‘Demythologizing’ is a term associated with the works of

The correct option is Ferdinand de Saussure.

Ferdinand de Saussure was a pioneering Swiss linguist whose theories laid the essential foundations for structural linguistics and semiology (the study of signs and symbols). His insights into how language structures meaning are fundamental to the analytical process of demythologizing cultural constructs.

To understand why this term is associated with Saussure's theoretical lineage, we can examine his core concepts:
1. The Signifier and the Signified: Saussure proposed that every linguistic sign is made up of a signifier (the sound-image or written word) and a signified (the mental concept). He argued that the link between the signifier and the signified is arbitrary and determined by cultural conventions rather than any natural relation.
2. Semiotics and Cultural Myths: By establishing that meaning is constructed through systems of signs rather than reflecting an objective, pre-existing reality, Saussure's framework enabled later theorists to analyze cultural systems. "Demythologizing" in a semiotic context involves deconstructing these systems to show that what society views as "natural" or "commonsense" (myths) are actually artificial, culturally constructed systems of signs.
3. Deconstructing Naturalized Meaning: Through the application of Saussurian structural analysis, critics can dismantle dominant narratives and reveal the underlying ideological structures. Thus, Saussure's work on sign systems provides the primary linguistic tools necessary for the act of demythologizing texts, symbols, and cultural practices.