This is a remarkable paragraph contained in Roy Harris' book
Saussure and his interpreters. One that can summarise precisely the difference between Chomsky's brand of structuralism and Saussure's one:
It is not in following the rules of chess that the players display any creativity: it is in using the rules to contrive situations on the board that open up opportunities for them and cause problems for their opponents--a quite different matter, and one of chess parole, not of chess langue. (Harris, 2001, p. 155)
good observation. Neatly put.
ReplyDeleteVery interesting chess metaphor. For me it is an excellent metaphor to explain relationships among people, among which is obviously verbal communication. On the other hand, is one such example in which a language is not self-sufficient and needs the support of others.
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