ABSTRACT
Paradigmatic relationships can operate on the level of the signifier and on the level of the signified (ibid., 121-4; Silverman 1983, 10; Harris 1987, 124). A paradigm is a set of associated signifiers or signifieds which are all members of some defining category, but in which each is significantly different. In natural language there
sang paradigm aticaxis
are grammatical paradigms such as verbs or nouns. In a given context, one member of the paradigm set is structurally replaceable with another. The choice of one excludes the choice of another. The use of one signifier (e.g. a particular word) rather than another from the same paradigm set (e.g. adjectives) shapes the preferred meaning of a text. Paradigmatic relations can thus be seen as ‘contrastive’. Saussure’s notion of ‘associative’ relations was broader and less formal than what is normally meant by ‘paradigmatic’ relations. He referred to ‘mental association’ and included perceived similarities in form (e.g. homophones) or meaning (e.g. synonyms). Such similarities were diverse and ranged from strong to slight, and might refer to only part of a word (such as a shared prefix or suffix). He noted that there was no end (or commonly agreed order) to such associations (Saussure 1983, 121-4).
