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Normativity in Language and Linguistics
Edited by Aleksi Mäkilähde, Ville Leppänen and Esa Itkonen
[Studies in Language Companion Series 209] 2019
► pp. 151–182

Language as a system of norms and the Voloshinovian critique of abstract objectivism

Valentin Voloshinov’s philosophy of linguistics is sometimes presented as an alternative to the Saussurean doctrine, especially in the dialogical approach to language. The purpose of this study is to review Voloshinov’s philosophy of linguistics and to critically examine his critique of the Saussurean position, which he calls abstract objectivism, in order to determine whether his critique is accurate, and to ascertain whether his concept of linguistics offers a viable alternative to the Saussurean position. The analysis of Voloshinov’s critique is based on the key Saussurean concepts of langue, parole and synchrony. In addition, the study also discusses Voloshinov’s theory of meaning, the role of written language in linguistic study and the normativity of language. Based on the results of the study, Voloshinov’s philosophy of linguistics does not offer a viable alternative to the Saussurean position, as it presupposes it.
Keywords: Voloshinov, Saussure, langue, parole, norms, normativity
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
  • 2.On the dialogical approach and Voloshinov’s theory of language
  • 3.Voloshinov on the philosophy of language
    • 3.1Voloshinov’s theory of signs
    • 3.2Two trends of thought
    • 3.3The mistakes of abstract objectivism
    • 3.4The roots of abstract objectivism
    • 3.5Voloshinov on meaning
    • 3.6Voloshinov’s theory of the utterance
  • 4.On Voloshinov’s critique of abstract objectivism
    • 4.1General remarks
    • 4.2On the concept of langue
    • 4.3On the concept of parole
    • 4.4On synchrony
    • 4.5On Voloshinov’s theory of meaning
    • 4.6On “written language bias”
    • 4.7On normativity
  • 5.Conclusion: Language as a system of norms
  • Acknowledgements
  • Notes
  • References
Published online: 4 December 2019
DOI logo
https://doi.org/10.1075/slcs.209.06laa
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