Volochinov, Thackeray and the Enthymeme

Authors

  • Jean-Jacques Lecercle Université Paris Nanterre

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.3986/fv.41.1.06

Keywords:

enthymeme, evaluation, interpellation, Moore’s paradox, realism of form, refraction, situation, Althusser, Culioli, Deleuze, Pontiggia, Sterne, Thackeray, Volochinov

Abstract

The aim of the essay is to revive the philosophy of language of the Soviet linguist Valentin Volochinov, by revisiting his concept of the utterance as enthymeme: the meaning of an utterance is not fully determined by the linguistic system, but is dependent on its insertion in a social situation, which it refracts rather than reflects, thus giving rise to evaluations. The essay proceeds by analysing a number of such enthymemes (a grammatical example, an advertisement, a comedian’s joke), moving towards literature and a definition of a realism of form rather than content, of refraction rather than reflection, examples of which are to be found in the works of Thackeray.

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References

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Published

2020-12-31

How to Cite

Lecercle, J.-J. (2020). Volochinov, Thackeray and the Enthymeme. Filozofski Vestnik, 41(1). https://doi.org/10.3986/fv.41.1.06

Issue

Vol. 41 No. 1 (2020): Reading Althusser; Philosophy and Its Artistic Other; Politics and Mathematics; The Real and Semblance in Philosophy and Psychoanalysis

Section

Philosophy and Its Artistic Other

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