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Jennifer Malm
Dr. Howe
EN 502
January 17, 2011
Culler’s Cultural Application
During a period where the idea of structuralism was at the forefront of literature analysis, Jonathon Culler composed a text which identified that study and applied to cultural behaviors and norms. Briefly, structuralism itself was the study of the rules or structure that underlies linguistics. Relative to this reading, structuralism acknowledge that human action had meaning and that this meaning had to be derived from a certain structure of rules of behavior and culture (Culler 56). This movement of study began in France and was applied cross-culturally to universally acknowledge the appearance of rules and conventions that form language and according to Culler, define and create many aspects of cultural phenomena (Culler 56).
According to Culler in The Linguistic Foundation, the study of linguistics and semiology, the signs which create language, are only as relative as the meanings that relate and define these signs (Culler 56). Culler applied this theory to culture and realized that there are underlying conventions not only within linguistics, but also within human action. There are many examples represented in his text and they all highlight his ideas which acknowledge that human action and behavior is only meaningful “with respect to a set of institutionalized conventions” (Culler 56). He stressed certain actions, for example operating a vehicle, could be accomplished simply by pushing a pedal and steering a wheel, which many individuals could grasp. Culler, however, was particularly interested in the rules that defined a system, relating to this example specifically traffic laws and regulations that a driver would have to learn and acknowledge to actually know
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how to drive. The simple action of driving a car was not in itself enough to actual define the cultural act of driving.
In understanding the structure and conventions that created linguistics, Culler refers to de Saussere’s abilities to isolate the different parts of language. He separates the la langue from the la parole, which creates a separation between the system of language and its rules and the actually product of that system which is represented in the form of speech or writing (Culler 57). This is important because it recognizes that language is not itself just a long strand of sounds placed together and spoken, language is both sounds (or writing) and the rules that govern those sounds, all at once. Without both, neither would cease to exist. This relationship also circularly ties directly back into the rules and conventions applied to human culture. Interestingly Culler continues his application on structuralist ideals toward human culture and identifies that structure in human culture or an underlying system of rules also lends itself to creating human behaviors and perception (58). Within the creation of this system, the abiding by or breaking of these rules or conventions creates human behaviors and the interpretation or perception of these behaviors as reactions to these rules which only further creates continued behavior, interpretation, and perception (Culler 58). The association of action and structure is quite cyclical and involved.
In this piece, Culler also recognized the studies of Levi-Strauss which acknowledge the differences between phonetics and phonology. His work is relative to Culler because it also studies the system which underlies the production of “speech sounds” (Culler 57). Levi-Strauss concluded that phonetics were defined as the actual speech sounds that escape a person’s mouth and phonology was the structure behind which speech sounds were spoken at a particular moment and relating to other speech sounds spoken around it (Culler 57). His work provided insight into the relations of rules and conventions which define the product of the spoken word.
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It is another glaring example of actions and the systematic structure that defines those particular actions.
In thinking of modern culture, the system of action and rules defines nearly everything and can even potentially be applied everywhere because human culture is full of rules that regulate most aspects of human culture and in turn behavior. The television show Jeopardy is just a small example of this application. There are stringent rules for the constants playing on Jeopardy, so stringent infact that the contestants playing this game are required to respond to the show’s “leader” with a specific speech pattern. “What is…” must be placed in front of each response or an answer is not qualified. There is a simple, yet binding example of action and convention working in harmony in relation to speech sounds and linguistics. Jeopardy has been a staple of American television and culture much ahead of the conglomeration of reality television shows that now crowd TV Guides every night, so it is a well known example of a much bigger picture: Structuralism at work.
It is interesting when reading and analyzing literary theory to have those theories related directly to everyday human culture and involvement. It is possible for literary theory to focus entirely on speech, linguistics, content, or authors, but when a theorist can relate a certain movement to occurrences that appear in everyday human culture and will continue to always be prevalent, the relation to that movement is much deeper. The acknowledgement of placing the idea of Structuralism against the actions and conventions of everyday human culture is extremely relative to this theory and its importance.
Culler, Jonathan. “The Linguistic Foundation.” Literary Theory: An Anthology. Ed. Julie Rivkin and Michael Ryan. Massachusetts: Blackwell Publishing, 2004. 56-58. Print.
Structuralism
Rivken & Ryan : Introduction: The Implied Order: Structuralism