Leurres et vérité : aspects linguistiques de la recherche du sens dans l'oeuvre de J.-J. Rousseau
Institution:
Montpellier 3Disciplines:
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Abstract EN:
The originality of rouseau's writing consists in a break with the traditional conceptions of the unity of language, which is rightly perceived, but not positively conceived. His writing develops out this impossibility and appears as the attempt to solve the conflict of language of traditional discourses and the enlightment ones as well (attitudes of modern grammarian and moralist). Rousseau's purpose is to re-establish unity against real difference and diversity of languages, on which his linguistic experience is based. Besides, as it searches the caution of science, his writing develops a pseudo-conception of nature, which makes coherent reasoning analysis of historical and social facts. "man", who is the purpose of this pseudo-conception, is considered as essentially non-contradictory, the author builds his unity by representing a social space he wants to control and maintain. To refuse the idea of breaking finally becomes perceptible in perfectionnist attitude: perpetual return to the contradictions of writing and repeated attempts to contain and evacuate them in making the descriptions, reasonings and demonstrations more precise. Rousseau, reduced to self-censorship (when the idea of "conspiration" occurs) reaches the limites ofhis writing. He sets the (modern) problematic of language in the antinomia of lies and truth, and consequently, he gives a litterary answer thanks to a system of (circular) formulas which structures his writing. Then, he finds out the meaning again.
Abstract FR:
L'ecriture de j. -j. Rousseau se caracterise par la rupture avec les conceptions recues de l'unite du langage, rupture qui est bien percue, mais qui n'est pas concue positivement. L'ecriture developpe cette impossibilite et se presente comme la tentative de lever le conflit de langage par la double critique des discours recus et des discours des lumieres (attitudes du grammairien et du moraliste moderne). Rousseau cherche a retablir l'unite contre la difference et la pluralite reelles des langages, qui fondent son experience langagiere. En outre, cette ecriture developpe, par la recherche de la caution de la science, une pseudo-conception de la nature, qui assure la coherence au niveau de l'analyse et du raisonnement des faits historiques et sociaux. L'"homme", objet de cette pseudo-conception, est considere comme essentiellement non-contradictoire. L'auteur construit son unite en representant un espace social qu'il veut controler et maintenir. Le refus de l'idee de la rupture devient finalement perceptible dans l'attitude perfectionniste: perpetuel retour sur les contradictions de l'ecriture et tentatives reiterees de les contenir et de les evacuer en affinant les descriptions, raisonnements et demostrations. Rousseau, reduit a l'auto-censure (l'idee du "complot"), touche aux limites de son ecriture. Il place la problematique (moderne) du langage dans l'antinomie des leurres et de la verite, et par la, apporte une reponse litteraire grace a un systeme de formules (circulaires) qui constitue la charpente de son ecriture. Il retrouve ainsi le sens.