Glossematics emerged in the Copenhagen School
The notion of glossematics is used to refer to the linguistic current developed by the Copenhagen School , a group or association that had Louis Hjelmslev (1899-1965) as its main representative. Glossematics derives from glōssēmatikós , a Greek word that can be translated as “full of glosses” .
It all started with Saussure
Experts say that glossematics is based on the ideas of the Swiss linguist Ferdinand de Saussure (1857-1913), a symbol of the Geneva school . Throughout his life, he devoted his efforts not only to language but also to semiology and philosophy, and his work laid the foundations for modern linguistics.
When talking about Saussure, the nickname "father of structural linguistics" is often used. This refers to linguistic structuralism , a movement that emerged at the beginning of the 20th century, with the Course in General Linguistics of 1916. This work by Saussure was only published after his death, thanks to two of his students.
Glossematics according to Louis Hjelmslev
For Hjelmslev , as for Saussure , language is not substance, but form.
Thus, although it still takes into account content, glossematics places form at the centre of its analysis. This school of thought maintains that linguistic units have an existence that goes beyond sound reality and the meaning projected onto that reality.
Hjelmslev recognizes the following three levels, which distinguish his theory from Saussure's, according to which there were only two (the first two, although with different interpretations):
* matter : is the name given to Saussure's substance, and refers to the phonetic or semantic reality that is independent of language;
* the substance : this is what Hjelmslev called Saussure's form, to describe the way in which language is subdivided and configured, according to the principle of opposition ;
* the form : uses this term to talk about the network in which the units are related from a morphological point of view.
These three levels, in turn, are related in manifestation . Thus, according to glossematics, form manifests itself in matter as substance.
Language, in this context, is an independent entity that has internal dependencies. What is important are the formal relationships established between the elements found at the different linguistic levels.
The Copenhagen School
It is also known as the Copenhagen Linguistic Circle . It was a Danish association closely related to glossematics. It was founded in 1931 and was led by several linguists, among whom was Hjelmslev himself. Its intention was to open a study forum to promote research in language matters.
Form plays a fundamental role in glossematics
It is easy to see the inspiration in the Prague Linguistic Circle . In fact, in 1928, after the first International Congress of Linguists had been held in The Hague, the impact on Hjelmslev was undeniable, largely due to the innovation of the theses presented by its participants. For this reason, when he returned to his city, he joined Knud Togeby and Viggo Brondal to give birth to the Copenhagen school.
As time went by, more and more linguists joined the school; one of them was Hans Jørgen Uldall , an important phonetician with whom Hjelmslev developed glossematics. At first, they focused on the study of phonology, but later they began to take an interest in Saussure's legacy, contributing their own points of view. Many publications of linguistic interest originated at the school.
More information
Glossematics, in short, is a theory proposed by Hjelmslev that deepens Saussure 's ideas. Linguistic units, for the proponents of glossematics, are defined according to the combination of internal rules.