Derrida’s word differance, spelled with an “a” rather than an “e,” refers to difference and deferral; its performance lies within its double meanings.
Derrida’s deconstruction theory hinges upon his trademark neologisms; they allow him to articulate a philosophy of language that challenges the oppositions that make experience and thinking possible.
What is the difference?
Difference is a neologism coined by French philosopher Jacques Derrida to describe his deconstruction theory. Derrida used this term from “to differ” to emphasize both differences and deferral. Derrida employed this word differently than most would expect: in his original essay Difference and Differences (Differences et differences), he misspelled it deliberately to emphasize its significance for spelling and pronunciation in his philosophy while simultaneously emphasizing how words or signs cannot fully express what is intended, always leaving some degree of room for interpretation — in essence a whole meaning that may remain somewhere within.
The concept of difference is significant because it suggests an underlying order which cannot be seen, heard, or sensed directly. A difference acts to counter these opposing forces, forming the foundation of his “play of forces” essay series on writing and difference.
Derrida asserts that this play of forces makes writing possible, which can be harnessed using appropriate language and techniques. He, therefore, maintains that to gain insight into writing, one must study its history and observe how different words are spelled and pronounced.
Simply put, we must consider how a particular word might have different interpretations for different people to gain insight into its complexity and diverse uses. Derrida uses the difference to convey this idea and stress how we must be cautious when interpreting the world around us.
Therefore, students must understand the various concepts outlined by Derrida in his book Writing and Difference. Some key terms discussed include:
What is a deferral?
Deferral is an accounting term referring to the delayed recognition of transactions. A deferral typically occurs when a company receives cash for products or services but cannot record revenue immediately as their obligations haven’t been fulfilled yet; until such time, deferred revenue becomes earned on the income statement. Deferrals differ from accruals recognizing future income or expenses in current period accounts.
Deferral can occur when customers prepay for subscription products or services to be delivered over an entire year, such as magazine deliveries. A business might receive $120 from one customer in March as prepayment for one year of magazine deliveries, then record this payment as deferred revenue in their general ledger because magazines have yet to arrive with customers, gradually moving some portion of this deferred revenue toward earned income as they ship out each month.
Similar to prepaying supplies needed to fulfill customer orders, companies may prepay materials needed for fulfillment before receiving customer orders. For instance, businesses might purchase sufficient boxes and packing material to last six months in advance and record it as a deferred expense since these expenses will accrue over time rather than immediately spending cash. At the end of every accounting period, a deferral adjusting entry is made to transfer these amounts from the deferred expense account into earned revenue account in their income statement.
Derrida coined the term difference as a play on the French verb different, meaning both “defer” and “to differ.” He utilized its double meanings to emphasize how sense cannot fully exist within any system of signification and that language itself is often subject to slippage and contradictions. Drawing on Saussure’s work, he emphasized how meaning exists only as differences among signifiers, never fully present within one system of signifiers.
What is the difference in meaning?
A difference between two things can be understood as their differences or how they differ from each other. One popular way of measuring this dissimilarity is the variance or contrast. A clash is an amount by which one number deviates from another, such as its original price or between different cultures. There are different kinds of conflict, each with its meaning – for instance, monetary variance is measured as the amount paid as opposed to the original price, and cultural variance represents cultural disparity.
Derrida first introduced the term difference as part of his deconstructionist philosophy and structuralism, where it plays an essential role. Difference is an elusive concept with numerous ideas and theories; it can be mighty once understood.
Derrida employs the term difference to describe a difference that does not correspond with physical distance or absence but occurs between signs. Each sign bears within it the imprints of other characters already used; thus, there can be no definitive interpretation for an individual movement.
Derrida refers to this lack of a final meaning as the difference of importance, with any sign always moving and never resting; hence it cannot find a place of peace where its message may rest, making the difference so unique and captivating.
Derrida used “difference” as a play on words; its pronunciation sounds similar to the French verb different, which means both to differ and defer. His pun was significant as it revealed how he wanted his concept of difference to be used – to argue that words only become complete once given context by other words.
Derrida refers to this distinction of meaning between words as differences. “House” only makes sense in its context of “my house,” “The White House,” or “Dog house.” This difference of interpretation is known as difference.
What is the difference in time?
A difference in time refers to the difference in duration between two dates, typically expressed as hours and minutes. Various methods are available to calculate this distance; one popular method is using an online calculator, which makes calculations quicker and more straightforward than manually.
Time Difference Calculations can also be accomplished using a formula. However, it should be remembered that such calculations only return the number of hours between two dates without considering factors like number formats or any other elements that might impact results.
Significant discrepancies can be in how time is measured worldwide, making calculating time differences between locations difficult. To make life simpler and get accurate information when calling someone from different backgrounds, researching their time zones, and using an online converter as needed. Maintaining a travel diary or calendar to stay organized when planning trips would also be advisable.
