Derrida contends that the opposition between speech and writing is a manifestation of the “logocentrism” of Western culture—i.e., the general assumption that there is a realm of “truth” existing prior to and independent of its representation by linguistic signs.
What is meant by logocentrism?
1 : a philosophy holding that all forms of thought are based on an external point of reference which is held to exist and given a certain degree of authority .
What does Derrida mean by logocentrism?
According to Derrida, “logocentrism” is the attitude that logos (the Greek term for speech, thought, law, or reason) is the central principle of language and philosophy. ... Logocentrism thus asserts that writing is a substitute for speech and that writing is an attempt to restore the presence of speech.
Where does Derrida talk about logocentrism?
Derrida identifies in all of Western philosophic traditions, a logocentrism or “metaphysics of presence”. Logocentrism, as manifested in Saussure’s phonocentrism , holds that speech (which brings thought) is a privileged, ideal and self preserving identity through which all discourse and meanings are derived.
What is logocentrism and Phonocentrism?
As nouns the difference between phonocentrism and logocentrism. is that phonocentrism is the idea that sounds and speech are inherently superior to (or more natural than) written language while logocentrism is the analysis of literature , focusing on the words and grammar to the exclusion of context or literary merit.
What are the main elements of deconstruction?
Elements of Deconstruction: Differance, Dissemination, Destinerrance, And Geocatastrophe .
How do you apply deconstruction to literature?
- Oppose Prevailing Wisdom. The first thing you’ll have to do is question the common meaning or prevailing theories of the text you’re deconstructing. ...
- Expose Cultural Bias. ...
- Analyze Sentence Structure. ...
- Play With Possible Meanings.
What is the goal of deconstruction?
Thus the goal of Deconstruction is to expose within a text conflicting or contradictory meanings and depict them for the reader . It must not elucidate any one reading and elevate it, but instead display the undecidability of the text.
What is the difference between signifier and signified?
The signifier is the object, the word, the image or action. the signified is the concept behind the object that is being represented .
How does Derrida define deconstruction?
Derrida states that deconstruction is not an analysis in the traditional sense . ... Derrida argues that there are no self-sufficient units of meaning in a text, because individual words or sentences in a text can only be properly understood in terms of how they fit into the larger structure of the text and language itself.
What is difference in deconstruction?
Différance is a French term coined by Jacques Derrida. It is a central concept in Derrida’s deconstruction, a critical outlook concerned with the relationship between text and meaning. The term différance means “difference and deferral of meaning .”
What is literary deconstruction?
Deconstruction, form of philosophical and literary analysis , derived mainly from work begun in the 1960s by the French philosopher Jacques Derrida, that questions the fundamental conceptual distinctions, or “oppositions,” in Western philosophy through a close examination of the language and logic of philosophical and ...
What is Phonocentrism deconstruction?
Phonocentrism is the belief that sounds and speech are inherently superior to, or more primary than, written language . ... Some philosophers and linguists, notably including the philosopher Jacques Derrida, have used the term “phonocentrism” to criticize what they see as a disdain for written language.
What is transcendental signified?
Derrida calls such a centre, the “transcendental signified” because it is a signified that transcends all signifiers , and is a meaning that transcends all signs.
What do you mean by deconstruction?
Deconstruction doesn’t actually mean “demolition;” instead it means “breaking down” or analyzing something (especially the words in a work of fiction or nonfiction) to discover its true significance, which is supposedly almost never exactly what the author intended.
Who coined the term Phonocentrism?
The term phonocentrism, identified by the French philosopher Jacques Derrica , is generally defined as the superiority of speech language (e.g. presence) over written language (e.g. absence). It is also true for the metaphysical superiority of speech language over sign language.
