which l i n g u i s -t i c s - p h o n o l o g y would be o n l y a d e p e n d e n tand c i r c u m s c r i b e d a r e a .

L e t u s f o l l o w t h i s t e n s i o n between g e s t ur e and s t a t e m e n t i nS a u s s u r e .

'TGe O u t si d e and t h e I n s i d e

On t h e one h a n d , t r u e t o t h e o c c i d en t a l t r a d i t i o n t h a t con-t r o l s n o t o n l y i n t h e o r y b u t i n p r a c t i c e

( i n t h e o r i n c i p l e of i t sp r a c t i c e ) t h e r e l a t i - o n s h i p s between s p e e

c h and w r i t i n g , S a u s s u r edoes n o t r e c o g n i z e i n t h e l a t t e r n o r e t ha n a n a r r o u and d e r i v a t i v ef u n c t i o n . Narrow b e c a u s e i t i s n o t h i n gb u t one m o d a l i t y amongo t h e r s , a m o d a l i t y o f t h e e v e n t s x h i c h ca n b e f a l l a l a n g u a g ewhose e s s e n c e , a s t h e f a c t s seem t o show,

can remain f o r e v e r un-c o n t a m i n a t e d by w r i t i n g . "Language d o e shave a d e f i n i t e and

s t a b l e o r a l t r a d i t i o n t h a t i s O Q n d e p e n d e nt o f w r i t i n g " (Cours de

l i n g u i s t i q u e g Z n & r a Z e , p . 4 6 ) D e r i v a ti v e b e c a u s e r e p r e s e n t a t i v e :s i g n i f i e r of t h e f i r s t s i g n i f i e r , r e p r e se n t a t i o n o f 'the s e l f -p r e s e n t v o i c e , o f t h e i m m e d i a t e , n a t u r a l, and d i r e c t s i g n i f i c a -t i o n o f t h e meaning ( o f t h e s i g n i f i e d , of t h e c o n c e p t , o f t h e i d e a lo b j e c t o r what have y o u ) . S a u s s u r e t a k es up t h e t r a d i t i o n a l d e f i n -i t i o n of w r i t i n g which, a l r e a d y i n P l a t oand A r i s t o t l e , was r e s t r i c t e d

t o t h e model of p h o n e t i c s c r i p t and t h el a n g u a g e of w o r d s . Let u sr e c a l l t h e A r i s t o t e l i a n d e f i n i t i o n : "Spoken words a r e t h e symbolso f rnenteh e x p e r i e n c e and w r i t t e n words ar e t h e symbols o f spokenwords." S a u s s u r e : "Language and w r i ti n g a r e two d i s t i n c t s y s -tems o f s i g n s ; t h e s e c o n d e x i s t s f o r t h es o l e p u r n o s e o f r e p r e -

s e n t i n g t h e f i r s t . " ( p . 4 5 ; i t a l i c s mine)Cp. 231. T h i s r e p r e -s e n t a t i v e d e t e r m i n a t i o n , b e s i d e communicating

e s s e n t i a l l y w i t ht h e i d e a o f t h e s i g n , d o e s n o t t r a n s l a t ea c h o i c e o r a n e v a l u a t i o n ,


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d o e s n o t b e t r a y a p s y c h o l o g i c a l o r m e t a ph y s i c a l p r e s u p n o s i t i o np e c u l i a r t o S a u s s u r e ; i t d e s c r i b e s o r r at h e r r e f l e c t s t h e s t r u c -t u r e o f a c e r t . a i n t y p e of s c r i p t : p h o n et i c s c r i p t , which we u s e ,and w i t h i n t h e p r i n c i p l e s o f which t h e e

p i s t Z m 5 i n g e n e r a l ( s c i e n c eand p h i l o s o p h y ) , and l i n g u i s t i c s i n p a r ti c u l a r , c o u l d b e f o u n d e d .One s h o u l d s a y model r a t h e r t h a n s t r u c t ur e ; i t i s n o t a q u e s t i o nof a s y s t e m c o n s t r u c t e d and f u n c t i o n i n gp e r f e c t l y h u t o f an i d e a le x p l i c i t l y d i r e c t i n g a f u n c t i o n i n g whichi n f a c t i s n e v e r c o m p l e t e l v

p l i o n e t i c . I n f a c t , b u t a l s o f o r r e a s o n so f e s s e n c e t o which 1 s h a l l

f r e q u e n t l y r e t u r n .

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L i n g u i s t i c s and Grammatology

To b e s u r e t h i s f a c t u m o f p h o n e t i c wr i t i n g i s m a s s i v e ; i tcommands o u r e n t i r e c u l t u r e and o u r e n t i re s c i e n c e , and i t i sc e r t a i n l y n o t j u s t one f a c t among o t h e r s .

N e v e r t h e l e s s it doesn o t r e s p o n d t o any n e c e s s i t y o f a n a b s o l ut e and u n i v e r s a l e s s e n c e .

Using t h i s a s a p o i n t o f d e p a r t u r e , S a u s su r e d e f i n e s t h e p r o j e c tand o b j e c t of g e n e r a l l i n g u i s t i c s : "Thel i n g u i s t i c o b j e c t i sn o t b o t h t h e w r i t t e n and t h e spoken formso f w o r d s ; t h e s p o k e n

form aZone c o n s t i t u t e s t h e o b j e c t " (p. 4 5; i t a l i c s mine) Lp. 23-241.

The form o f t h e q u e s t i o n t o w h i c h her e s p o n d e d t h u s e n t a i l e d

t h e r e s p o n s e . I t was a m a t t e r o f knowingwhat s o r t o f word i st h e o b j e c t o f l i n g u i s t i c s and what t h e r el a t i o n s h i p s between t h ea t o m i c u n i t i e s t h a t a r e w r i t t e n and t h e spoken word a r e . Nowt h e word ( v o x ) i s a l r e a d y a u n i t y o f s e n se and s o u n d , o f c o n c e p tand v o i c e , o r , t o s p e a k a more r i g o r o u s l yS a u s s u r i a n l a n g u a g e , o f

t h e s i g n i f i e d and t h e s i g n i f i e r . T h i s l as t t e r m i n o l o g y wasmoreover f i r s t p r o p o s e d i n t h e domain o fspoken l a n g u a g e a l o n e ,o f l i n g u i s t i c s i n t h e n a r r o w s e n s e , and n

o t i n t h e domain o fs e m i o l o g y ("I p r o p o s e t o r e t a i n t h e words i g n [ s i g n e l t o d e s i g -


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n a t e t h e whole and t o r e p l a c e c o n c e o t andsound-image r e s p e c -t i v e l y by s i g n i f i e d C s i g n i f i 6 2 and s i g n i fi e r [ s i g n i f i a n t l "p . 9 9 [ p . 6 7 3 ) . The word i s t h u s a l r e a d y

a c o n s t i t u t e d u n i t y ,a n e f f e c t of " t h e somewhat m y s t e r i o u s f a c

t . . . t h a t I t h o u g h t -s o u n d ' i m p l i e s d i v i s i o n " ( p . 156)Fp. 1121.

Even i f t h e word i si n i t s t u r n a r t i c u l a t e d , e v e n i f it i m p l i es o t h e r d i v i s i o n s , a sl o n g a s one p o s e s t h e q u e s t i o n o f r e l a t i on s h i p s between s p e e c hand w r i t i n g i n t h e l i g h t o f t h e i n d i v i s i bl e u n i t s o f t h e " t h a u g h t -s o u n d , " t h e r e will a l w a y s b e t h e r e a d y r es p o n s e . W r i t i n g w i l lb e " p h o n e t i c , " it w i l l b e t h e o u t s i d e , t h

e e x t e r i o r r e p r e s e n t a t i o no f l a n g u a g e and o f t h i s " t h o u g h t - s o u n d . "I t must n e c e s s a r i l y

o p e r a t e from a l r e a d y c o n s t i t u t e d u n i t s o fs i g n i f i c a t i o n , i n t h e

f o r m a t i o n o f which i t h a s p l a y e d no p a r t .

P e r h a p s t h e o b j e c t i o n w i l l b e made th a t w r i t i n g up t o t h ep r e s e n t h a s n o t o n l y n o t c o n t r a d i c t e d , bu t i n d e e d c o n f i r m e d , t h el i n g u i s t i c s o f t h e word. H i t h e r t o I seemt o have m a i n t a i n e d t h a t

o n l y t h e f a s c i n a t i o n o f t h e u n i t c a l l e d word h a s p r e v e n t e d g i v i n gt o w r i t i n g t h e a t t e n t i o n t h a t it m e r i t e d .

By t h a t I seemed t os u p p o s e t h a t , by c e a s i n g t o a c c o r d an a b so l u t e p r i v i l e g e t o t h eword, modern l i n g u i s t i c s would become t h at much more a t t e n t i v et o w r i t i n g and would f i n a l l y c e a s e t o r e ga r d it w i t h s u s p i c i o n .AndrE M a r t i e t comes t o t h e o p p o s i t e c o n cl u s i o n . I n h i s s t u d y"The IVord,ttg he d e s c r i b e s t h e n e c e s s i t y th a t contemporary l i n g u i s -t i c s obeys when i t i s l e d , i f n o t t o d i s pe n s e everywhere w i t h t h ec o n c e p t of t h e word, a t l e a s t t o make i t su s a g e more f l e x i b l e ,t o a s s o c i a t e it w i t h t h e c o n c e p t s o f s m a ll e r o r g r e a t e r u n i t s(monemes o r s y n t a g m s ) . I n a c c r e d i t i n g and

c o n s o l i d a t i n g t h ed i v i s i o n o f l a n g u a g e i n t o words i n c e r t a in a r e a s o f l i n g u i s t i c s ,w r i t i n g would t h u s have e n c o u r a g e d c l a s s i

c a l l i n g u i s t i c s i n i t sp r e j u d i c e s . W r i t i n g would have c o n s t r u c te d o r a t l e a s t condensed


10/97

t h e " s c r e e n of t h e word."

What a c o n t e m o o r a r y l i n g u i s t cansau a b o u t t h word~

~1el.l i l l u s t r a t e s t o what e x t e n t th e - f u n c t i o n a Z and

s t r u c t u r a l r e s e a r c h o f t h e Zast t

h i r t g - f i v e y e a r s

----------------------- Page 7-----------------------

h a s had t o r e v i s e t r a d i t i o n a l c on c e p t s i n o r d e r t o

l a y t h e s c i e n t i f i c f o u n d a t i o n s f or t h e o b s e r v a t i o n

and d e s c r i n t i o n o f l a n g u a g e . C er t a i n a a o l i c a t i o n s

o f l i n g u i s t i c s , s u c h a s t h e r e s ea r c h a p o l y i n g t o

mechanicai: t r a n s l a t i o n , by t h e em p h a s i s w h i c h t h e yp l a c e on t h e w r i t t e n form o f t h e

language m i g h t seemt o l e n d i m p o r t a n c e t o s p a c e s i n

t h e w r i t t e n t e x t andl e a d us t o f o r g e t t h a t it i s from

s p e e c h one s h o u l dalzjays s t a r t i n o r d e r t o zmderstand

t h e r e a l n a t u r eof hunan lung uaqe. Thus more t h

a n e w r it i s i n d i s -n e n s a b l e t o i n s i s t on t h e n e c e s s

i t l 4 o f pushing t h ee r a i n i n a t i o n b c y o n d t h e i m v e d i a t e

a p p e a r a n c e s andb e y o n d t h e s t r u c t u r e s m o s t f a m i l i

a r t o t h e r e s e a r c h e r .The f v n d m e n t a l t r a i t s o f hunan

lanq uaqe a r e o f t e nt o b e found b e h i n d t h e s c r e e n o f

w o r d s .

One c a n n o t b u t s u b s c r i b e t o t h i s c au t i o n . Yet it mustalways be r e c o g n i z e d t h a t it t h r o w s s u s pi c i o n o n l y on a c e r t a i nt y p e o f w r i t i n g : p h o n e t i c w r i t i n g conforming

t o t h e e m p i r i c a l l yd e t e r m i n e d and p r a c t i c e d d i v i s i o n s o f o rd i n a r y o r a l l a n g u a g e .The p r o c e s s e s o f m e c h a n i c a l t r a n s l a t i o nt o which i t a l l u d e sconform s i m i l a r l y t o t h a t s p o n t a n e o u s p r ac t i c e . Beyond t h a tmodel and t h a t c o n c e p t o f w r i t i n g , t h i se n t i r e d e m o n s t r a t i o n m u s t ,it seems, b e r e c o n s i d e r e d . F o r i t r e m a i n

s t r a p p e d i n t h e S a u s s u r i a nl i m i t a t i o n t h a t we a r e a t t e m p t i n g t o e x pl o r e .


11/97

I n e f f e c t S a u s s u r e limits t h e numbero f s y s t e m s o f w r i t i n g

t o two, b o t h d e f i n e d a s s y s t e m s o f r e p r es e n t a t i o n o f t h e o r a ll a n g u a g e , e i t h e r r e p r e s e n t i n g words i n as y n t h e t i c and g l o b a l

manner, o r r e p r e s e n t i n g p h o n e t i c a l l y t h e

e l e m e n t s o f soundsc o n s t i t u t i n g words:

T h e r e a r e o n l y two s y s t e m s o f w ri t i n g : 1 ) I n an

i d e o g r a p h i c sy%stern e a c h word i s re p r e s e n t e d b y a

s i n g l e s i g n t h a t i s u n r e l a t e d t ot h e s o u n d s o f t h e

word i t s e l j ' . Pach w r i t t e n s i q ns t a n d s for a whole

word a n d , c o n s e q u e n t l y , for t h e

i d e a e x p r e s s e d byt h e word. The c l a s s i c example of an i d e o q r a v h i c

s y s t e m o f u r i t i n g i s C h i n e s e . 21The s y s t e m commonly

known a s " o h o n e t i c " t r i e s t o r e pr o d u c e t h e s u c c e s s i o n

o f s o u n d s t h a t make up a word.P h o n e t i c s y s t e m s a r e

s o m e t i m e s s y l l a b i c , s o m e t i m e s a lp h n b e t i c , i . e . , b a s e d

on t h e i r r e d u c i b l e e l e m e n t s usedi n s p e a k i n q . More-

o v e r , i d e o g r a p h i c s y s t e m s f r e e l yb e c u n e m i x t u r e s

iwhen c e r t a i n i d e q r a n s l o s e t h e ir o r i q i n a l v a l u e and

become s y m b o l s o f i s o l a t e d s o u n ds . ( p . 47)Cp. 2 5 - 2 6 1

T h i s l i m i t a t i o n i s f u n d a m e n t a l l y j us t i f i e d , i n S a u s s u r e ' se y e s , by t h e n o t i o n o f t h e a r b i t r a r i n e s so f t h e s i g n . W r i t i n g

b e i n g d e f i n e d a s "a s y s t e m o f s i g n s , " t he r e i s no "symbolic"w r i t i n g ( i n t h e S a u s s u r i a n s e n s e ) , no f ig u r a t i v e w r i t i n g ; t h e r ei s no a s l o n g a s g r a p h i s m k e e p sa

~ ~ r i t i n gr e l a t i o n s h i p o f n a t u r a l

f i g u r a t i o n and o f some r e s e m b l a n c e t o whati s n o t s i ~ n i f i e db u t

r e p r e s e n t e d , drawn, e t c . The c o n c e p t ofp i c t o g r a a h i c o r n a t u r a l

----------------------- Page 8-----------------------



12/97

w r i t i n g would t h e r e f o r e be c o n t r a d i c t o r yf o r S a u s s u r e . I fone c o n s i d e r s t h e now-recognized f r a g i l it y o f t h e n o t i o n s o fp i c t o g r a m , i d e o g r a m , e t c ; , and t h e u n c e rt a i n t y o f t h e f r o n t i e r sbetween s o - c a l l e d p i c t o g r a p h i c , i d e o g r a p

h i c , and p h o n e t i c s c r i p t s ,one m e a s u r e s n o t o n l y t h e imprudence o f th e S a u s s u r i a n l i m i t a -t i o n b u t t h e n e e d f o r g e n e r a l l i n g u i s t i cs t o ahandon an e n t i r ef a m i l y o f c o n c e p t s , i n h e r i t e d from m e t a p hy s i c s - - o f t e n t h r o u g ht h e i n t e r m e d i a r y o f a p s y c h o l o g y - - a n d c lu s t e r i n g around t h ec o n c e p t o f a r b i t r a r i n e s s . A l l t h i s r e f e rs , beyond t h e n a t u r e /c u l t u r e o p p o s i t i o n , t o a s u p e r v e n i n g o p p

o s i t i o n between p h y s i sand nomos, p h y s i s a n d teclznd, whose u l t i ma t e f u n c t i o n i s p e r -h a p s t o d e r i v e h i s t o r i c i t y ; a n d , p a r a d o x ic a l l y , n o t t o r e c o g n i z et h e r i g h t s o f h i s t o r y , p r o d u c t i o n , i n s t it u t i o n s e t c ; , e x c e p tu n d e r t h e form o f t h e a r b i t r a r y and on ab a s e o f n a t u r a l i s m .But l e t u s keep t h a t q u e s t i o n p r o v i s i o n a ll y open: p e r h a p s t h i sg e s t u r e , which i n t r u t h p r e s i d e s o v e r m e ta p h y s i c s , i s a l s o i n -

s c r i b e d i n t h e c o n c e p t o f h i s t o r y and eveni n t h e c o n c e p t o f

t i m e .I n a d d i t i o n , S a u s s u r e i n t r o d u c e s a n

o t h e r m a s s i v e l i m i t a -t i o n : "I s h a l l l i m i t d i s c u s s i o n t o t h e ph o n e t i c s y s t e m ande s p e c i a l l y t o t h e one u s e d t o d a y , t h e s ys t e m t h a t s t e m s fromt h e Greek a l p h a b e t " [ p . 48) c p . 2 6 1 .

These two l i m i t a t i o n s a r e a l l t h e more r e a s s u r i n g b e c a u s et h e y a r e j u s t what we need a t a s p e c i f i cp o i n t t o r e s p o n d t ot h e most l e g i t i m a t e of e x i g e n c i e s ; i n f ac t , t h e c o n d i t i o n f o rs c i e n t i f i c i t y o f l i n g u i s t i c s i s t h a t t h ef i e l d of l i n g u i s t i c s

have h a r d and f a s t f r o n t i e r s , t h a t it b ea s y s t e m r e g u l a t e dby an i n t e r n a l n e c e s s i t y , and t h a t i n a ce r t a i n way i t s s t r u c -t u r e b e c l o s e d . The r e p r e s e n t a t i v i s t c o nc e p t o f w r i t i n g f a c i l -i t a t e s t h i n g s . I f w r i t i n g i s n o t h i n g b u t

t h e " f i g u r a t i o n " ( p .44) [p. 231 o f t h e l a n g u a g e , one h a s t h e ri g h t t o e x c l u d e i t


13/97

from t h e i n t e r i o r i t y o f t h e s y s t e m ( f o r it must be b e l i e v e dt h a t t h e r e i s a n i n s i d e o f t h e l a n g u a g e ), a s t h e image may b ee x c l u d e d w i t h o u t damage from t h e s y s t e m of r e a l i t y . P r o o s i n

,,?a. ga s h i s theme " t h e r e p r e s e n t a t i o n o f l a n gu a g e by w r i t i n gS a u s s u r e t h u s b e g i n s b y p o s i t i n g t h a t w r it i n g i s " u n r e l a t e dt o [ t h e ] . . . i n n e r system" o f l a n g u a g e(p. 44)Cp. 231.

E x t e r n a l / i n t e r n a l , i m a g e / r e a l i t y , representation/presence, s u c hi s t h e o l d g r i d t o which i s g i v e n t h e t a sk o f o u t l i n i n g t h edomain o f a s c i e n c e . And o f what s c i e n c

e ? Of a s c i e n c e t h a tc a n n o l o n g e r answer t o t h e c l a s s i c a l c o nc e p t of t h e e ~ i s t 6 r n 6b e c a u s e t h e o r i g i n a l i t y o f i t s f i e l d - - a no r i g i n a l i t y t h a t i ti n a u g u r a t e s - - i s t h a t t h e o p e n i n g o f t h e"image" w i t h i n i ta p p e a r s a s t h e c o n d i t i o n o f " r e a l i t y ; " ar e l a t i o n s h i p t h a t canno l o n g e r be t h o u g h t w i t h i n t h e s i m p l e d if f e r e n c e and t h e un-compromising e x t e r i o r i t y o f "image" and" r e a l i t y , " o f " o u t s i d e "

and " i n s i d e , " o f " a p p e a r a n c e " and " e s s e nc e , " w i t h t h e e n t i r es y s t e m o f o p p o s i t i o n s which n e c e s s a r i l y fo l l o \ v s froin i t . P l a t o ,who s a i d b a s i c a l l y t h e same t h i n g a b o u t t\ e r e l a t i o n s h i p betweenw r i t i n g , s p e e c h , and b e i n g ( o r i d e a ) , had

a t l e a s t a more s u b t l e ,more c r i t i c a l , and l e s s complacent t h e o r y

cf image, p a i n t i r i g ,2nd i m i t a t i o n t h a n t h e one t h a t p r e s i d e so v e r t h e b i r t h o fS a u s s u r i a n l i n g u i s t i c s .

----------------------- Page 9-----------------------

I t i s n o t by chance t h a t t h e e x c l u si v e c o n s i d e r a t i o n o fp h o n e t i c w r i t i n g p e r m i t s a r e s p o n s e t o th e e x i g e n c i e s o f t h e" i n t e r n a l s y s t e m . " The b a s i c f u n c t i o n a lp r i n c i p l e o f p h o n e t i c

w r i t i n g i s p r e c i s e l y t o r e s p e c t and p r o te c t t h e i n t e g r i t y o f t h e" i n t e r n a l system" o f t h e l a n g u a g e , even

i f i n f a c t i t d o e s n o ts u c c e e d i n d o i n g s o . The S a u s s u r i a n l i mi t a t i o n d o e s n o t r e s p o n d ,


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by a mere happy c o n v e n i e n c e , t o t h e s c i en t i f i e e x i g e n c y o f t h e" i n t e r n a l s y s t e m . " T h a t e x i g e n c y i s i t se l f c o n s t i t u t e d , a s t h ee p i s t e m o l o p i c a l e z i g e n c y i n g e n e r a l , bgt h e v e r y p o s s i b i l i t y o fp h o n e t i c u r i t i y and by t h e a t e r i o r i t y

o f t h e " n o t a t i o n f ' t oi n t e r n a l l o g i c .

But l e t u s n o t s i m p l i f y : on t h a t po i n t S a u s s u r e t o o i s n o tq u i t e c o m p l a c e n t . Why e l s e would h e g i ve s o much a t t e n t i o n t ot h a t e x t e r n a l phenomenon, t h a t e x i l e d f ig u r a t i o n , t h a t o u t s i d e ,t h a t d o u b l e ? Why d o e s he judge i t i m p o ss i b l e " t o s i m p l y d i s r e g a r d "E l i t e r a l l y "make a b s t r a c t i o n o f " ] what is n e v e r t h e l e s s d e s i g n a t e d

a s t h e a b s t r a c t e v e n w i t h r e s p e c t t o t h ei n s i d e o f l a n g u a g e ?

W r i t i n q , t h o q h u n r e l a t e d t o i t si n n e r s u s t m , i s

used c o n t i n u a l l y t o r e p r e s e n t lung uaq e . We c a n n o t

s i m p l y d i s r e q a r d i t . We m u s t bea c q u a i n t e d w i t h

i t s u s e f u l n e s s , s h o r t c m i q s , andd a n g e r s ( p . 44)

Cp. 231.

W r i t i n g would t h u s have t h e e x t e r i or i t v t h a t one a t t r i b u t e st o u t e n s i l s ; t o what i s e v e n a n i m p e r f e ct t o o l and a d a n g e r o u s ,a l m o s t m a l e f i c e n t , t e c h n i q u e . One u n d e rs t a n d s b e t t e r why, i n s t e a do f t r e a t i n g t h i s e x t e r i o r f i g u r a t i o n i nan a p p e n d i x o r m a r g i n a l l y ,S a u s s u r e d e v o t e s s o l a b o r i o u s a c h a p t e rt o i t n e a r l y a t t h e open-i n g o f t h e Cours . I t i s l e s s a q u e s t i on of o u t l i n i n g t h a n o fp r o t e c t i n g , and e v e n o f r e s t o r i n g t h e i nt e r n a l s y s t e m o f t h el a n g u a g e i n t h e p u r i t y o f i t s c o n c e p t a ga i n s t t h e g r a v e s t , mostp e r f i d i o u s , most permanent c o n t a m i n a t i o nv h i c h h a s n o t c e a s e d t o

menace, e v e n t o c o r r u p t t h a t s y s t e m , i nt h e c o u r s e o f what S a u s s u r es t r o n g l y w i s h e s , i n s p i t e o f a l l o p p o s i ti o n , t o c o n s i d e r a s ane x t e r n a l h i s t o r y , a s a s e r i e s o f a c c i d e nt s a f f e c t i n g t h e l a n g u a g eand b e f a l l i n g i t from z ~ i t k o u t , a t t h e mom

ent o f " n o t a t i o n " ( p . 45)cp. 241, a s i f w r i t i n g began and ended wi t h n o t a t i o n . A l r e a d y i n


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t h e P h a e d r u s , t h e e v i l o f w r i t i n g 1 s s e en a s coming from w i t h o u t( 2 7 5 a ) . The c o n t a m i n a t i o n by w r i t i n g , th e f a c t o r t h e t h r e a t o fi t , a r e denounced i n t h e a c c e n t s o f t h em o r a l i s t o r p r e a c h e r byt h e l i n g u i s t from Geneva. The t o n e c o u n

t s ; it i s a s i f , a t t h emoment when t h e modern s c i e n c e o f t h e l og o s would come i n t o i t sautonomy and i t s s c i e n t i f i c i t y , it became

n e c e s s a r y a g a i n t oa t t a c k a h e r e s y . T h i s t o n e began t o make

i t s e l f h e a r d when, a tt h e moment of a l r e a d y t y i n g t h e e p i s t d v dand t h e l o q o s w i t h i n t h e

same p o s s i b i l i t y , t h e D h a e d r u s denouncedw r i t i n g a s t h e i n t r u s i o n

o f an a r t f u l t e c h n i q u e , a f o r c e d e n t r y o

f a t o t a l l y o r i g i n a l s o r t ,a n a r c h e t y p a l v i o l e n c e ; a s s a u l t o f t h e ou t s i d e upon t h e i n s i d e , ah r e a k i n g i n t o t h e I n t e r i o r i t y o f t h e s o ul , t h e l i v i n g s e l f - p r e s e n c eo f t h e s o u l w i t h i n t h e t r u e l o g o s , t h e he l p t h a t s p e e c h l e n d s t o~ t s e l f . Thus i n c e n s e d , S a u s s u r e ' s vehement

a r g u m e n t a t i o n aims a tmore t h a n a t h e o r e t i c a l e r r o r , more t h a n

a moral f a u l t : a t a s o r t

----------------------- Page 10-----------------------


o f s t a i n and p r i m a r i l y a t a s i n . S i n h a sbeen d e f i n e d o f t e n - -among o t h e r s by Malebranche and by Kant--as

t h e i n v e r s i o n o ft h e n a t u r a l r e l a t i o n s h i p between t h e s o u land t h e body t h r o u g h

p a s s i o n . S a u s s u r e h e r e p o i n t s a t t h e i n ve r s i o n o f t h e n a t u r a lr e l a t i o n s h i p between s p e e c h and w r i t i n g .I t i s n o t a s i m p l e

a n a l o g y : w r i t i n g , t h e l e t t e r , t h e s e n s i bl e i n s c r i p t i o n , h a salways b e e n c o n s i d e r e d by o c c i d e n t a l t r a di t i o n a s t h e body andm a t t e r e x t e r n a l t o t h e s p i r i t , t o b r e a t h ,t o s p e e c h , and t o t h el o g o s . And t h e problem o f s o u l and bodyi s no d o u b t d e r i v e dfrom t h e problem o f w r i t i n g t o which i t se e m s - - c o n v e r s e l y - - t ol e n d i t s m e t a p h o r s .

W r i t i n g , s e n s i b l e m a t t e r and a r t i f i c

i a l e x t e r i o r i t ' a" c l o t h i n g . " i t h a s sometimes b e e n c o n t e st e d t h a t s p e e c x ' c l o t h e d


16/97

t h o u g h t . H u s s e r l , S a u s s u r e , L a v e l l e havea l l q u e s t i o n e d i t . But

h a s it e v e r been d o u b t e d t h a t w r i t i n g wast h e c l o t h i n g o f s p e e c h ?For S a u s s u r e i t i s e v e n a garment o f p e r ve r s i o n and d e b a u c h e r i e ,a d r e s s o f c o r r u p t i o n and d i s g u i s e , a f e s

t i v a l mask t h a t mustbe e x o r c i s e d , t h a t i s t o s a y warded o f f ,by t h e good word:" W r i t i n g o b s c u r e s l a n g u a g e ; it i s n o t a gu i s e f o r l a n g u a g e b u ta d i s g u i s e " ( p . 51)Cp. 3 0 3 . S t r a n g e "image." One a l r e a d y s u s -p e c t s t h a t i f w r l t i n g i s "image" and e x t er i o r 7 f f i g u r a t i o n , "t h i s " r e p r e s e n t a t i o n " i s n o t i n n o c e n t . The o u t s i d e b e a r s w i t ht h e i n s i d e a r e l a t i o n s h i p t h a t i s , a s u s u

a l , a n y t h i n g b u t s i m p l ee x t e r i o r i t y . The meaning o f t h e o u t s i d ewas always p r e s e n t w i t h i nt h e i n s i d e , i m p r i s o n e d o u t s i d e t h e o u t s i de , and v i c e v e r s a .

Thus a s c i e n c e o f l a n g u a g e must r e c ov e r t h e nati,iral,--t h a t i s , t h e s l m p l e and o r i g i n a l - - r e l a t i on s h i p s between s p e e c hand w r i t i n g , t h a t i s , between an i n s i d e and an o u t s i d e . I t mustr e s t o r e i t s a b s o l u t e y o u t h , and t h e p u r i ty of i t s o r i g i n , b e f o r e

a h i s t o r y and a f a l l which h a s p e r v e r t e dt h e r e l a t i o n s h i p s be-tween o u t s i d e and i n s i d e . T h e r e f o r e t h e re would be a n a t u r a lo r d e r o f r e l a t i o n s h i p s between l i n g u i s t i cand g r a p h i c s i g n s ,

and i t i s t h e t h e o r e t i c i a n o f t h e a r b i t r ar i n e s s o f t h e s i g n whoreminds u s o f it. A c c o r d i n g t o t h e h i s t or i c o - m e t a p h y s i c a l p r e -s u p p o s i t i o n s evoked a b o v e , t h e r e would bef i r s t a n a t u r a l bond

o f s e n s e t o t h e s e n s e s and it i s t h i s t h at p a s s e s from s e n s e t os o u n d : " t h e o n l y t r u e bond," S a u s s u r e s ay s , 'Ithe bond o f sound"( p . 4 6 ) r p . 253. T h i s n a t u r a l bond from th e s i g n i f i e d ( c o n c e p to r s e n s e ) t o t h e p h o n i c s i g n i f i e r would co n d i t i o n t h e n a t u r a lr e l a t i o n s h i p s u b o r d i n a t i n g w r i t i n g ( v i s i bl e image) t o s p e e c h .I t i s t h i s n a t u r a l r e l a t i o n s h i p t h a t h a sbeen i n v e r t e d byt h e o r i g i n a l s i n o f s c r i p t : "The g r a p h i c

form [ i m a q e l managest o f o r c e i t s e l f upon them a t t h e e x p e n s eo f sound . . . and t h e


17/97

n a t u r a l s e q u e n c e i s r e v e r s e d " ( p . 47)Cp.251. V a l e b r a n c h ee x p l a i n e d o r i g i n a l s i n a s i n a t t e n t i o n , t he t e m p t a t i o n o f e a s eand i d l e n e s s , by t h a t n o t h i n q t h a t was Adam's " d i s t r a c t i o n , "a l o n e c u l p a b l e b e f o r e t h e i n n o c e n c e o f t h

e d i v i n e word: t h el a t t e r e x e r t e d no f o r c e , no e f f i c a c v , s i nc e n o t h i n a had t a k e np l a c e . Here t o o , one gave i n t o e a s e , which i s c u r i o u s l y , b u ta s u s u a l , on t h e s i d e o f t e c h n i c a l a r t i f ic e and n o t w i t h l n t h ei n c l i n a t i o n o f t h e n a t u r a l movement t b u st h w a r t e d o r deviated:

F i r s t , t h e g r a p h i c form Cimngel of t ~ o r d sstrikes

----------------------- Page 11-----------------------

D e r r i d a

us a s b e i n g s o v e t h i n q permanent and s t a b l e , b e t t e r

s u i t e d t h a n sowzd t o a c c o u n t f o rt h e u n i t y o f language

t h r o q h o u t t i m e . T h o q k i t c r e a te s a p u r e l y f i c t i t i o u s

u n i t y , t h e s u p e r f i c i a l bond o f ~ ~r i t i ni gs rn uch e a s i e r

t o g r a s p t h a n t h e o n l y t r u e C n a t ur e l l bond, t h e bond

o f sound ( p . 46; i t a l i c s mine)Lp.251.

T h a t " t h e g r a p h i c form o f words s t r ik e s u s a s b e i n g s o m e t h i n gpermanent and s t a b l e , b e t t e r s u i t e d t h a nsound t o a c c o u n t f o r t h eu n i t y o f l a n g u a g e t h r o u g h o u t t i m e , " i s t ha t n o t a n a t u r a l pheno-menon t o o ? I n f a c t a bad n a t u r e , " s u p e r fi c i a l " and " f i c t i t i o u s "and " e a s y , " e f f a c e s a good n a t u r e by i m p os t u r e ; t h a t which t i e ss e n s e t o s o u n d , t h e " t h o u g h t - s o u n d . " F i de l i t y t o t h e t r a d i t i o nt h a t h a s always a s s o c i a t e d w r i t i n g w i t h th e f a t a l v i o l e n c e o f t h ep o l i t i c a l i n s t i t u t i o n . I t i s c l e a r l y a ma t t e r , a s w i t h Rousseauf o r example, o f a r u p t u r e w i t h n a t u r e , o fa u s u r p a t i o n t h a t was

c o u p l e d w i t h t h e t h e o r e t i c a l b l i n d n e s s t ot h e n a t u r a l e s s e n c e o f

l a n g u a g e , a t any r a t e t o t h e n a t u r a l bondbetween t h e " i n s t i t u t e d

s i g n s f ' o f v o i c e and " t h e f i r s t l a n g u a g e o


18/97

f man," t h e "cry o f n a t u r e ' '( S e c o n d D i s c o u r s e ) . S a u s s u r e : "But t h espoken word i s s o i n t i m a t e l ybound t o i t s w r i t t e n i-ncqe t h a t t h e l a t t er manages t o u s u r p t h emain r o l e " (p. 45; i t a l i c s mine)Cp. 241.Rousseau: " S c r i p t i s

n o t h i n g b u t t h e r e p r e s e n t a t i o n o f s p e e c h ;i t i s b i z a r r e t h a t one

g i v e s more c a r e t o t h e d e t e r m i n i n g o f t h ei r n a ~ et h a n t o t h e o b j e c t . "S a u s s u r e : "Whoever s a y s t h a t a c e r t a i n le t t e r must be pronounceda c e r t a i n way i s m i s t a k i n g t h e w r i t t e n image o f a sound f o r t h esound i t s e l f . . . . [Onel a t t r i b u t e c s l th e o d d i t y [ b i z a r r e r i e lt o an e x c e p t i o n a l p r o n u n c i a t i o n " ( p . 52)Cp.

301 . What i s i n t o l e r -

a b l e and f a s c i n a t i n g i s i n d e e d t h e i n t i m ac y i n t e r t w i n i n g image andt h i n g , g r a p h and p h o n e , t o t h e p o i n t where

bv a m i r r o r i n g , i n v e r t -i n g , and p e r v e r t i n g e f f e c t , s p e e c h seemsi n i t s t u r n t h e speculumo f w r i t i n g , which "manages t o u s u r p t h e main r o l e . R e p r e s e n t a -t i o n m i n g l e s w i t h what it r e p r e s e n t s , t ot h e p o i n t where ones p e a k s a s one w r i t e s , . one t h i n k s a s i f t he r e p r e s e n t e d weren o t h i n g more t h a n t h e shadow o r r e f l e c t i o

n o f t h e r e p r e s e n t e r . Ad a n g e r o u s p r o m i s c u i t y and a n e f a r i o u s c o mp l i c i t v between t h er e f l e c t i o n , and t h e r e f l e c t e d which l e t si t s e l f b e s e d u c e d n a r -c i s s i s t i c a l l y . I n t h i s p l a y o f r e p r e s e n ta t i o n , t h e v o i n t of o r i -g i n becomes u n g r a s p a b l e . There a r e t h i n gs l i k e r e f l e c t i n g p o o l s ,and i m a g e s , a n i n f i n i t e r e f e r e n c e from one

t o t h e o t h e r , b u t nol o n g e r a s o u r c e , a s p r i n g . T h e r e i s n o lo n g e r a s i m p l e o r i g i n .F o r what i s r e f l e c t e d i s s p l i t ' i n i t s e l fand n o t o n l y a s an a d d i -t i o n t o i t s e l f o f i t s image. The r e f l e ct i o n , t h e image, t h ed o u b l e , s p l i t s what it d o u b l e s . The o r i gi n o f t h e s p e c u l a t i o nbecomes a d i f f e r e n c e . What c a n l o o k a t it s e l f i s n o t o n e ; andt h e law o f t h e a d d i t i o n o f t h e o r i g i n t oi t s r e p r e s e n t a t i o n , - o ft h e t h i n g t o i t s i m a g e , - i s t h a t one p l u sone makes a t l e a s t t h r e e .

The h i s t o r i c a l u s u r p a t i o n and t h e o r e t i c a lo d d i t y t h a t i n s t a l l t h eimage w i t h i n t h e r i g h t s o f r e a l i t y a r e d e


19/97

t e r m i n e d a s t h e f o r g e t t i ~o f a s i m p l e o r i g i n . By Rousseau b u t a l s of o r S a u s s u r e . The d i s -

p l a c e m e n t i s h a r d l y anagrammatic: "The re s u l t i s t h a t p e o p l e f o r -g e t t h a t t h e y l e a r n t o s p e a k b e f o r e t h e yl e a r n t o w r i t e and t h e

; ~ a t u r a ls e q u e n c e i s r e v e r s e d " ( p . 47)Cp.251. The v i o l e n c e of

----------------------- Page 12-----------------------


f o r g e t t i n g . W r i t i n g , a mnemotechnic means,s u p p l a n t i n g good

memory, spontaneous memory, s i g n i f i e s f or g e t f u l n e s s . I t i se x a c t l y what P l a t o s a i d i n t h e P h a e d r u s ,

comparing w r i t i n g t os p e e c h a s h y p c m n e s i s t o mndm2, t h e a u x i li a r y aide-mgmoire t ot h e l i v i n g memory. F o r g e t f u l n e s s b e c a u se it i s a m e d i a t i o n andt h e d e p a r t u r e of t h e logos from i t s e l f .Without w r i t i n g , t h el a t t e r would remain i n i t s e l f . W r i t i n gi s t h e d i s s i m u l a t i o n oft h e n a t u r a l , p r i m a r y , and immediate p r e se n c e of s e n s e t o t h es o u l w i t h i n t h e l o g o s . I t s v i o l e n c e b e fa l l s t h e s o u l a s uncon-

s c i o u s n e s s . D e c o n s t r u c t i n g t h i s t r a d i t io n w i l l n o t c o n s i s t o fr e v e r s i n g it, o f making w r i t i n g i n n o c e n t. Rather of showingwhy t h e v i o l e n c e of w r i t i n g does n o t b e fa l l an i n n o c e n t languag e.There i s an o r i g i n a r y v i o l e n c e o f w r i t i ng b e c a u s e languag e i sf i r s t , i n a s e n s e t o b e r e v e a l e d p r o g r e ss i v e l y , w r i t i n g ."Usurpation" h a s always a l r e a d y begun.The s e n s e o f t h e r i g h ts i d e a p p e a r s i n a m y t h o l o g i c a l e f f e c t o fr e t u r n .

"The s c i e n c e s and t h e a r t s ' ? have e le c t e d t o l i v e w i t h i nt h i s v i o l e n c e , t h e i r "progress" h a s c o n se c r a t e d f o r g e t f u l n e s s and" c o r r u p t e d manners CV oe w s 1 . I T S a u s s u r e ag a i n anagrammatizesRousseau: "The l i t e r a r y language adds to t h e undeserved impor-t a n c e o f w r i t i n g . . . . Thus w r i t i n g assumes undeserved impor-t a n c e C m e i - n v o r t a n c e 2 l a q u e l l e e Z l e n '

a pas d r o i t l " (p. 4 7 1Lp. 251. When l i n g u i s t s become embroiled

i n a t h e o r e t i c a l mis-


20/97

t a k e i n t h i s a r e a , when t h e y a r e t a k e n in , t h e y a r e c u l p a b l e ,t h e i r f a u l t i s above a l l m o r a l ; t h e y have

y i e l d e d t o i m a g i n a t i o n ,t o s e n s i b i l i t y , t o p a s s i o n , t h e y have f al l e n i n t o t h e " t r a p " ( p .4 6 ) Cp. 251 of w r i t i n g , have l e t themselves

be f a s c i n a t e d by t h e" i n f l u e n c e [ p r e s t i q e l o f t h e w r i t t e n form"

( i b i d ) , o f t h a t s t a b l ecustom, t h a t second n a t u r e . "Thus language

does have a d e f i n i t eand s t a b l e o r a l t r a d i t i o n t h a t i s independent

o f w r i t i n g , b u tt h e i n f l u e n c e c a r e s t i g e l of t h e w r i t t e nform p r e v e n t s o u r s e e i n gt h i s . " We a r e t h u s n o t b l i n d t o t h e v i si b l e , b u t b l i n d e d by t h ev i s i b l e , d a z z l e d by w r i t i n g . "The f i r s t

l i n g u i s t s confusedlanguage and w r i t i n g , j u s t a s t h e humanistshad done b e f o r e them.

Even Bopp . . . . His immediate s u c c e s so r s f e l l i n t o t h e samet r a p . " Rousseau had a l r e a d y a d d r e s s e d th e same r e p r o a c h t o t h eGrammarians: "For t h e Grammarians, t h ea r t 0% speech seems t obe v e r y l i t t l e more t h a n t h e a r t o f w r i t in g . " As u s u a l , t h e" t r a p " i s a r t i f i c e d i s s i m u l a t e d i n n a t u re . T h i s e x p l a i n s whv

The Course i n G e n e r a l L i n g u i s t i c s t r e a t sf i r s t t h i s s t r a n g ee x t e r n a l system t h a t i s w r i t i n g . As n e ce s s a r y preamble t o r e -s t o r i n g t h e n a t u r a l t o i t s e l f , one mustf i r s t d i s a s s e m b l e t h et r a p . We r e a d a l i t t l e f u r t h e r on:

To s u b s t i t u t e i m m e d i a d e l y what is n a t u r a l f o r what

i s a r t i f i c i a l would b e d e s i r a b l e; b u t t h i s i s i m -

p o s s i b l e w i t h o u t f i r s t s t u d y i n gt h e sounds o f what

i s l a n g u a g e ; a p a r t from t h e i r g r ap h i c s y m h o l s , sounds

a r e onZy vague n o t i o n s , and t h e prop p r o v i d e d by

w r i t i n g , t h o u g h d e c e p t i v e , i s s t il l p r e f e r a b l e .

The f i r s t l i n g u i s t s , who knew n o th i n g a b o u t t h e

p h y s i o l o g y o f a r t i c u l a t e d s o u n d s, were c o n s t a n t l y

f a l l i n g i n t o a t r a p ; : t o them, l

o o s e n i n g t h e i r g r i p

----------------------- Page 13-----------------------


21/97

on t h e l e t t e r m e a n t l o s i n g g r o u n d; ] t o me, i t means

a f i r s t s t e p i n t h e d i r e c t i o n o ft r u t h (p. 5 5 . Open-

i n g of t h e c h a p t e r on Phonology)E n . 3 2 3

For S a u s s u r e , t o g i v e i n t o t h e " p r es t i g e o f t h e w r i t t e nform" i s , a s I have j u s t s a i d , t o g i v e i nt o p a s s i o n . I t i s

p a s s i o n - - a n d I weigh my w o r d - - t h a t S a u s s ur e a n a l y z e s and c r i t i -c i z e s h e r e , a s a m o r a l i s t and a p s y c h o l o gi s t o f a v e r y o l dt r a d i t i o n . As one knows, p a s s i o n i s t y r an n i c a l and e n s l a v i n g :" P h i l o l o g i c a l c r i t i c i s m i s s t i l l d e f i c i e n

t on one p o i n t : i tf o l l o w s t h e w r i t t e n l a n g u a g e s l a v i s h l y andn e g l e c t s t h e l i v i n g

l a n g u a g e " ( p . 14) Cp. 1 - 2 1 . "The t y r a n n yo f xzrriting," S a u s s u r es a y s e l s e w h e r e ( p . 53) Cp. 311. T h a t t y ra n n y i s a t b o t t o m t h em a s t e r y o f t h e body o v e r t h e s o u l , p a s s i on i s a p a s s i b i t y and as i c k n e s s of t h e s o u l , m o r a l p e r v e r s i o n i sp a t h o l o g i c a l . Ther e c i p r o c a l e f f e c t o f w r i t i n g on s p e e c h i s"wrong C v i c i e u s e l , "

S a u s s u r e s a y s , "such m i s t a k e s a r e r e a l l yp a t h o l o g i c a l " ( p . 5 3 )[ p . 311. The i n v e r s i o n o f t h e n a t u r a l r el a t i o n s h i p s would t h u shave e n g e n d e r e d t h e p e r v e r s e c u l t o f t h el e t t e r - i m a g e : s i n o fi d ~ l a t r y , ~ " s u p e r s t i t i o nf o r t h e l e t t e r , " Sa u s s u r e s a y s i n t h eAnagrams, where he h a s d i f f i c u l t y i n p r ov i n g t h e e x i s t e n c e o fa "phoneme a n t e r i o r t o a l l w r i t i n g . " Thep e r v e r s i o n o f a r t i f i c e

e n g e n d e r s m o n s t e r s . l v r i t i n g , l i k e a l l a rt i f i c i a l l a n g u a g e s onewould w i s h t o f i x and remove from t h e l i vi n g h i s t o r y o f t h e n a t u r a ll a n g u a g e , p a r t i c i p a t e s i n t h i s m o n s t r o u s ne s s : I t i s a d e v i a t i o nfrom n a t u r e . The c h a r a c t e r i s t i c o f t h e Le i b n i z i a n t y p e and E s p e r -a n t o would be h e r e i n t h e same p o s i t i o n .S a u s s u r e ' s i r r i t a t i o n

w i t h s u c h p o s s i b i l i t i e s d r i v e s him t o p e de s t r i a n c o m p a r i s o n s : "Aman p r o p o s i n g a f i x e d l a n g u a g e t h a t p o s t e

r i t y would have t o a c c e p tf o r what it i s would be l i k e a h'en h a t c h in g a d u c k ' s egg" ( p . 1 1 1 )


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Lp. 761. And S a u s s u r e w i s h e s t o s a v e n o to n l y t h e n a t u r a l l i f e

o f l a n g u a g e , b u t t h e n a t u r a l h a b i t s o f w ri t i n g . S p o n t a n e o u s l i f emust be p r o t e c t e d . T h u s , t h e i n t r o d u c t i on o f s c i e n t i f i c e x i g e n c i e sand t h e t a s t e f o r e x a c t i t u d e i n t o o r d i n a r

y p h o n e t i c w r i t i n g mustbe a v o i d e d . I n t h i s c a s e , r a t i o n a l i t v would b r i n g d e a t h , d e s o l a -t i o n , and m o n s t r o u s n e s s . That i s why common

o r t h o g r a p h y must bek e p t away from t h e n o t a t i o n s o f t h e l i n g ui s t , and t h e m u l t i p l y i n go.f d i a c r i t i c a l s i g n s m u s t be a v o i d e d :

Are t h e r e g r o u n d s f o r s u b s t i t u t i ng a p h o n o l o g i c

a l p h a b e t f o r a s y s t e m d l r e a d y i n

u s e ? Here I cano n l y b r o a c h t h i s i n t e r e s t i n g s u b je c t . I t h i n k t h a t

p h o n o l o g i c a l w r i t i n g s h o u l d be f o rt h e u s e o f

l i n g u i s t s o n l y . F i r s t , how wouldit b e p o s s i b l e

t o make t h e E n g l i s h , Germans, F r en c h , e t c . a d o p t

a d n i f o r m s y s t e m ! W e x t , an a l p h ab e t a p p l i c a b l e

t o a l l l a n g u a p e s would p r o b a b l y be w e i g h e d down

by d i a c r i t i c a l m a r k s ; a n d - - t o sayn o t h i n g o f t h e

d i s t r e s s i n g a p p e a r a n c e o f a pageo f o h o n o l o g i c a l

w r i t i n g - - a t t e m p t s t o g a i n p r e c i s io n would o b v i o u s l y

c o n f u s e t h e r e a d e r by o b s c u r i n g what t h e w r i t i n g

was d e s i g n e d t o e x p r e s s . The a d va n t a g e s would n o t

b e s u f f i c i e n t t o c o m p e n s a t e f o r th e i n c o n v e n i e n c e s .

----------------------- Page 14-----------------------


P h o n o l o g i c a l e x a c t i t u d e i s n o t ve r y d e s i r a b l e

o u t s i d e s c i e n c e ( p . 57) Cp. 341

I hope my i n t e n t i o n is c l e a r . I t hi n k S a u s s u r e ' s r e a s o n sa r e good. I do n o t q u e s t i o n , on t h e 7 e ve l on t j h i c h he s a y s i t ,

t h e t r u t h o f what S a u s s u r e s a y s i n s u c ha t o n e . And a s l o n ga s an e x p l i c i t p r o b l e m a t i c s , a c r i t i q u e


23/97

o f t h e r e l a t i o n s h i p sbetween s p e e c h and w r i t i n g , i s n o t e l a b or a t e d , what he denouncesa s t h e b l i n d p r e j u d i c e o f c l a s s i c a l l i n gu i s t s o r common e x p e r i e n c ei n d e e d r e m a i n s a b l i n d p r e j u d i c e , on t h eb a s i s o f a g e n e r a l

p r e s u p p o s i t i o n which i s no d o u b t commont o t h e a c c u s e d and t h ep r o s e c u t o r .

I would r a t h e r announce t h e limitsand t h e p r e s u p p o s i t i o n so f what seems h e r e t o be s e l f - e v i d e n t and

what seems t o me t or e t a i n t h e c h a r a c t e r and v a l i d i t y o f e v id e n c e . The l i m i t s havea l r e a d y begun t o a p p e a r : Why does a p r oj e c t o f g e n e r a l l i n g u i s -t i c s , c o n c e r n i n g t h e i n t e r n a l s y s t e m i n

genera2 o f language i ng e n e r a l , o u t l i n e t h e l i m i t s o f i t s f i e l dby e x c l u d i n g , a s

e x t e r i o r i t y i n g e n e r a l , a p a r t i c u l a r s y st e m o f w r i t i n g , howeyeri m p o r t a n t i t m i g h t b e , e v e n were it t o be

i n f a c t u n i v e r s a l ?A p a r t i c u l a r s y s t e m which h a s p r e c i s e l yf o r i t s p r i n c i p l e o ra t l e a s t f o r i t s d e c l a r e d p r o j e c t t o b ee x t e r i o r t o t h e spokenl a n g u a g e . D e c l a r a t i o n o f p r i n c i p l e , p i ou s w i s h and h i s t o r i c a l

v i o l e n c e o f a s p e e c h dreaming i t s f u l l se l f - p r e s e n c e , l i v i n gi t s e l f a s i t s own r e s u m p t i o n ; s e l f - p r o c la i m e d l a n g u a g e , a u t o -p r o d u c t i o n o f a s p e e c h d e c l a r e d a l i v e ; ca p a b l e , S o c r a t e s s a i d ,o f h e l p i n g i t s e l f , a l o g o s which h e l i e v es i t s e l f t o b e i t s ownf a t h e r , b e i n g l i f t e d t h u s above w r i t t e nd i s c o u r s e , i n f a n s andi n f i r m a t n o t b e i n g a b l e t o r e s p o n d whenone q u e s t i o n s it and

which, s i n c e i t s " p a r e n t i s [ a l w a y s ] needed" ( TOE n a ~ p B q& E X~ E X T U L $0q80E --Phaedrus 275d) must t h er e f o r e be b o r n o u t o f ap r i m a r y gap and a p r i m a r y e x p a t r i a t i o n ,condemning it t o wander-i n g a n d b l i n d n e s s , t o mourning. S e l f - p ro c l a i m e d l a n g u a g e b u ta c t u a l l y s p e e c h , d e l u d e d i n t o b e l i e v i n gi t s e l f c o m p l e t e l y a l i v e ,and v i o l e n t " f o r . . . [it] c a n n o t p r o t ec t o r d e f e n d [ i t s e l f ] "(buvazhc; g2v a p G v a ~ECIUT-) e x c e p t t h r o u

g h e x p e l l i n g t h e o t h e rand e s p e c i a l l y i t s own o t \ e r , t h r o w i n g it o u r s i d e and b e l o w ,


24/97

u n d e r t h e name o f w r i t i n g . But howeveri m p o r t a n t i t might b e ,and were i t i n f a c t u n i v e r s a l o r c a l l e dupon t o become s o , t h a tp a r t i c u l a r model which i s p h o n e t i c w r i t in g d o e s n o t e x i s t ; nop r a c t i c e i s e v e r t o t a l l y f a i t h f u l t o i t s

p r i n c i p l e . Even b e f o r es p e a k i n g , a s I s h a l l do f u r t h e r o n , o f ar a d i c a l and a p r i o r i

n e c e s s a r y i n f i d e l i t y , one c a n a l r e a d y remark i t s n a s s l v e pheno-mena i n m a t h e m a t i c a l s c r i p t o r i n p u n c t ua t i o n , i n s p a c i n g i ng e n e r a l , which it i s d i f f i c u l t t o c o n s i de r s i m p l y a s a c c e s s o r i e so f w r i t i n g . T h a t a s p e e c h s u p p o s e d l y a li v e c a n l e n d i t s e l f t os p a c i n g i n i t s own w r i t i n g i s what p u t s

it o r i g i n a r i l v i n r e l a -t i o n t o i t s olin d e a t h .F i n a l l y , t h e " u s u r p a t j o n " o f w h i c h

S a u s s u r e s p e a k s , t h ev i o l e n c e by which w r i t i n g would s u b s t i t ut e i t s e l f f o r i t s owno r i g i n , f o r t h a t which o u g h t n o t o n l y t ohave e n g e n d e r e d it b u t

t o have been e n g e n d e r e d from i t s e l f , - - s uc h a r e v e r s a l o f powerc a n n o t b e a n a c c i d e n t a l a b e r r a t i o n . U s ur p a t i o n n e c e s s a r i l y

----------------------- Page 15-----------------------

D e r r i d a

r e f e r s us t o a p r o f o u n d p o s s i b i l i t y o f e ss e n c e . T h i s i s w i t h o u ta d o u b t i n s c r i b e d w i t h i n s p e e c h i t s e l f and

he s h o u l d h a v e q u e s -t i o n e d i t , p e r h a p s even s t a r t e d from it.

S a u s s u r e c o n f r o n t s t h e s y s t e m o f t h espoken l a n g u a g e w i t h

t h e s y s t e m o f p h o n e t i c (and e v e n a l p h a b e ti c ) w r i t i n g a s w i t ht h e t e l o s o f w r i t i n g . T h i s t e l e o l o g y l e ad s t o t h e i n t e r p r e t a -t i o n o f a l l e r u p t i o n s o f t h e n o n - p h o n e t i c

w i t h i n w r i t i n g a st r a n s i t o r y c r i s i s and a c c i d e n t o f p a s s a g e, and i t i s r i g h t t oc o n s i d e r t h i s t e l e o l o g y t o b e an O c c i d e n ta l e t h n o c e n t r i s m , a p r e -m a t h e m a t i c a l p r i m i t i v i s m , and a p r e f o r m a li s t i n t u i t i o n i s m . Eveni f t h i s t e l e o l o g y r e s p o n d s t o some a b s o l ut e n e c e s s i t y , i t s h o u l d

he p r o b l e m a t i z e d a s s u c h . The s c a n d a l o f" u s u r p a t i o n t v i n v i t e s

u s e x p r e s s l y and i n t r i n s i c a l l y t o do t h a t


25/97

. How was t h e t r a p andt h e u s u r p a t i o n p o s s i b l e ? S a u s s u r e n e v e rr e p l i e s t o t h i s q u e s t i o nbeyond a p s y c h o l o g y o f t h e p a s s i o n s o r o f

t h e i m a g i n a t i o n ; ap s y c h o l o g y r e d u c e d t o i t s most c o n v e n t i on a l s c h e m a t a . T h i s b e s t

e x p l a i n s why a l l l i n g u i s t i c s , a d e t e r m i n ed s e c t o r i n s i d e s e m i o l -;gy, i s p l a c e d u n d e r t h e a u t h o r i t y . a n d s up e r v i s i o n o f p s y c h o l o g y :To d e t e r m i n e t h e e x a c t p l a c e o f s e m i o l o gy i s t h e t a s k o f t h ep s y c h o l o g i s t " (p. 33) [ p . 1 6 1 . The a f f i rm a t i o n o f t h e e s s e n t i a land " n a t u r a l " bond between t h e phond andt h e s e n s e , t h e p r i v i l e g ea c c o r d e d t o a n o r d e r o f s i g n i f i e r (whicht h e n becomes t h e m a j o r

s i g n i f i e d o f a l l o t h e r s i g n i f i e r s ) depende x p r e s s l y , and i n con-t r a d i c t i o n t o t h e o t h e r l e v e l s o f t h e S a us s u r i a n d i s c o u r s e , upona p s y c h o l o g y o f c o n s c i o u s n e s s and o f i n t ui t i v e c o n s c i o u s n e s s .What S a u s s u r e d o e s n o t q u e s t i o n h e r e i s th e e s s e n t i a l p o s s i b i l i t yo f n o n - i n t u i t i o n . L i k e H u s s e r l , S a u s s u r e

d e t e r m i n e s t h i s n o n - i n -t u i t i o n t e l e o l o g i c a l l y a s c r i s i s . The empty symbolism o f t h ew r i t t e n n o t a t i o n - - i n m a t h e m a t i c a l t e c h n i q

u e f o r e x a m p l e - - i s a l s of o r H u s s e r l i a n i n t u i t i o n i s m t h a t which e xi l e s u s f a r . f r o m t h eclear e v i d e n c e o f t h e s e n s e , t h a t i s t o sa y from t h e f u l l p r e -s e n c e o f t h e s i g n i f i e d i n i t s t r u t h , andt h u s opens t h e p o s s i b i -l i t y o f c r i s i s . T h i s i s i n d e e d a c r i s i so f t h e l o g o s . Never-t h e l e s s , f o r H u s s e r l , t h i s p o s s i b i l i t y re m a i n s l i n k e d w i t h t h ev e r y movement o f t r u t h and t h e p r o d u c t i o n

o f & d e a l o b j e c t i v i t y :i t h a s i n f a c t a n e s s e n t i a l n e e d f o r w r i ti n g . By one e n t i r ea s p e c t o f h i s t e x t , H u s s e r l makes us t h i nk t h a t t h e n e g a t i v i t yo f t h e c r i s i s i s n o t a mere a c c i d e n t . But

it i s t h e n t h e c o n c e p to f c r i s i s t h a t s h o u l d b e s u s p e c t , by v i r tu e o f what t i e s i t t oa d i a l e c t i c a l and t e l e o l o g i c a l d e t e r m i n a ti o n o f n e g a t i v i t y .

On t h e o t h e r h a n d , t o a c c o u n t f o r t he t t u s u r p a t i o n " and t h e

o r i g i n o f " p a s s i o n , " t h e c l a s s i c a l and v er y s u p e r f i c i a l argumento f t h e s o l i d permanence of t h e w r i t t e n t h


26/97

i n g , n o t t o b e s i m p l yf a l s e , c a l l s f o r t h d e s c r i p t i o n s which a r e

p r e c i s e l y no l o n g e rw i t h i n t h e p r o v i n c e o f p s y c h o l o g y . P s y c ho l o g y w i l l n e v e r b ea b l e t o accommodate w i t h i n i t s s p a c e t h a t

w h i c h c o n s t i t u t e s t h e

a b s e n c e of t h e s i g n a t o r y , t o s a y n o t h i n go f t h e a b s e n c e o f t h er e f e r e n t . W r i t i n g i s t h e name o f t h e s e two a b s e n c e s . B e s i d e s ,I S i t n o t c o n t r a d i c t o r y t o what i s e l s e w he r e a f f i r m e d a b o u t t h eo r a l t r a d i t i o n o f l a n g u a g e h a v i n g "a d e f in i t e and [ f a r morels t a b l e o r a l t r a d i t i o n t h a t i s i n d e p e n d e nt of w r i t i n g " ( p . 46), p . 2 4 7 , t o e x p l a i n t h e u s u r p a t i o n b y rleans of w r i t i n g ' s power

of duration, by means o f t h e durnbilitg o ft h e s u b s t a n c e o f

----------------------- Page 16-----------------------


w r i t i n g ? I f t h e s e two " s t a b i l i t i e s " wereof t h e same n a t u r e and

i f t h e s t a b i l i t y o f t h e s p o k e n l a n g u a g e were s u p e r i o r and i n d e -p e n d e n t , t h e o r i g i n o f w r i t i n g , i t s " p r es t i g e : ' and i t s supposed

h a r m f u l n e s s would remain an i n e x p l i c a b l em y s t e r y . I t seems t h e na s i f S a u s s u r e w i s h e s a t t h e same t i m e t od e m o n s t r a t e t h e c o r r u p -

t i o n o f s p e e c h by w r i t i n g , t o denounce t he harm t h a t t h e l a t t e rdoes t o t h e f o r m e r , and t o u n d e r l i n e t h ei n a l t e r a b l e and n a t u r a li n d e p e n d e n c e o f l a n g u a g e . "Languages a r ei n d e p e n d e n t o f ~ i r i t i n g "

( p . 4 5 ) c p . 243. Such i s t h e t r u t h o f n at u r e . And y e t n a t u r e i sa f f e c t e d - - f r o m w i t h o u t - - b y an o v e r t u r n i ng which m o d i f i e s it i ni t s i n t e r i o r , d e n a t u r e s i t , and o h l i q e s it t o be s e p a r a t e d fromi t s e l f . N a t u r e d e n a t u r i n g i t s e l f , s e p a r at i n g from i t s e l f , n a t u r -a l l y g a t h e r i n g i t s o u t s i d e i n t o i t s i n s i de , i s c a t a s t r o p h e , an a t u r a l e v e n t t h a t o v e r t h r o w s n a t u r e , o rm o n s t r o s i t y , a n a t u r a ld e v i a t i o n l.\iithin n a t u r e . The f u n c t i o n assumed i n R o u s s e a u ' sd i s c o u r s e by t h e c a t a s t r o p h e ( a s we s h a l l

s e e ) , i s h e r e d e l e g a t e dt o m o n s t r o u s n e s s . Let u s c i t e t h e e n t i r e

c o n c l u s i o n o f C h a p t e r


27/97

V I o f t h e Course ("Graphic l i e p r e s e n t a t io n o f Language"), whichmust be compared t o R o u s s e a u l s t e x t on P ro n u n c i a t i o n :

But t h e t y r a n n y o f w r i t i n g g o e s ev e n f u r t h e r .

By i m p o s i n g i t s e l f upon t h e m a s s es , s p e l l i n g

i n f l u e n c e s and m o d i f i e s l a n g u a g e. T h i s happens

o n l y i n h i g h l y l i t e r a r y l a n g u a g es where ~ ~ ~ r i t t e n

t e x t s p l a y an i m p o r t a n t r o l e . Then v i s u n l

i m a g e s Lead t o m w n g p r o n u n c i a t i on s ; s u c h m i s t a k e s

a r e r e a l l y p a t h o l o g i c a l . S o e l l i ng p r a c t i c e s c a u s e

m i s t a k e s i n t h e p r o n u n c i a t i o n o fmany French w o r d s .For i n s t a n c e , t h e r e were two s p e l

l i n g s f o r t h e surnameL e f 2 v r e ( f r o m Z a t i n f a b e r ) , one p

o p u l a r and s i m p l e ,t h e o t h e r l e a r n e d and e t y m o l o g i c a

l : L e f s v r e andL e f g b v r e . Because 2 and uwere n

o t k e p t a n u r t i nt h e o l d s y s t e m o f w r i t i n g , L e f s b v

r e was r e a d a sLefhbure, w i t h a b t h a t has n e v e r

r e a l l y e x i s t e dand a ut h a t was t h e r e s u l t o f a m

b i g u i t y . Vow, t h el a t t e r form i s a c t u a l l y pronounced

( p . 53-54) [ p . 311.

Where i s t h e e v i l ? And what h a s bee11i n v e s t e d i n t h e " l i v i n g

w o r d , " t h a t s u c h " a g g r e s s i o n s " o f w r i t i n ga r e i n s u p p o r t a b l e ? What

i n v e s t m e n t b e g i n s by d e t e r m i n i n g t h e c o n st a n t a c t i o n o f w r i t i n ga s a d e f o r m a t i o n and an a g p r e s s i o n ? !ihat

p r o h i b i t i o n h a s t h u sb e e n t r a n s g r e s s e d : ' Where i s t h e s a c r i l i ge ? I.\rhy s h o u l d t h emother t o n g u e he p r o t e c t e d from t h e o p e r at i o n o f w r i t i n g ? Whyd e t e r m i n e t h a t o p e r a t i o n a s a v i o l e n c e , and why s h o u l d t h e t r a n s -f o r m a t i o n be o n l y a d e f o r m a t i o n ? Why s h ou l d t h e m o t h e r - t o n g u en o t have a h i s t o r y , o r , what comes t o t h e

same t h i n g , p r o d u c e i t sown h i s t o r y i n a p e r f e c t l y n a t u r a l , a u t i s

t i c , and d o m e s t i c way,w i t h o u t e v e r b e i n g a f f e c t e d by any o u t s id e ? lVhy w i s h t o p u n i s h


28/97

w r i t i n g f o r a m o n s t r o u s c r i m e , t o t h e n o in t o f w a n t i n g t o r e s e r v ef o r i t , e v e n w i t h i n s c i e n t i f i c t r e a t m e n t s, a " s a e c i a l compart-ment" t h a t h o l d s i t a t a d i s t a n c e ? For it i s i n d e e d w i t h i n as o r t of i n t r a - l i n g u i s t i c l e p e r - c o l o n y t h a

t S a u s s u r e w a n t s t o con-t a i n and c o n c e n t r a t e t h e problem o f d e f o rm a t i o n s t h r o u g h w r i t i n g .

----------------------- Page 17-----------------------

And, i n o r d e r t o b e c o n v i n c e d t h a t h e vrould t a k e t h e i n n o c e n tq u e s t i o n s t h a t we have j u s t a s k e d v e r y il l - - f o r a f t e r a l l L e f 6 -b u r e i s n o t a h a d name and we c a n e n j o yt h i s v l a v - - l e t us r e a d

t h e f o l l o w i n g . The p a s s a g e below e x p l a in s t o u s t h a t t h e " p l a y "i s n o t " n a t u r a l " , and i t s a c c e n t s a r e p e ss i m i s t i c : " Y i s p r o n u n c i -a t i o n s due t o s p e l l i n g w i l l p r o b a b l y a p pe a r more f r e q u e n t l y anda s t i m e g o e s o n , t h e number o f l e t t e r s p ro n o u n c e d by s p e a k e r sw i l l p r o b a b l y i n c r e a s e . " As i n Rousseaui n t h e same c o n t e x t , t h e

C a p i t a l i s a c c u s e d : "Some P a r i s i a n s a l r ea d y pronounce t h e ' t ' i ns e p t fernmes ' s e v e n women1." S t r a n g e exampl

e. The h i s t o r i c a ls e p a r a t i o n - - f o r it i s i n d e e d h i s t o r y t h at one must s t o p i n o r d e rt o p r o t e c t l a n g u a g e from w r i t i n g - - w i l l on l y w i d e n :

D a r m s t e t e r f o r e s e e s t h e day whene v e n t h e l a s t two

l e t t e r s o f v i n g t ' t w e n t y ' w i l l bep r o n o u n c e d - - t r u Z y

an o r t h o g r a p h i c m o n s t r o s i t y . Suchp h o n i c deforma-

t i o n s b e l o n g t o Language b u t do no t s t e m from i t s

n a t u r a l f u n c t i o n i n g . They a r e due t o an e x t e r n a l

i n f l u e n c e . L i n g u i s t i c s s h o u l d p ut them i n t o a

s p e c i a l compartment f o r o b s e r v a ti o n : t h e y a r e

t e r a t o l o g i c a l c a s e s (p. 5 4 ; i t a li c s mine) [ p . 31-321.

I t i s c l e a r t h a t t h e c o n c e p t s o f f ix i t y , permanence, and

d u r a t i o n , which h e r e a s s i s t t h i n k i n g t h er e l a t i o n s h i p s between

s p e e c h and w r i t i n g , a r e t o o l a x and open


29/97

t o e v e r y u n c r i t i c a l i n -v e s t i t u r e . They would r e q u i r e more a t t en t i v e and m i n u t e a n a l y -s e s . The same i s a p p l i c a b l e t o an e x p l an a t i o n a c c o r d i n g t o which"most p e o p l e pay more a t t e n t i o n t o v i s u a l

i m p r e s s i o n s s i m p l y b e -

c a u s e t h e s e a r e s h a r p e r and more l a s t i n gt h a n a u r a l i m p r e s s i o n s "( p . 4 6 ) cp. 251. T h i s e x p l a n a t i o n o f " us u r p a t i o n t 1 is n o t o n l ye m p i r i c a l i n i t s f o r m , it i s p r o b l e m a t i ci n i t s c o n t e n t , it r e -

f e r s t o a m e t a p h y s i c s and t o an o l d p h y s io l o g y o f s e n s o r v f a c u l -t i e s c o n s t a n t l y d i s p ~ o v e dby s c i e n c e , a sby t h e e x p e r i e n c e o fl a n g u a g e and o f t h e body p r o p e r a s l a n g ua g e . I t i m p r u d e n t l y

makes o f v i s i b i l i t y t h e t a n g i b l e , s i m p l e, and e s s e n t i a l e l e m e n tof ~ v r i t i n g . Above a l l , i n c o n s i d e r i n g th e a u d i b l e a s t h e n a t u r a lm i l i e u w i t h i n which l a n g u a g e must n a t u r al l y f r a g m e n t and a r t i c u -l a t e i t s i n s t i t u t e d s i g n s , t h u s e x e r c i s in g i t s a r b i t r a r i n e s s ,t h i s e x p l a n a t i o n e x c l u d e s a l l p o s s i b i l i ty o f some n a t u r a l r e l a -t i o n s h i p between s p e e c h and w r i t i n g a t th e v e r y moment t h a t i ta f f i r m s i t . I n s t e a d o f d e l i b e r a t e l y d i s

m i s s i n g t h e n o t i o n s o fn a t u r e and i n s t i t u t i o n t h a t i t c o n s t a n t ly u s e s , which o u g h t t o b edone f i r s t , i t t h u s c o n f u s e s t h e two. It f i n a l l y and most impor-t a n t l y c o n t r a d i c t s t h e c a p i t a l a f f i r m a t io n a c c o r d i n g t o which" t h e t h i n g t h a t c o n s t i t u e s l a n g u a g e C l ' es s e n t i e l de l a l a n g u e 1 i s. . . u n r e l a t e d t o t h e p h o n i c c h a r a c t e ro f t h e l i n g u i s t i c s i g n "( p . 21) [ p . 7 1 . T h i s a f f i r m a t i o n w i l lsoon occupv u s ; w i t h i n i tt h e o t h e r s i d e o f t h e S a u s s u r i a n p r o p o s i ti o n denouncing t h e"illusions o f s c r i p t ' ' comes t o t h e f o r e .

What do t h e s e l i m i t s and p r e s u p p o s it i o n s s i g n i f y ? F i r s tt h a t a linguistics i s n o t g e n e r a l a s l o ng a s i t d e f i n e s i t s o u t -side and l r l s i d e i n t e r m s o f d e t e r m i n e d li n g u i s t i c m o d e l s ; a s l o n ga5 i t d o e s n o t r i g o r o u s l y d i s t i n g u i s h e ss e n c e from f a c t i n t h e i r

----------------------- Page 18-----------------------



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r e s p e c t i v e d e g r e e s o f g e n e r a l i t y . The s ys t e m o f w r i t i n g i n gen-e r a l i s n o t e x t e r i o r t o t h e s y s t e m o f l a ng u a g e i n g e n e r a l , u n l e s si t i s g r a n t e d t h a t t h e d i v i s i o n between ex t e r i o r and i n t e r i o r

p a s s e s t h r o u g h t h e i n t e r i o r o f t h e i n t e r io r o r t h e e x t e r i o r o ft h e e x t e r i o r , t o t h e p o i n t where t h e immanence o f l a n g u a g e i se s s e n t i a l l y exposed t o t h e i n t e r v e n t i o n of f o r c e s t h a t a r ea p p a r e n t l y a l i e n t o i t s s v s t e m . For t h es a n e r e a s o n , w r i t i n gi n g e n e r a l i s n o t " ~ r n a g e "o r " f i g u r a t i o n "o f l a n g u a g e i n g e n e r a l ,e x c e p t i f t h e n a t u r e , t h e l o g i c , and t h ef u n c t i o n i n g o f t h e image

w i t h i n t h e s y s t e m from which one w i s h e s to e x c l u d e i t be r e -c o n s i d e r e d . W r i t i n g i s n o t a s i g n o f a si g n , e x c e p t i f one s a y si t o f a l l s i g n s , which would b e more p r o fo u n d l y t r u e . I f a l ls i g n s r e f e r t o one s i g n , and i f " s i g n ofa s i g n " s i g n i f i e s writ-i n g , c e r t a i n c o n c l u s i o n s - - w h i c h I s h a l l co n s i d e r a t t h e appro-p r i a t e moment--will become i n e v i t a b l e . What S a u s s u r e saw w i t h o u ts e e i n g , knew w i t h o u t b e i n g a b l e t o r e a l i z

e , f o l l o w i n g i n t h a t t h ee n t i r e m e t a p h y s i c a l t r a d i t i o n , i s t h a t ac e r t a i n model o f w r i t i n gwas n e c e s s a r i l y b u t p r o v i s i o n a l l y imposed( b u t f o r t h e i n a c c u r a c y

i n p r i n c i p l e , i n s u f f i c i e n c y o f f a c t , andt h k permanent u s u r p a t i o n )a s i n s t r u m e n t and t e c h n i q u e o f r e p r e s e n t at i o n o f a s y s t e m o fl a n g u a g e . And t h a t t h i s movement, u n i q u ei n s t y l e , was s o p r o -found t h a t it p e r m i t t e d t h e t h i n k i n g , w i t hi n l a n g u a g e , o f con-c e p t s l i k e t h o s e of t h e s i g n , t e c h n i q u e ,r e p r e s e n t a t i o n , l a n g u -a g e . The s y s t e m o f l a n g u a g e a s s o c i a t e d w it h p h o n e t i c - a l p h a b e t i cw r l t i n g i s t h a t w i t h i n which l o g o c e n t r i c me t a p h y s i c s , d e t e r m i n i n gt h e s e n s e o f b e i n g a s p r e s e n c e , h a s b e e n pr o d u c e d . T h i s l o g o -c e n t r i s m , t h i s epoch of t h e f u l l s p e e c h , ha s always p l a c e d i np a r e n t h e s i s , s u s p e n d e d , and s u p p r e s s e d f or e s s e n t i a l r e a s o n s , a l l

t r e e r e f l e c t i o n on t h e o r i g i n and s t a t u so f w r i t l n g , a l l s c i e n c eo f w r i t i n g which was n o t t e c h n o l o g y and t


31/97

h e h i s t o r y of a t e c h n i -q u e , i t s e l f l e a n i n g upon a mythology anda metaphor o f a n a t u r a lw r l t i n g . I t i s t h i s l o g o c e n t r i s m which,l i m i t i n g t h e i n t e r n a ls y s t e m o f l a n g u a g e i n g e n e r a l by a bad a bs t ~ a c t i o n ,p r e v e n t s

S a u s s u r e and t h e m a j o r i t y o f h i s s u c c e s s or s from d e t e r m i n i n gf u l l y and e x p l i c i t l y t h a t which i s c a l l e d" t h e i n t e g r a l and con-

c r e t e o b j e c t of l i n g u i s t i c s " ( p . 23) Cp.71.But c o n v e r s e l y , a s I announced a b o v e

, i t i s when he i s n o te x p r e s s l y d e a l i n g w i t h w r i t i n g , when he fe e l s he h a s c l o s e d t h ep a r e n t h e s e s on t h a t s u b j e c t , t h a t S a u s s u re opens t h e f i e l d o f ag e n e r a l grammatology. Which w i l l n o t o n l

y no l o n g e r b e e x c l u d e dfrom g e n e r a l l i n g u i s t i c s , b u t w i l l d o m i n at e it and w i l l c o n t a i ni t w i t h i n i t s e l f . What was c h a s e d o f f l im i t s , t h e wandering o u t -c a s t o f l i n g u i s t i c s , h a s i n d e e d n e v e r c e as e d t o h a u n t l a n g u a g ea s i t s p r i m a r y and most i n t i m a t e p o s s i b i li t y . Something whichwas n e v e r s p o k e n , and which i s n o t h i n g o th e r t h a n w r i t i n g i t s e l fa s t h e o r i g i n o f l a n g u a g e w r i t e s i t s e l f w it h i n S a u s s u r e ' s d i s -

c o u r s e . We g l i m n s e t h e germ o f a p r o f o u nd h u t i n d i r e c t e x p l a n a -t i o n o f u s u r p a t i o n and o f t h e t r a p s condemned

i n C h a p t e r V I .T h i s e x p l a n a t i o n will o v e r t h r o w e v e n t h eform of t h e q u e s t i o nt o which it was a p r e m a t u r e r e p l y .

----------------------- Page 19-----------------------

TheO u t s i d e &$ t h e I n s i d e

The t h e s i s of t h e a r b i t r a r i n e s s o f th e s i g n ( s o g r o s s l y mis-anmed, and n o t o n l y f o r t h e r e a s o n s S a u s su r e h i m s e l f r e c o g n i z e s ) emust f o r b i d a r a d i c a l d i s t i n c t i o n between

t h e l i n g u i s t i c and t h eg r a p h i c s i g n . No d o u b t t h i s t h e s i s c o n c er n s o n l y t h e n e c e s s i t yo f r e l a t i o n s h i p s between s p e c i f i c s i g n i f ie r s and s i q n i f i e d s w i t h -i n a n a l l e g e d l y n a t u r a l r e l a t i o n s h i p between

t h e v o i c e and s e n s e

i n g e n e r a l , between t h e o r d e r o f p h o n i c si g n i f i e r s and t h e con-t e n t o f t h e s i g n i f i e d s ( " t h e o n l y t r u e bond


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, t h e bond o f sound").Only t h e s e r e l a t i o n s h i p s between s p e c i f i cs i g n i f i e r s and s i g n i -f i e d s would b e r e g u l a t e d by a r b i t r a r i n e s s. W i t h i n t h e " n a t u r a l 1 'r e l a t i o n s h i p between p h o n i c s i g n i f i e r s and

t h e i r s i g n i f i e d s i n

g e n e r a l , t h e r e l a t i o n s h i p between e a c h d et e r m i n e d s i g n i f i e r andi t s d e t e r m i n e d s i g n i f i e d would be " a r b i t ra r y . "

Now from t h e moment t h a t one c o n s i d er s t h e t o t a l i t y o f de-t e r m i n e d s i g n s , s p o k e n , a n d , a f o r t i o r i ,w r i t t e n , a s u n m o t i v a t e di n s t i t u t i o n s , one must e x c l u d e a n y - r e l a t io n s h i p o f n a t u r a l s u b o r -d i n a t i o n , any n a t u r a l h i e r a r c h y , among s ig n i f i e r s o r o r d e r s o f

s i g n i f i e r s . I f " w r i t i n g " s i g n i f i e s i n s c ri p t i o n and e s p e c i a l l yt h e d u r a b l e i n s t i t u t i o n o f a s i g n ( a n d t ha t i s t h e o n l y i r r e d u c -i b l e k e r n e l o f t h e c o n c e p t o f w r i t i n g ) , wr i t i n g i n g e n e r a l c o v e r st h e e n t i r e f i e l d o f l i n g u i s t i c s i g n s . I nt h a t f i e l d a c e r t a i n

s o r t o f i n s t i t u t e d s i g n i f i e r s may t h e n a pp e a r , " g r a p h i c " i n t h en a r r o w and d e r i v a t i v e s e n s e of t h e word,o r d e r e d hv a c e r t a i nr e l a t i o n s h i p w i t h o t h e r i n s t i t u t e d - - h e n c e

" w r i t t e n , " e v e n i f t h e ya r e " p h o n i c I 1 - - s i g n i f i e r s . The v e r y i d e ao f i n s t i t u t i o n - - h e n c e o ft h e a r b i t r a r i n e s s o f t h e s i g n - - i s u n t h i n ka b l e b e f o r e t h e p o s s i -b i l i t y o f w r i t i n g and o u t s i d e o f i t s h o r iz o n . Q u i t e s i m p l y , t h a ti s , o u t s i d e of t h e h o r i z o n i t s e l f , o u t s i de t h e w o r l d . a s s p a c e o fi n s c r i p t i o n , a s t h e o p e n i n g t o t h e e m i s s io n and t h e s p a t i a l d i s -t r i b u t i o n o f s i g n s , t o t h e r e g u l a s e d p l a yo f t h e i r d i f f e r e n c e s ,

e v e n i f t h e y a r e "phonic."L e t u s now p e r s i s t i n u s i n g t h i s o p p

o s i t i o n o f n a t u r e andi n s t i t u t i o n , o f p h y s i s and nomos (which al s o means, o f c o u r s e , ar e g u l a t e d d i s t r i b u t i o n and d i v i s i o n , i n fa c t by law) which am e d i t a t i o n on w r i t i n g s h o u l d d i s t u r b a l t ho u g h it f u n c t i o n s e v e r y -where a s s e l f - e v i d e n t , p a r t i c u l a r l y i n t he d i s c o u r s e o f l i n g u i s -t i c s . We must c o n c l u d e t h a t o n l v t h e s i g

n s c a l l e d n a t u r a l , t h o s et h a t Hegel and S a u s s u r e c a l l "symbols," es c a p e s e m i o l o g y a s gram-


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m a t o l o g y . But t h e y f a l l a f o r t i o r i o u t s id e t h e f i e l d o f l i n g u i s -t i c s a s t h e r e g i o n o f g e n e r a l 'semiology.The t h e s i s o f t h e a r -

b i t r a r i n e s s o f t h e s i g n t h u s i n d i r e c t l y bu t i r r e v o c a b l y c o n t e s t sS a u s s u r e ' s d e c l a r e d i n t e n t i o n when h e c h a

s e s w r i t i n g t o t h e o u t e rd a r k n e s s o f l a n g u a g e . T h i s t h e s i s s u c c e ss f u l l y a c c o u n t s f o r ac o n v e n t i o n a l r e l a t i o n s h i p between t h e phoneme and t h e grapheme( i n p h o n e t i c w r i t i n g , between t h e phoneme,

s i g n i f i e r - s i g n i f i e d ,and t h e grapheme, n u r e s i g n i f i e r ) b u t byt h e same t o k e n i t f o r -b i d s t h a t t h e l a t t e r b e a n "image" of t h e

f o r m e r . Now i t was i n -d i s p e n

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