The Significance and Limitation of the “Arbitrariness†Theory of Linguistic Signs Proposed by Saussure

Abstract

Saussure's Course in General Linguistics is praised as the "bible" of modern linguistics by people. And the publication of the book symbolized the beginning of structuralism. Saussure put forward many important theory views in this book and the arbitrariness theory principle of linguistic signs is the most primary and the most important. Beyond all question, the arbitrariness theory principle of linguistic signs has been influenced people's language researches and analysis for a long time. At the same time, it shows certain important historical significance and historical limitation. Therefore, any theory belongs to historical category, this requires us to take correct attitude and see things with dialectical and developmental vision.