Influence of Saussure’s Linguistics on Bakhtin’s Philosophy

Abstract

This article examines the intricate relationship between Mikhail Bakhtin’s literary and cultural philosophy and the linguistics of Ferdinand de Saussure. The paper explores how Bakhtin’s metalinguistics and dialogue principle were influenced by and diverged from Saussure’s theoretical constructs, particularly the dichotomies of “langue” and “parole.” Bakhtin’s critical inheritance of Saussure is evident in his emphasis on the utterance and the text, moving beyond Saussure’s systemic approach to embrace a more fluid, contextually rich understanding of language. His dialogism proposes an active role for speakers in the ongoing cultural dialogue, thereby redefining the relationship between language, literature, and social reality.