The synchronic and diachronic study of language by Ferdinand de Saussure

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The synchronic and diachronic study of language are two important approaches in linguistics introduced by Ferdinand de Saussure, the father of modern linguistics. Here's a clear explanation in easy language with examples:

🔹 Synchronic Study of Language

Definition:
The synchronic study of language focuses on a language at a particular point in time — usually the present. It studies how the language functions as a system right now, without worrying about how it has changed over time.

Key Points:

  • Looks at language as it is.
  • Treats language as a complete system at a specific time.
  • Ignores historical development.
  • Common in modern structural linguistics.

Example:

  • If we study English grammar as it is used today, like how present tense or passive voice works in modern English, that’s a synchronic study.
  • For instance, we study how “He goes to school” is structured in today's English — subject + verb + object.

🔹 Diachronic Study of Language

Definition:
The diachronic study of language focuses on how a language changes over time. It studies the history and evolution of language.

Key Points:

  • Looks at language through time.
  • Studies changes in spelling, pronunciation, grammar, and vocabulary.
  • Common in historical linguistics.

Example:

  • If we study how the word “knight” was spelled and pronounced in Old English (“cniht”) and how its spelling and meaning have changed over centuries, that’s a diachronic study.
  • Another example: Comparing Shakespearean English with Modern English — “thou goest” (then) vs. “you go” (now).


🔹 His Main Purpose:

Saussure wanted to shift the focus of linguistic study from just studying the history of words (diachronic) to understanding how language works as a system at any given moment (synchronic).

🔍 What Saussure Wanted to Convey:

1. Language is a Structured System (Synchronic Focus)

  • Saussure emphasized that language is not just a collection of words, but a system of signs (words, sounds, meanings) that work in relation to one another.
  • To understand this system, we must study how words function together at one point in time — not just how they evolved.
  • He believed that the true nature of language is better understood through synchronic analysis.

📝 Example:
Don’t just study how the word “house” changed from Old English (hūs) — instead, study how it functions now with other words like “home,” “building,” “shelter.”

2. Diachronic Study Alone Is Not Enough

  • Before Saussure, linguists mostly focused on the historical evolution of languages — how sounds, spellings, and grammar changed over time.
  • Saussure said this diachronic approach is useful but incomplete, because it misses how language functions as a living system.

📝 Example:
Just knowing that “knight” used to be spelled “cniht” doesn't explain how English grammar works today.

3. Synchronic Study Is More Scientific

  • Saussure wanted linguistics to be more scientific and systematic, like physics or chemistry.
  • By studying language as a structured whole, synchronic analysis can discover the rules and patterns of language.

4. Language Is Social, Not Just Historical

  • He emphasized that language is a social phenomenon — it belongs to a community and exists at a specific time.
  • So we must study how people use language together in society now, not just how it was used in the past.

📌 Conclusion:

Saussure introduced synchronic and diachronic approaches to:

  • Show that language is a system of signs.
  • Argue that synchronic study gives deeper insight into how language works.
  • Suggest that diachronic study is useful for historical development, but not enough to understand the language as a living system.
  • Encourage linguists to treat language scientifically and systematically.

🔁 In short:
Saussure wanted to change linguistics from a historical study of words to a systematic science of signs. Synchronic study was the key to this new vision.


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