Domenico Russo, Saussure uno, non bino. La scoperta della lingua e l’assiomatizzazione della linguistica, Roma, Aracne, 2025, 816 p., ISBN 979-12-218-2197-0, 50 € Notice de l’Éditeur, avec Présentation, Préface et table des matières.
Siamo tutti convinti che le lingue siano tante ma non è vero. La lingua è una sola e è sempre stata e sarà la stessa. Credere che siano tante è come credere che la terra sia al centro dell’Universo o che la terra sia piatta. Quelle che chiamiamo lingue sono in realtà idiomi, prodotti particolari di un’unica lingua, come tutti i quadri prodotti dalla pittura, le composizioni prodotte dalla musica, i trucchi prodotti dalla cosmetica o le mode prodotte dalla moda.
A scoprire che la lingua è una sola è stato il giovane e geniale studioso ginevrino Ferdinand de Saussure e l’ha scoperta studiando scientificamente un incredibile numero di idiomi antichi e moderni distribuiti dall’Europa all’India. Una scoperta formidabile, del tutto pari alle scoperte di Archimede, Euclide, Newton, Darwin, Einstein, Planck, Dirac, Gauss, Freud o Giotto, Caravaggio, Picasso, Bach, Schönberg, Jimi Hendrix o i Beatles.
Sfortunatamente Ferdinand de Saussure non ha avuto per ragioni di salute il tempo di scrivere il libro che dimostra l’esistenza di una sola lingua e quali siano i suoi costituenti fondamentali. Ha però annotato la sua scoperta in un quaderno di appunti che oggi si trova nella Biblioteca di Ginevra con il titolo di Notes personnelles de Ferdinand de Saussure sur la linguistique générale. Nei quattro movimenti di questo libro è a disposizione di quanti abbiano curiosità di sapere in cosa consista la lingua scoperta da Ferdinand de Saussure quello che l’autore e le studentesse e gli studenti che lo hanno frequentato credono di aver capito leggendo nel corso di alcuni anni le Notes personnelles nella lezione italiana degli Scritti inediti di linguistica generale di Tullio De Mauro.
Domenico Russo già Professore associato di Linguistica Generale, Semantica e lessicologia, Filosofia del linguaggio e delle teorie linguistiche, che ha condotto ricerche in filosofia del linguaggio, linguistica formale, epistemologia della linguistica, aspetti e problemi della comprensione linguistica, aspetti statistici del lessico, questioni di educazione linguistica democratica. Tra le sue numerose pubblicazioni annovera titoli come Modi di dire. Lessico Italiano delle Collocazioni; ALI. Accentuario del lessico italiano; Sil.It. Sillabario del lessico italiano; The Notion of Syllable History, Theories and Analysis e il recente Saussure according to his own words. A concordance to the translation of Notes personnelles de Ferdinand de Saussure sur la linguistique générale.
Texte tiré de la quatrième de couverture de l’ouvrage.
Cahiers Ferdinand de Saussure, volume 77 (2024), édité par Giuseppe D’OTTAVI, Genève, Librairie Droz, 2026, 280 pages, ISSN : 0068-516X, ISBN-13 : 978-2-600-06759-1, € 60,00 Date de première publication : 25 juin 2026 Voir la notice de l’Éditeur. Ce numéro en version numérique : https://revues.droz.org/CFS/issue/view/CFS_77
Abstract: This essay examines the interpretation of Saussure’s thought in the work of Giorgio Agamben, focusing in particular on the works preceding the Homo Sacer series. The comparison of the two authors reveals a tension that can advance contemporary philosophy of language in two ways. On the one hand, Saussure offers more than one reason to be wary of Agamben’s hostility to the notion of “sign”; on the other, Agamben offers a path to overcome the difficulties in Saussure’s approach to the notion of “history”. Keywords: Agamben, Benveniste, History, Infancy, Philosophical anthropology.
Adriano BERTOLLINI (Università degli Studi di Palermo), Agamben reader of Saussure. II. The Benveniste case, p. 27-42
Abstract: This essay investigates how Giorgio Agamben interprets Saussure’s thought in connection with Benveniste. Although he credits Saussure with great importance in the history of Western philosophy, the Italian philosopher tends to read the work of the author of the Cours in the light of Benveniste’s studies, especially the article entitled “Sémiologie de la langue” (1969). In what follows, we will try to point out the advantages, but above all the problems of such a juxtaposition, which does not seem to do full justice to the thought of the Swiss linguist. Keywords: Agamben, Benveniste, “Note sur le discours”, Glossolalia, “Sémiologie de la langue”.
Claudia STANCATI (Università della Calabria), Le sens de la syntaxe entre linguistique et philosophie des sciences. Une reconstruction croisée entre l’École de Genève et Cournot, p. 43-61
Abstract: The linguists of the Geneva School extend the notion of syntax to the affective and the imaginative, which involves a redefinition of the relationship between language and thought. From this redefinition stems their attention to scientific language and notations. In fact, although they are not the primary focus of their investigations, they serve as points of comparison. This paper outlines a backward itinerary through the linguistics and philosophy of science up to Cournot. The aim is not to identify the precursors of the Geneva School but rather to show the intertwining of the epistemology of linguistics and that of other sciences. It deals with complex interconnections which refer to the repositioning of syntax within linguistics and logic. Keywords: Syntax, Linguistics, Logic, Philosophy of sciences, Language and thought, Geneva School.
III Résumés de thèse
Francesco PARISI (Università di Napoli “L’Orientale”), Le Cours de linguistique générale de F. de Saussure et Matière et mémoire de H. Bergson : analyse comparative de lexèmes communs. Lexique, usages terminologiques et implications théoriques, p. 65-78
Abstract: This research aims to compare the philosophical theses of H. Bergson with the linguistic theses of F. de Saussure, starting from an analysis of their respective terminological systems. In particular, the study considers the use of shared lexemes appearing in Matière et mémoire (1896) and in Cours de linguistique générale (1916). The analysis sheds new light on their positions within the context of the debate on the relationship between mind and language. Moreover, following the same methodology, an examination of certain textual occurrences in Saussure’s notes (2002) demonstrates to what extent the function of the langue involves the articulation of both speech and thought. This article presents a summary of the doctoral thesis defended by the author in 2013. Keywords: Henri Bergson, CLG, Terminology, Mind, Language.
IV Hommage
Francesca M. DOVETTO (Università degli Studi di Napoli “Federico II”), Présentation de Dalla ‘langue’ alla ‘parole’: verba manent. Scritti di Federico Albano Leoni (Napoli, 2021), p. 81-86
Abstract: This article presents Verba manent, a volume compiled by Federico Albano Leoni’s former students in honor of his eightieth birthday. The book showcases his multifaceted scientific contributions across Germanic philology, historical linguistics, phonetics, phonology, and the philosophy of language. Rooted in Saussurean thought, Albano Leoni’s work challenges traditional linguistics by prioritizing the listener’s role and the semantic dimension of parole over abstract systems. His theoretical framework emphasizes the radical imperfection of linguistic action, the embodied nature of language, and the social character of linguistic practices. The volume includes an interview, thematic sections, and a comprehensive bibliography of his scholarly production. Keywords: Federico Albano Leoni, Phonetics and phonology, Saussurean linguistics, Spoken Italian corpora, Philosophy of language.
Giovanna MAROTTA (Università di Pisa), La phonétique selon Federico Albano Leoni, p. 87-98
Abstract: This overview of Federico Albano Leoni’s scientific work focuses particularly on his studies in phonetics and prosody, highlighting the most original and innovative aspects of his research. It also underscores his pivotal role in promoting acoustic phonetics in Italy since the 1980s, closely linked to the research projects he led to develop extensive corpora of spoken Italian. His critical stance on the concept of phoneme, along with his distinctive views on theoretical phonology, is examined through both his own arguments and alternative perspectives. Keywords: Phonetics, Phoneme, Syllable, Corpora, Prosody.
Diego POLI (Università di Macerata), Federico Albano Leoni et le domaine du sens, p. 99-111
Abstract: This article explores Federico Albano Leoni’s contributions to linguistic research, with particular emphasis on spontaneous speech and acoustic analysis. Drawing on experimental work with spoken corpora, Albano Leoni develops insights into perception and recognition in communication, highlighting the central role of the syllable alongside prosodic features. His writings engage with theoretical traditions, including Bühler’s language theory and Gestalt principles, while maintaining close attention to empirical data. The discussion addresses broader questions concerning the relationship between written and spoken language, the listener’s interpretive activity, and the importance of interdisciplinary perspectives in understanding how meaning emerges in actual linguistic exchanges. Keywords: Phonetics, Phonology, Syllable, Speech perception, Linguistic empiricism.
V Centenaire du Recueil
Georges-Jean PINAULT (École Pratique des Hautes Études, Paris), Le Recueil des publications scientifiques dans l’histoire de la linguistique indo-européenne, p. 115-139
Abstract: The centerpiece of the Recueil is undoubtedly the Mémoire, the first book (1878) and almost the only one (apart from his doctoral thesis, 1881), published by F. de Saussure himself during his lifetime. This masterwork laid the groundwork for understanding the structure of the Proto-Indo-European language, while providing numerous specific results concerning its phonological and morphological system. Besides, the Recueil contains several relatively short contributions addressing specific problems of Indo-European phonology, morphology and etymology. Taken as a whole, the Recueil continues to inspire discussion and debate to the present day. Keywords: Apophony, Derivation, Etymology, Indo-European, Laryngeals, Morphology, Phonology, Reconstruction, Root, Structure.
Marie-José BÉGUELIN (Université de Neuchâtel / ARLLFB), La place du Mémoire, p. 141-166
Abstract: Almost 150 years after its publication, and a century after its inclusion in the Recueil des publications scientifiques de Ferdinand de Saussure (1922), the article aims to (re)assess the scientific scope of Saussure’s Mémoire sur le système primitif des voyelles dans les langues indo-européennes (1879 [1878]), as well as its theoretical impact, from three different perspectives. Following a brief overview of its content and historical setting, the Mémoire is considered, firstly, as a part of the Recueil itself, among Saussure’s ante mortem publications. Secondly, it is approached as a landmark work in the comparative grammar of Indo-European languages, whose theses, after a bumpy ride, have ended up being established as certainties, while its methodological achievements still await a precise assessment. Finally, it is regarded as an intellectual and human experience that determined the rest of Saussure’s career, nourishing his views on general linguistics. Keywords: Analogy, Apophony, Classification of roots, Indo-European, Laryngeals, Morphology, Semiology.
Maria Patrizia BOLOGNA, Le grec ancien dans le Recueil saussurien, p. 167-181
Abstract: The Recueil des publications scientifiques de Ferdinand de Saussure contains a series of papers devoted specifically to Ancient Greek, addressing both the etymology of proper names and common lexical items, as well as phonetic issues. This paper examines these works, highlighting the image of Saussure as a Hellenist that emerges from them, while considering the continuity – or lack thereof – of his proposals in subsequent scholarship. It also demonstrates how these studies constitute one of the key testimonies to Saussure’s intellectual trajectory, from the analysis of linguistic facts to reflection on the nature of language itself. Keywords: Ancient Greek, Etymology, Onomastics, Common lexicon, Phonetics.
John E. JOSEPH (University of Edinburgh), Noblesse oblige : The Publications of Ferdinand de Saussure, 1901-1912, p. 183-200
Abstract: Ferdinand de Saussure (1857-1913) notoriously published very little in the 20th century, though he was just 43 when it began in 1901. What he did put before the public in these years, beyond his teaching, was in every case called forth by some social or personal duty, either to the community of Geneva academics to which he belonged, or to individual scholars who had played some part in his career. This article surveys his publications over these years. Keywords: Place names, Germanic legends, sound symbolism, Joseph Loth, Louis Havet, Vilhelm Thomsen.
Daniele GAMBARARA (Università della Calabria), Pour un supplément au Recueil saussurien, p. 201-220
Abstract: This article presents a commented bibliography of the 25 works published during Ferdinand de Saussure’s lifetime that are not included in the 1922 Recueil (and a posthumous one in the Appendix, § 3). The works are divided into two lists: one for articles sent to press directly by Saussure (§ 1), and another for texts sent to fellow researchers (§ 2). Each entry is documented with its first identification in Saussurean scholarship, related studies or editions, and references to the most recent bibliographies and Joseph’s 2012 monograph. Many of these works are accessible online. Together, they offer a richer view of Saussure’s scientific activities, revealing aspects of his linguistic research that go beyond the 1922 collection. Keywords: Works published by F. de Saussure, History of linguistics, Bibliography, Scientific correspondence.
VI Documents
Estanislao SOFÍA (CONICET – Universidad de Buenos Aires), Pierre SWIGGERS (KU Leuven), Holger Pedersen, Charles Bally et le Cours de linguistique générale, p. 223-237
Abstract: After the publication of the Cours de linguistique générale in 1916, Charles Bally devoted considerable effort to promoting the work across Europe, notably by soliciting reviews from foreign colleagues. One of the linguists he contacted was the Danish scholar Holger Pedersen, a near contemporary of Saussure and a leading figure in comparative linguistics. Pedersen responded favorably to Bally’s invitation but ultimately did not publish a review – a regrettable fact, given that the Danish linguist, an admirer of the Mémoire, held strong views regarding the orientation of linguistic studies. Keywords: Division(s) of linguistics, Language and speech, General linguistics, Comparative grammar, Charles Bally, Holger Pedersen.
VII In memoriam
Irène FENOGLIO, Jean-Claude Coquet (1928-2023), p. 241-243
Types d’unités et procédures de segmentation, sous la direction de Marie-José Béguelin, Gilles Corminboeuf, Florence Lefeuvre, Limoges, Lambert-Lucas, 2020 (L. Möschler), p. 247-250
Francesco La Mantia, Pour se faire langage. Lexique élémentaire de la Théorie des Opérations Prédicatives et Énonciatives d’Antoine Culioli, Louvain-la-Neuve, Academia-L’Harmattan, 2020 (A. Bondì), p. 251-254
Aurélien Sauvageot (†), Un linguiste dans son siècle. Mémoires, 1897‒1954, Paris, L’Harmattan & Association pour le développement des études finno-ougriennes 2020 (P. Swiggers), p. 255-259
Émile Benveniste. Le sorgenti segrete di un linguista poliedrico, a cura di Giovanni Manetti e Federica Venier, Pisa, Edizioni ETS, 2021 (S. Frigeni), p. 260-263
Le thème perceptif et expressif. Entre linguistique, sémiotique et philosophie, sous la direction de Antonino Bondì et David Piotrowski, Paris, CNRS Éditions, 2022 (E. Fadda), p. 264-266
With Saussure, Beyond Saussure: Between Linguistics and Philosophy of Language, edited by Marina De Palo and Stefano Gensini, Münster, Nodus Publikationen, 2022 (J.E. Joseph), p. 267-270
Emanuele Fadda, Giuseppe Cosenza, Ferdinand de Saussure. Storia di una teoria del linguaggio, Roma, Carocci («Frecce»), 2026, 312 p., ISBN 9788829035335, 29 € Notice de l’Éditeur, avec table des matières.
Il destino di Ferdinand de Saussure (1857-1913) è stato quello di essere conosciuto in vita soprattutto come indoeuropeista e di aver ricevuto un’enorme notorietà postuma per un libro che in realtà non aveva scritto: il Corso di linguistica generale, pubblicato nel 1916. Questo volume, invece, ripercorre “dall’interno” la storia del suo pensiero (dai primi studi giovanili alle riflessioni semiologiche, fino ai corsi di linguistica generale) e delinea una mappa della sua influenza passata, presente e futura, non riducibile all’esito strutturalista. Tutti i testi e gli interessi saussuriani (linguistici e non) sono ricostruiti a partire dai lasciti manoscritti e riferendosi alle analisi più avanzate, con rigore, ma in modo accattivante e comprensibile anche per il lettore non specialista. L’intento è sostituire all’immagine un po’ artefatta dell’Atlante che sostiene il cosmos strutturalista (senza poi farne parte davvero) quella di un Sisifo che, pur spaventato dall’«immensità del lavoro» (che confessa solo agli allievi più fidati), ricomincia sempre di nuovo le proprie ricerche, tracciando solchi su cui possiamo continuare a camminare per riflettere sul linguaggio e le lingue.
📢 Le volume sera également présenté dans le cadre des Webinar CISPELS le 22 mai à 17h00 (heure italienne). 🎤 La discussion sera animée par Paola Cotticelli-Kurras, avec les interventions de Francesco Bellucci, Stefano Gensini et Marina De Palo. 🔍 Tout détail de l’événement, y compris le lien de connexion, se trouve dans l’affiche.
📻 Le 17 mai dernier, Emanuele Fadda était l’invité de La lingua batte, émission culte de la radio nationale italienne culte Rai Radio 3. L’entretien, consacré à notre livre, est désormais disponible en podcast sur la plateforme RaiPlay Sound (accès gratuit après inscription rapide). À retrouver à partir de 21 min 30. 👉 Publié pargiuseppe d'ottavidansParutions
Sinta Uli Simbolon, Laura Ika Angelina Arfina Putri, Lisma Ayu Arditha, Muhammad Ilham Rahmansyah, Rommel Utungga Pasopati, «Analyzing the Lyrics of Hotel California through Structuralism: Saussure and Lévi-Strauss in Perspective», JOEEL Journal of English Education and Literature 7/1 (2026), p. 55-68, publié en ligne le 30 mars 2026. DOI: https://doi.org/10.38114/f7qs0c31 Libre accès : https://journal.sanagustin.ac.id/index.php/joeel/article/view/116
On a dark desert highway, cool wind in my hair Warm smell of colitas, rising up through the air Up ahead in the distance, I saw a shimmering light My head grew heavy and my sight grew dim I had to stop for the night There she stood in the doorway, I heard the mission bell And I was thinkin’ to myself, ‘This could be heaven or this could be hell
According to Saussure’s (2013) analysis, there are two signifiers in Verse 1, which are dark desert highway and cool wind. Both of the signifiers illustrate a place and a physical feeling. While the signified meaning goes deeper, it suggests a sense of freedom, an exciting adventure, but also hints at uncertainty or loneliness in the darkness (Rahmawati, 2020; Zhafirah et al., 2025). The phrase warm smell of colitas, often understood as the smell of marijuana, is a signifier of temporary pleasure or relaxation. Its meaning can also be seen as a doorway to deeper experiences or even as a misleading comfort that hides danger (Eagles, 1977; Lestari, 2020; Wijaya, 2021). On the other hand, in Lévi-Strauss’ analysis, there is a binary opposition between freedom and limits. The phrase dark desert highway represents unlimited freedom, but also shows the inner conflict between wanting total freedom and the reality of human limits. […] From the analysis above, Hotel California can be seen as a rich allegorical narrative that uses deep symbolism to criticize social realities. From Ferdinand de Saussure’s semiotic perspective, the song cleverly plays with the relationship between signifiers like dark desert highway, shimmering light, Hotel California, Tiffany-twisted, and the beast, and their layered meanings. These signifiers reveal hidden messages about the illusion of freedom, deceptive beauty, empty luxury, and psychological or spiritual entrapment. Through Claude Lévi-Strauss’s structuralist view, the song acts as a modern myth that reflects and balances many crucial binary oppositions. These include contrasts such as freedom vs. limitation, illusion vs. reality, knowledge vs. uncertainty, heaven vs. hell, purity of the past vs. corruption of the present, and failed escape vs. permanent attachment. As a result, Hotel California stands as a powerful social critique of the dark side of the materialistic American Dream, showing how short-term pleasure can lead to long-term self-enslavement.
Extrait de l’article (§§ Hotel California’s Analysis on Structuralism et Conclusions).
Pierre-Yves Testenoire, Les cours de Roman Jakobson à l’École libre des hautes études. New York, 1942-1946, Berlin, De Gruyter, coll. « Études de linguistique française », 2025, VII+448 p., 16 illustrations, 3 planches hors texte, ISBN 9783119147002 ; eISBN 9783112210604, 119,95 € Notice de l’Éditeur, avec table des matières.
Exilé aux États-Unis pendant la Seconde Guerre mondiale, le linguiste Roman Jakobson (1896–1982) intègre une école française créée par des savants exilés : l’École libre des hautes études. Il y donne une série de cours, auxquels assiste notamment Claude Lévi-Strauss. Cet enseignement a eu un impact majeur sur les sciences humaines contemporaines, puisqu’il est une des sources capitales du « structuralisme généralisé » d’après-guerre. Le présent ouvrage constitue une exploration de ce moment crucial de l’histoire des sciences au XXe siècle.
La première partie du livre reconstitue, à partir de sources inédites, le programme et le contexte social, politique et institutionnel de cet enseignement. Elle contient une analyse épistémologique des cours conservés dans les archives et offre des clefs d’interprétation pour les situer dans l’histoire de la linguistique et, plus largement, des sciences humaines. La seconde partie propose une édition critique de quatre cours inédits de Jakobson donnés en 1942 et 1943.
L’ouvrage donne ainsi accès à des documents inédits sur ce moment crucial des sciences humaines – qui a vu la rencontre à New York de Roman Jakobson et Claude Lévi-Strauss – et il en renouvelle l’interprétation.
📢 Le volume sera présenté à l’occasion d’une rencontre-débat organisée per l’association ConSciLa qui se tiendra le 27 mars 2026, de 13h30 à 17h30, à la Maison de la recherche (salle D040-50, 28 rue Serpente, 75006 Paris). Discutants : Hugo Dumoulin et Ilona Sinzelle Ponavicova. L’auteur sera présent.
Estanislao Sofía et Pierre Swiggers (éd.), La première réception du Cours de linguistique générale de Ferdinand de Saussure. Avec la collaboration de Giuseppe D’Ottavi, István Fritsche et Anne-Marguerite Fryba-Reber, Leuven / Paris / Bristol (CT), Peeters (Orbis Supplementa, 48), 2025, XXII-447 p. ISBN 978-90-429-5602-5 ; eISBN 978-90-429-5603-2, € 91. Notice de l’Éditeur, avec table des matières.
Ce volume rassemble une documentation exhaustive sur la « première réception » ‒ dans des comptes rendus ou des articles de présentation ‒ du CLG. On trouve, dans l’ordre chronologique, des textes rédigés par Oltramare, Ronjat, Niedermann, Gautier, Wackernagel, Jaberg, Jespersen, Meillet (trois c.r.), Bourdon, Schuchardt, Bovet, Claparède, Dihigo, Grammont, Sechehaye, Terracini, Bogrea, Lommel, Vendryes, Hermann et (pour la seconde édition du CLG, 1922) Abegg, Kluyver, Marouzeau, Bloomfield, Collinson, Gombocz, Lommel et Absil. La dernière section de l’ouvrage est consacrée aux (premières) traductions du CLG, mais s’ouvre par une liste de toutes les traductions connues (59 au total). Des sous-sections sont consacrées à la traduction allemande du CLG (1931 ; c.r. par Ammann, Hermann, Panconcelli-Calzia, Rohlfs, Weisgerber), à la traduction espagnole (1945 ; c.r. par Arago), et à la traduction anglaise (1959 ; c.r. par Frei, Hoenigswald, DeGorog, Hollyman). Tous les textes originaux ont fait l’objet d’une réédition critique ; les textes publiés originalement dans une autre langue que le français sont suivis de leur traduction en français. Enfin, trois sous-sections de synthèse sont consacrées à la réception du CLG en Italie (avant la traduction-commentaire de T. De Mauro, 1967), à sa réception en Russie (1917 à 1930 ; traduction du CLG : 1933) et au Japon (traduction du CLG : 1928). L’ouvrage se clôt par une bibliographie générale (pp. 425-438), une liste des illustrations et un index des noms de personne.
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