ABSTRACT
Foucault tells us in the preface to 'Les Mots et les Choses' (1966) that his book came into being with the disorienting laughter provoked by Borges's citation of the animal taxonomy in 'a certain Chinese encyclopaedia'. In this embroidered sliver of Chinoiserie
it is written that 'animals are divided into: (a) belonging to the Emperor, (b) embalmed, (c) tame, (d) sucking pigs, (e) sirens, (f) fabulous, (g) stray dogs, (h) included in the present classification, (i) frenzied, (j) innumerable, (k) drawn with a very fine camelhair brush, (1) et cetera, (m) having just broken the water pitcher, (n) that from a long way off look like flies'.
