RB, Saussure

Ali G* says he’s not a homosapien. He “ain’t got nothing against it,” he says, but when called one by a scientist on an episode of Da Ali G Show he makes physical gestures of disgust. The subject came up during a roundtable discussion about science.

According to Ali G’s concept of the sound “homosapien,” he is right: He’s not a homosapien. Ali G’s concept of the sound “homosapien” is different than the sound’s concept as established within the English language. Ali G’s negative reaction to the scientists’ insistence that he is a homosapien is based on his personal concept of the sound.

One of the scientists observes the discrepancy. “It’s the homo that threw him off.” By this time the scientists’ concept of the sound “homosapien” has expanded to include Ali G’s. Sounds and concepts are arbitrary, Saussure writes. Sounds are not attached to their concepts, and consensually-determined concepts do not precede language. In the case of Ali G's homosapien, one familiar sound has acquired the English-language concept of a similar familiar sound.

One of the scientists uses a principle of Saussure’s to determine value in order to help Ali G understand the discrepancy. The scientist contrasts homosapien with two other sounds of similar concept: hominoid and hominid. Each has a more satisfying value when in relationship with the others (all three fall underneath the same genus). The scientist is demonstrating that similar things can be compared in order to determine value.

Ali G says, “Yo, whatever, there is different names for it.” The names to which Ali G now refers acquire value by contrast: homosexual, gay, queer and their prejudice slurs vary significantly in relationship to each other.

Later, Ali G’s value of homosapien changes when one of the scientists says that his wife is a homosapien.

*Ali G is a fictional wannabe gangster, played by Sacha Barron Cohen, who in Da Ali G Show interviewed people under the impression that he was really his character.