The distribution of linguistic forms and textual structure

This paper builds on my previous work (cf. Dreer 2007) and presents two sign-oriented approaches to the textual analysis that emphasize the connection between the distribution of linguistic forms and the textual structure. The paper deals with the semantic opposition of the French Indicative and Subjunctive, viewed as Saussurean signs (cf. Saussure 2001 [1916]). I show that the distribution of the Indicative and the Subjunctive is not random throughout texts of different literary sources. It is motivated by the invariant meanings of both signs. I validate this analysis quantitatively, by calculating a statistical skewing.

• Affiliations: 1: Ben-Gurion University of the Negev