"Ferdinand de Saussure claimed that words have no intrinsic meaning in themselves, but in differential relation to other words in the system of language. By changing a single sound in a specific word, the meaning is altered, as seen in pairs like cat and hat, where a difference in their initial sounds results in different concepts."
"For Saussure, verbal meaning is entirely internal and relational, determined by the interdependent structures of the system of language, which he called langue, rather than by a direct connection of words or other verbal structures to the external world."
"Puzzles act as miniature thought experiments that test theoretical paradigms in their own unique, creative ways. Change-a-Letter puzzles allow us to examine the sustainability of Saussurean differentiation theory."
Ferdinand de Saussure's theory posits that verbal meaning arises from minimal differences in language structures, not from words themselves. Change-a-Letter puzzles exemplify this by altering a single letter or sound to create new meanings. These puzzles illustrate that words lack intrinsic meaning and derive significance through their relational differences within the language system. Saussure emphasized that language connects thoughts and sounds in systemic ways, highlighting the internal and relational nature of verbal meaning.
Read at Psychology Today
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