Arbitrariness denies a necessary natural bond between linguistic form and concept. It does not make established words optional for individual speakers. Understanding the principle helps separate naming conventions from inevitability while recognizing that useful changes require shared intelligibility and social acceptance.
- Entry typeRelated entry
- FromSaussure’s Dyadic Model of the Sign (model)
- Category of its source unitTheories & Explanatory Models
- DomainMeaning & Clarity
What these mean
Editorial orientation · Entry type
Related entry
Related entries name an idea, effect or practice that belongs to a model or tool of the series. They are not models or tools themselves and are not counted as such; each one leads to the model or tool it comes from, and to its Executive Insight Brief.
Editorial orientation · Category
Theories & Explanatory Models
Explains how or why a communication process works by relating mechanisms, conditions or variables. Its value is an account that can guide inquiry into what produces an outcome, rather than a name for the outcome alone.