What Did De Saussure Know About (Self-)Improvement & Why Does It Concern You?

Unless you’re specifically concerned with meaning and communication – either through linguistics, semiotics, literature, philosophy, or media – chances are you have never heard of Ferdinand de Saussure.

I learned about his work while I was studying languages, and today, as a PREXcoach, I can see the implications of his work through an entirely new prism.

Who Is De Saussure?

Ferdinand de Saussure was a Swiss linguist at the turn of the 20^th century, known as the “Father of Modern Linguistics,” who laid the foundations of structural linguistics.

He considered language a social phenomenon that can be observed synchronically (existing at any particular time) and diachronically (changing in the course of time), which marked the shift from the purely historical study of languages.

He introduced concepts like langue (language) vs. parole (speech), contrasting the structured system of a language with individual speech acts.

Moreover, he introduced the notion that linguistic signs consist of two parts – one is signifier (signifiant in French) and the other is signified (signifié in French).

The signifier denotes the form of a sign, which may not only be words but also any other perceivable element, such as sounds, written marks, or even gestures.

The signified, on the other hand, is the concept or mental idea associated with that form.

What’s key here to note is that their relationship is arbitrary.

What Does This Mean in Practice?

In practice, this basically means that things around us have a dual nature. For example, if I say house, we will all recognize the five-letter word that carries the meaning h-o-u-s-e.

However, our understanding of house – what goes on in our heads – may differ greatly, depending on a number of factors, such as geography, society, or even personal preferences. This is why some of us may have an idea of a two-story house surrounded by picket fences, others may see a townhouse, or an igloo, or even a wooden shack.

Put another way – if I say apple, some of you may think fruit, others may think green or red, some may even think yuck, and a few might even think iPhone. The list may go on, but it’s the same a-p-p-l-e, nevertheless.

But What Does It Actually Mean?

In terms of (self-)help, improvement, and growth, the signifiers are, obviously, all the same. These are advice, methods, or labels we all use: success, confidence, discipline…

However, if we don’t know our signifieds well – the true meaning we personally attach to the form – the same help, improvement, or growth can be irrelevant or even detrimental to our Self.

Since the relationship between the two is – as we have seen – arbitrary, we could be following the advice or guidance of someone whose notions completely differ from ours and then wonder why things don’t work for us.

Or we could change, yet not for the better, but rather to fit the mold designed by and for someone else.

“I tried so many things, but I guess I’m just hopeless.”

You’re not hopeless – your signifieds are not defined, well or at all.

Maybe it’s time to stop thinking in borrowed meanings and start defining your own?