maket_N_verjin.qxp


Essence and Phenomenon
in Linguistic Content and Expression

The interrelation between content and expression inlanguage is not identical with that in extralinguistic
reality. In the extralinguistic world it is an interrelation
between essence and phenomenon. The world itself is split
up into essence and phenomenon; the division of language
into content and expression genetically is connected with
this division and is the former’s reflection and echo. At the
same time, as part of the world, language has its essence and
phenomenon. Hence, in language neither expression is
identical to phenomenon, nor content – to essence. In
language, essence – phenomenon and content – expression
pairs form a net of interpenetration, the knots of which are

the essence of content and the phenomenon of content, the phenomenon of expression
and the essence of expression, the content of essence and the expression of essence, the
expression of phenomenon and the content of phenomenon. Naturally, there occur
crossings and coincidences among them.

Thus, the content of essence is identical with the essence of content, the content of
phenomenon is identical with the phenomenon of content, the expression of
phenomenon is identical with the phenomenon of expression, the expression of essence
is identical with the essence of expression. The picture gets more complicated when the
gradual manifestations of essence, phenomenon, content and expression are being
considered in language in general, in a certain language and in individual’s language1. A
certain language, as a link in the chain of manifestations of the language essence through
phenomenon, is the phenomenon of language in general and the essence of individual’s
language. Therefore there exists coincidence between the phenomenon of content (the
content of phenomenon) of language in general and the essence of content (the content
of essence) of an individual’s language, the phenomenon of expression (the expression
of phenomenon) of language in general and the essence of expression (the expression of
essence) of an individual’s language. 

The four results of the synthesis of content and expression, essence and phenomenon
in their threefold manifestations present the table given below.

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Linguistics Armenian Folia Anglistika

Ashot Abrahamyan



LANGUAGE IN GENERAL, A CERTAIN LANGUAGE
INDIVIDUAL’S LANGUAGE

As it can be seen from the table, the phenomenon of language in general and the
essence of individual’s language fall into the same category but not always coincide in
their comprehension. The phenomena of the content of language in general are the
semantic systems of all languages, whereas the essence of the content of an individual’s
language is the semantic system of one language which acts as realization of one of the
possibilities. Similarly, the phenomena of the expression of language in general are the
phonetic systems of all languages, only one of which is the essence of expression of the
individual’s language. That is, there exists a relationship of possibility and reality
between the phenomenon (of the content and expression) of language in general and the
essence (of the content and expression) of an individual’s language2.

The phenomenon of the content of language in general is a set of possibilities, the
realization of one of which becomes the essence of the content of an individual’s
language. Similarly, the phenomenon of the expression of language in general is realized
through the essence of the expression of an individual’s language. Thus, the essence of
an individual’s language is one of the possible realizations of the phenomena of language
in general.

The summary table of essence and phenomena of content and expression reveals
another interesting fact: language in general and individual’s language get nearer not
only in the phenomenon of the first and the essence of the second, but also in the essence
of the first and the phenomenon of the second.

It may seem that the essence of language in general and the phenomenon of
individual’s language, being polar edges of essence and phenomenon, must have been

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Armenian Folia Anglistika Linguistics

 

 

LANGUAGE IN 

GENERAL  

A CERTAIN 

LANGUAGE  

INDIVIDUAL’S 

LANGUAGE  

ESSENCE OF CONTENT  

(CONTENT OF 

ESSENCE)  

Extralinguistic reality  

Reflection of  

extralinguistic reality in 

human reason  

Semantic system of a certain 

language  

PHENOMENON OF 

CONTENT (CONTENT 

OF PHENOMENON)  

Semantic systems of 

languages  

Semantic systems of 

individual’s languages  

 

Situative reference of 

speech  

ESSENCE OF 

EXPRESSION 

(EXPRESSION OF 

ESSENCE)  

 

Existence of voice as 

property of matter  

Articulated sounds as 

possibility of expression 

of content  

 

Phonetic system of a certain 

language  

PHENOMENON OF 

EXPRESSION 

(EXPRESSION OF 

PHENOMENON)  

 

Phonetic systems of 

languages  

 

Phonetic systems of 

individual’s languages  

 

Speech phonation  



extremely drawn apart from each other. However, the situation is quite different. Starting
from the extralinguistic reality in the essence of content of language in general linguistic
reality returns to the same extralinguistic reality in the phenomenon of the content of
individual’s language, concentrating in that particular case on one of many possible
situations. The essence of the expression of language in general, which is voice, is a
feature of matter, i.e. is of extralinguistic, objective nature. It has speech articulation as
its type: it is voice, too, but it is a vocal signal specified by language and thus is the
linguistic realization of various manifestation possibilities of the sound feature.

It can be concluded that there also exists a relationship of possibility and reality
between the essence of language in general and the phenomenon of individual’s
language: the essence of language in general is a multitude of possibilities, one of which
is realized as phenomenon of an individual’s language.

The following figure illustrates the double transition between language in general
and individual’s language. 

Notes and References:

1. Different linguists have considered the interrelations between language of humanity,
nation’s language and individual’s language from various aspects. See, for example,
Humboldt V. Fon O Razlichii stroeniya chelovecheskikh yazikov i ego vliyanie na
dukhovnoe razvitie chelovechestva // Humboldt, V. fon (1984) Izbrannie trudi po
yazikoznaniyu. M.: Progress, p.60-74; Atayan, E.R. (1981) Lezvakan ashkhari nerqin
kerpavorumy ev artaqin veraberutiuny. Yerevan: Yerevani hamals. hratarakchutyun,
p.23-24. Cf also Jahukyan, G.B. (1999) Universalnaya teoriya yazika. Prolegomeny
k substantsionalnoi lingvistike. M.: Institut yazikoznaniya. p.12-13, where the author
speeks of a language of a group rather than a nation’s language.

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2. It may seem that the interrelations of language in general, a certain language and
individual’s language, presented in the table, correspond to those of matter, form
and substance as interpreted by L. Hjelmslev (see Hjelmslev, L. (1960)
Propegemeny k teorii yazika // Novoye v lingvistike. M.: Izd. inostr. literaturi Vol.
I, p.308-315). But in fact such a correspondence does not exist. Form as a net of
abstract relations is not identical with any of three levels of generalization
mentioned above and hence is not presented in the table at all. The essence and
phenomenon of any level cannot be identified to matter and substance, either. It can
be seen that in the table a combination of essence and phenomenon besides the two
consecutive cells includes the third adjacent cell as well, whereas matter and
substance would occupy only two consecutive cells.

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Armenian Folia Anglistika Linguistics