Philosophy of Language and Jerry Maguire

This week in class we discussed theories of language and the ways in which language defines society. We read very different works about language. The first is from Swiss linguist Ferdinand de Saussure and the second is from French philosopher Jacques Derrida.




Saussure---”Course in General Linguistics”



Saussure argues that in language, every word, or sign, is comprised of a signifier and the signified. The signifier represents the visual or the actual sound of the word. Whereas the signified is the concept that is conjured in the mind by the signifier. Saussure calls this relationship between the signifier and the signified arbitrary. Every sign needs a context in order to be relevant. The sign’s meaning is wholly dependent on location and time. Saussure believes that no sign can exist alone. The sign always has an “other”. All signs have a binary relationship with “other” signs. However Saussure says that there is still a moment of presence when a sign is only a marriage of the signifier and the signified, and the sign’s “other” plays no role in defining the sign.



Derrida---”Difference”



Contrary to Saussure, Derrida’s philosophy of language is more encompassing of sign and its “other”. Unlike Saussure who believes the relationship between the signifier and the signified is arbitrary, Derrida goes even further to say that the sign itself is arbitrary. The sign is always dependent on time, place and its binary relationship. What the sign is not is just as important to its meaning as what the sign is. Derrida says that there is not moment of presence, where a sign exists alone. Instead every sign’s meaning is derived from its binary relationship. Modern day users of Derridian philosophers are lawyers and politicians. Derridian philosophy of language works to their benefit. Signs and their meanings can be manipulated to affect the audience’s understanding because no word stands alone the binary relationship will play in the audience’s mind. In the film Jerry Maguire, Jerry is a fast talking sports agent who uses language to his advantage. He uses language that can easily manipulated to his advantage. There is a scene where he asking his fiancé what people thought of him after he had been fired from his job. She ends up using the word “loser”. In Derridian philosophy, the moment “loser” is said is comprised of more than its signifier and signified but of its binary relationship to “winner” and the hierarchical relationship between the two.