This paper will examine the main key concepts of Jacques Derrida’s theory of language. Even though Derrida doesn’t really have a fixed position among competing tendencies and traditions, he embarked on a set of critical encounters with Western philosophy, literature and theory. In this theory of language, Derrida is arguing on the importance of speech over writing whereby he thinks that in Western philosophy it is crucial for speech to rule over writing.

For Derrida privileging reason as the way to achieve objective truth is itself problematic. Deconstruction is a way that shows our assumptions about language and objectivity are flawed. There is no reference point outside of text, no way to think outside of language- no correct or true word for actions or objects. According to Derrida there is no significance in the words themselves like for example calling a dog bow-wow or a chair tik-tok is just as good as any other word.

In fact in his book Of Grammatology, Derrida asserts that there is nothing outside of the text. What he means is that we come to understand everything about the world through language. The way that we come to know language isn’t from the encounter with the true physical object or view but rather meaning is created in relation to other words or what Derrida calls Différence. For example we know what dog means because we understand that it is domestic, fury and a four-legged animal.

But why do we have to complicate things? Isn’t a dog just a dog? And