Saussure as a linguist and Wittgenstein as a philosopher of language are arguably the two most important figures in the development of twentieth-century linguistic thought. By pointing out what their ideas have in common, in spite of emanating from very different intellectual sources, this study breaks new ground.
1. Texts and Contexts 2. Names and Nomenclatures 3. Linguistic Units 4. Language and Thought 5. Systems and Users 6. Arbitrariness 7.Grammar 8. Variation and Change 9. Communication 10. Language and Science Appendix Biographical Synopses
'Roy Harris's Language, Saussure and Wittgenstein is a particularly welcome bridge between philosophy and linguistics ... Careful exploration of this important and influential theory ... illustrates how comparative studies of thinkers may occasionally create fascinating diffraction patterns.' - The Guardian