10 Questions
What do diachronic studies focus on?
Language development over time
Why did Saussure emphasize the synchronic side of language studies?
To expand the scope of linguistics
What was a major concern among some linguists in the late twentieth century regarding synchronic and diachronic linguistics?
The strict distinction between them was problematic
How are living languages described in the text?
As systems that are constantly evolving
What does variationist linguistics, as developed by William Labov, focus on?
Language change reflected in synchronic structures
In what way do some speakers react to semantic changes like 'imply' and 'infer' becoming less distinct?
By advocating for maintaining traditional distinctions
How do linguistic changes progress through a speech community according to the text?
With some speakers adapting more quickly than others
What is a key aspect of structuralism in linguistics?
Analysis of underlying structures governing language
How did Saussure's work influence the field of linguistics?
By reintroducing synchronic language studies
What is the central idea behind Langue and Parole in Saussurean linguistics?
The underlying system of language vs. its actual use in speech.
Learn about the Swiss linguist Ferdinand de Saussure and his influential work in modern linguistics, including the reconstruction of his course in linguistics by his students. Explore the impact of his Cours de linguistique générale published posthumously.
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