Saussure’s relational theory of meaning displaced the atomistic referential model of language

Evidence

The revolutionary significance of Saussure’s Course lay chiefly in its demolition of atomism. Words, as we have seen, no longer signify by virtue of their referring to objects, by rather through their relation to other words. The subject, consequently, is no longer directly constitutive of language, endowing words with meaning by dubbing objects to which it has independent access. Meaning is now autonomous, produced through the interrelations of signifiers. — Alex Callinicos, Against Postmodernism, 306

Categorization

• DEFINE: Defines Saussure’s revolution as relational meaning, opposed to Lockean/Rationalist atomism.
• XREF: connects to: Barthes inverted Saussure to make linguistics a part of semiotics; Words function as performative interpretations rather than nominal labels; Language enables meanings rather than passively carrying them (+2 more)

Broader Connections

• Meaning arises from articulating linguistic systems rather than reflecting the world #corroborates (0.90)
• Barthes inverted Saussure to make linguistics a part of semiotics #expands (0.80)
• Language enables meanings rather than passively carrying them #expands (0.80)
• Words function as performative interpretations rather than nominal labels #expands (0.75)
• Luhmann’s systems are not naturalistic people-networks but self-referential communicative processes #exemplifies (0.75)