Synchronic and diachronic are two different ways of studying language that are closely related to the concepts of langue and parole.
Synchronic linguistics, also known as descriptive linguistics, is the study of language at a particular point in time, without considering how it has changed over time. This approach focuses on the structure and use of a language as it exists in the present.
Diachronic linguistics, also known as historical linguistics, is the study of how a language has changed over time, including its origins, development, and evolution.
Synchronic Linguistics
Characteristics:
Static Analysis: It treats language as a stable system, analyzing how various elements (such as phonetics, syntax, and semantics) interact within that moment.
Examples: A synchronic study might analyze the grammatical rules of Modern English or the phonetic inventory of a language as it exists today, without reference to its historical development.
Diachronic Linguistics
Characteristics:
Dynamic Analysis: This approach considers the processes of language change and how historical events influence current linguistic structures.
Examples: A diachronic study could involve examining the transition from Old English to Modern English or analyzing how specific words have changed in meaning over centuries.
Interrelationship Between Synchronic and Diachronic Approaches
- Saussure emphasized that while synchronic studies provide insights into the functional aspects of language at a given time, diachronic studies reveal how those functions have developed historically. Both perspectives are essential for a comprehensive understanding of language.
- For instance, analyzing how word order has changed from Old English to Modern English is a diachronic study, while examining the rules governing word order in Modern English is synchronic.
