ABSTRACT
Thischapterisintendedtoserveatwofoldpurpose.Itsetsthescenefor laterchaptersintwoways.
First,itpinpointsthebeginningsofmodernsemioticsintheworksof thetwopioneeringfiguresofthedisciplinetowhoserespectivepointsof viewmostofsubsequenttheorisinginsemioticscanbetraced.Thesetwo majorfiguresareFerdinanddeSaussure(1857-1913),theacclaimed founderofEuropean-typesemiologie,andCharlesS.Peirce(18391914),theoriginatoroftheAmericantraditionin'semiotic(s)'.The mutualautonomyoftheEuropeantraditionofsemiologieandthe Americantraditionof'semiotic(s)'which,ingeneral,hasremained largelyintacttodate,findsitsnaturalexpositionaspartofthisdual background.(SeeforinstancetheremarksofJeanneMartinet,inapaper presentedattheUniversityofStAndrewsinspring1980,whoarguesthat thetwotraditionsaresofarapartastomakeevenafruitfulcomparison impossible.)
Secondly,andequallyimportantly,thischapterpresentsanexcellent opportunityfordiscussing,undertheheadingsofsalientSaussureanand Peirceanideas,anumberofinfluentialassumptionsthatsemiologistsor semioticianscontinuetomakeortomodify.Adiscussionoftheserather fundamentalassumptions,notionsanddistinctionswould,iflefttilla laterstage,seriouslyimpedeandinterrupttheexpositionofmorerecent developmentsinthefield.Thesedevelopmentsare,however,oftennot easytoexplain,understandorappreciatewithoutreferencetothe appropriatebackgroundofSaussureanorPeirceanideas.Withoutpretendingtoofferanythinglikeacomprehensiveaccountofthetheoriesof SaussureandPeirce-suchaccountscanbefoundelsewhere(someare mentionedintheReferences)- thissectionaimstocoverenoughofthe backgroundofSaussureanandPeirceanassumptionstomakeitpossible fortheseassumptionstobetakenforgrantedinthemainbodyofthetext.
1.2SaussureanFundamentals
