ABSTRACT
My concern in this chapter is to probe some of the issues already raised a little more closely; to move a little closer to some of the central concepts of the Formalists in order to locate the theoretical, philosophical and methodological bedrock which gave a thematic coherence to their diverse critical concerns. It will be convenient to treat Ferdinand de Saussure’s work as the pivot on which to centre our discussion. For, of the many influences which coalesced in the formation of Russian Formalism, that exerted by Saussure and by linguistics in general was arguably of primary importance.
