0.0 INTRODUCTION: Outline of the Goal of the Investigation.- 1.0 F. de Saussure and the Development of His Linguistic Theory.- 1.1 A Biographical Sketch on Ferdinand de Saussure.- 1.2 The Intellectual Paradigm of Saussure's Formative Years.- 1.2.1 The Question of Extra-Linguistic Influences on Saussure.- 1.2.1.1 Durkheim's Principles of Sociology, Tarde's Sociological and Economic Theories, and Saussure's Alleged Sociologism.- 1.2.1.2 Walras' Theories of Political Economy and the Saussurean Concept of Yalue.- 1.3 The Question of Linguistic Influences on Saussure.- 1.3.1 Whitney and His Consideration of General Linguistic Problems.- 1.3.2 Neogrammarian Tenets concerning the Principles of Language (with special reference to Paul and Sievers).- 1.3.2.1 The Position of the Neogrammarians in Contemporary Histories of Linguistics.- 1.3.2.2 Hermann Paul and His Principles of Language Study.- 1.3.2.2.1 Paul's Distinction between Descriptive and Historical Linguistics, and the Aspect of Language State.- 1.3.2.2.2 Language Usage versus Individual Expression.- 1.3.2.2.3 Formal and Material Connections of Words.- 1.3.2.3 Eduard Sievers and His Principles of Phonetics.- 1.3.3 Baudouin de Courtenay, Kruszewski, and Their Ideas about Language Study in General and Their Theories of Phonological Analysis in Particular.- 1.3.3.1 Saussure's Acquaintance with the work of the 'Kazan School', and the Importance of His Earlier Work on Baudouin de Courtenay and Kruszewski.- 1.3.3.2 J. Baudouin de Courtenay and His Ideas concerning the Investigation of Language.- 1.3.3.3 Miko?aj Kruszewski's Linguistic Theories.- 1.3.4 The Humboldtian Tradition in Nineteenth Century Linguistics.- 1.3.4.1 A Brief Survey of Humboldtian Trends at the Turn of the Century.- 1.3.4.2 Georg von der Gabelentz and His Suggestions concerning the General Study of Language.- 1.3.4.2.1 Gabelentz's Limited Recognition in the History of Linguistics.- 1.3.4.2.2 Gabelentz's Principles of General Linguistics.- 1.3.4.3 F. N. Finck and Some General Considerations concerning Language Description.- 1.4 Concluding Remarks on the First Part of the Investigation.- 2.0 The Evolution of Saussurean Principles and their Relevance to Contemporary Theories of Language.- 2.1 The Compilation of the Cours and the Problems of Interpretation.- 2.2 Discussion of the Fundamental Concepts of Saussure's Linguistic Theory and Their Post-Saussurean Evolution.- 2.2.1 The Distinction between langue and parole, and Its Relation to langage.- 2.2.1.1 Precursors of the langue/parole Dichotomy or the langue/parole/langage Trichotomy.- 2.2.1.2 The Development and Place of the langue/parole/langage Distinction in Saussure's Theory of Language.- 2.2.1.3 Post-Saussurean Developments of the Concepts of langue, parole, and langage.- 2.2.2 The Dichotomy of Synchrony versus Diachrony in Language Description.- 2.2.2.1 A Brief Survey of the Pre-Saussurean Distinction between Descriptive and Historical Grammar.- 2.2.2.2 The Interpretation of Saussure's Distinction between Synchronic and Diachronic Linguistics.- 2.2.2.3 Post-Saussurean Discussions of the Distinction between Synchrony and Diachrony in Linguistics.- 2.2.3 The Concept of the Language Sign and Related Notions.- 2.2.3.1 The Question of the Sources of Saussure's Semiological Theory.- 2.2.3.2 Saussure's Theory of the Language Sign and the Semiological Nature of Language.- 2.2.3.3 Post-Saussurean Developments in Semiological Theory.- 2.2.4 Language as a System of Relations: the rapports syntagmatiques et associatifs and Kindred Notions.- 2.2.4.l Traditional Ideas about the Systematic Nature of Language.- 2.2.4.2 Saussure's Suggestions concerning the Systematic Nature of Language.- 2.2.4.3 Post-Saussurean Developments of the Nature of Language as a System of Relations.- 2.3 Concluding Remarks on the Second Part of the Inquiry.- 3.0 CONCLUSION: Saussure's Cours and the State of Linguistic Science.- Master List of References.- Index of Authors.