Identify the correct statement on ‘Langue’ and ‘Parole’ below:

A. Langue is the abstract language system, the grammar of a language.
B. Parole is the language actually produced by its users following Langue.
C. Langue is the language actually produced by its users following Parole.
D. Parole is the abstract language system, the grammar of a system.
E. Langue and Parole are not related to one language as concepts.

Choose the correct answer from the options given below:

Correct option is A

Explanation:

The concepts of Langue and Parole were introduced by Ferdinand de Saussure, the Swiss linguist who laid the foundation of modern structural linguistics.

Langue refers to the structured system of language, the rules, grammar, and conventions that are shared by a speech community. It is social, collective, and abstract in nature.

Parole, on the other hand, refers to the individual, actual use of language in speech or writing, which is concrete and variable.

Information Booster:

- Langue and Parole are foundational terms in structural linguistics introduced by Ferdinand de Saussure in his influential work Course in General Linguistics (1916).

- Langue is like the underlying structure or blueprint of language—it includes phonetics, grammar, syntax, vocabulary, and language norms.

- Parole is the practical execution or performance of language by individuals—it includes personal speech, expression, and discourse.

- The distinction between Langue and Parole enables linguists to analyze the system of a language separately from its usage.

- Langue is social and collective, belonging to a language community, whereas Parole is individual and subjective, reflecting variations and personal usage.

- This dichotomy also laid the groundwork for later developments in structuralism and semiotics.

- Saussure emphasized studying Langue over Parole to understand the structure and functioning of language scientifically.

Structuralism:

- Structuralism is an intellectual movement that arose in the early 20th century, influenced heavily by Saussure's theories.

- Structuralism seeks to understand the underlying structures that govern human culture, language, literature, and social phenomena.

- It assumes that all cultural expressions (such as language, myths, and rituals) are governed by underlying structures that can be uncovered through analysis.

- The idea is that meaning is created through relationships within a structure, not in isolation. For example, a word (signifier) has meaning because it is different from other words, and the relationship between signifier (the word) and signified (the concept it represents) is arbitrary but regulated by the rules of the language system (Langue).

- In literary theory, structuralism interprets texts through their internal structure—understanding texts not as isolated works but as part of a larger network of relationships. This method considers genres, language patterns, symbols, and cultural codes.

Famous Structuralists:

- Claude Lévi-Strauss used structuralism to study myths, rituals, and cultural systems.

- Roland Barthes, who explored structuralist approaches to literature and culture, and emphasized the analysis of texts through their "mythical" structures.

- Tzvetan Todorov and Julia Kristeva also contributed to applying structuralist ideas in literature and cultural studies.

- Structuralism marked a shift away from focusing on historical contexts or individual intentions in interpreting texts, emphasizing instead how culture functions according to a set of rules and systems.