Jacque Lacan’s “The Function and Field of Speech and Language in Psychoanalysis” (1953) is one of the key texts in psychoanalytic theory, especially for understanding how language relates to the unconscious. In this essay, Lacan moves the focus of psychoanalysis away from biological drives or the Freudian ego, emphasizing instead the importance of speech and language in making the unconscious speak. Here, we’ll explore some of the main ideas in this essay and how they relate to modern psychoanalytic therapy.
Why Speech is Important in Psychoanalysis and Psychoanalytic Therapy
Lacan begins by arguing that speech is the main way the unconscious expresses itself. Unlike approaches that focus on building up the ego, Lacan believes that it’s through speech, what we say and how we say it, that our unconscious desires, fears, and conflicts are opened up. For Lacan, psychoanalysis isn’t just about listening to the surface level of a patient’s words. The real work comes in paying attention to the pauses, slips, and contradictions that come out during speech.
For instance, when someone makes a “slip” it’s not just a mistake, it’s a moment where the unconscious breaks through. These mistakes and formations in speech carry meaning and point to anxiety. Lacan teaches us that paying attention to these disruptions is key to understanding the unconscious.
The Unconscious is Structured Like a Language in Psychoanalysis
One of Lacan’s central ideas is that the unconscious is structured like a language. This challenges the older idea that the unconscious is chaotic or ruled by instincts. Instead, Lacan argues that the unconscious follows a symbolic system, much like the rules of language.
What does this mean for therapy? It means that our symptoms, dreams, and fantasies aren’t random or purely biological. They are symbolic messages from the unconscious, often masked by the language we use. The psychoanalyst works with the analysand to articulate through speech meanings by interpreting their speech within this symbolic structure.
The Divided Subject
Lacan also changes the way we think about the “self” in psychoanalysis. Instead of focusing on a unified, rational ego, he introduces the idea of the “divided subject.” This split refers to the gap between our conscious awareness and the unconscious forces that shape our desires and actions.
For Lacan, the subject (or person) is never fully in control of their thoughts and actions. The unconscious is always influencing our thoughts and actions, even if we aren’t aware of it. This is why much of therapy is about bringing these unnamed forces into the session by speaking about them. Through speaking, the unconscious gradually reveals itself, allowing the patient to work through unresolved conflicts.
The Function of the Psychoanalyst
Lacan also offers a new perspective on the function of the psychoanalyst. In traditional psychoanalysis, the therapist is often seen as a neutral observer, guiding the patient toward self-awareness. But for Lacan, the analyst is active in listening to what is true about the subject of the unconscious through speech.
A key idea in Lacan’s theory is that the analyst must stay in a position of “not-knowing”. This means not rushing to interpret or provide answers too quickly. By giving the patient space to speak to their anxieties, the analyst creates certain conditions in order to make the unconscious to come through to speak through various formations of the unconscious such as dreams, jokes, metaphors, slips and bungled actions. The goal is not to “fix” the patient but to create curiosity in their own conflicts, contradictions and desires.
Lacan also challenges the idea that therapy is just about strengthening the ego. He believes psychoanalysis should be about the patient come to terms with the inner divisions in their self, leading to a transformation that goes beyond the self and the ego or imaginary ideas of what makes a person.
In summary, Lacan’s “The Function and Field of Speech and Language in Psychoanalysis” reworks our understanding of language in therapy. It shows that the unconscious speaks through language and that true psychoanalytic work involves listening to the symbolic in a patient’s speech.
Bita Riazati is a Lacanian Psychoanalyst, Registered Psychologist and Supervisor in Private Practice in Hawthorn and Belgrave, Melbourne Australia. She is a member of the Australian Psychological Society, the Colorado Analytic Forum (School of the Lacanian Field – EPFCL) and Lacan/UK. She runs Freud and Lacan study groups in Melbourne and online. You can book an appointment