The linguistic sign and Aristotle’s logic modalities

Abstract

This work, which performs an epistemological and logic analysis of the linguistic sign and its status in Saussure and Benveniste, is part of a larger project, whose goal is to verify the possibility of closing Aristotle’s logic modalities square (possible, impossible, necessary and contingent), using these modalities to discuss the linguistic sign. For Saussure, the sign is arbitrary. Benveniste proposes the sign as necessary and rejects the contingent, rejection which inserts this modality into the discussion. We point out that the Saussure’s arbitrary can be modalized by the possible, by contingent, and by impossible, highlighting the contingent character of the sign. In the end, we add arguments in favor of the hypothesis that this is not the only conception of sign in Saussure.