Pre Class 4/8 Derrida

From my understanding of the essay “Differance,” the word differance means either “to defer” or “to differ.” Derrida argues that words and signs can never depict exactly what they mean. Although there is a general understanding of what words mean that is commonly excepted in culture words themselves only have the meaning that we give them. This obviously seems very similar to Saussure’s theory present in his “Course in General Linguistics.” It is my understanding that the theorists differ in that Saussure argues that words and sign differ from culture to culture depending on the language used. Derrida takes this one step further and says that this is not the only way that words and signs are removed from their meanings but their meanings can also change based on whether they are used in text or speech. That is why he uses the word differance to illustrate that it has a different meaning than difference although they are pronounced the same way. Derrida also argues that, “The trace is not a presence but is rather the simulacra of a presence that dislocates, displaces and refers beyond itself.” I took this as meaning that as symbols, words, similes, metaphors, etc. are all used in order to try and convey a meaning the meaning eventually becomes distant from its original form. This I thought could be related somewhat to Benjamin as well as Baulliard. They both make arguments about how reproduction changes the original. By trying to simulate the word you use to portray a certain meaning although the words (or symbols or signs) may be able to be used interchangeable Derrida still believes that some part of the meaning is lost in doing so. Similarly Benjamin sees part of the essence of a painting as getting lost in its reproduction and Baulliard sees a changing of meaning in simulacra.