Ferdinand de Saussure's distinction places langue as the social system. In poetry, poets work within and against this system, exploiting its rules for aesthetic effect. The poet's art lies in manipulating the potential of langue, using syntax, grammar, and the lexicon to create new meanings. This focus on structure reveals poetry as a conscious engagement with the very material of language.

Langue, in Ferdinand de Saussure's structural linguistics, is the abstract, systematic structure of a language. It is the entire set of rules and conventions (grammar, syntax, vocabulary) that is shared by a linguistic community and makes communication possible. It is the social, collective system of signs, as opposed to "parole," which is the individual act of speech. In poetry, langue is the material the poet works with. The poet's art lies in manipulating this system for aesthetic effect, using its rules to create beauty, meaning, and surprise. A poet who breaks the rules of grammar is still working in relation to the langue. For poetry students, understanding this distinction helps analyze how poets use and subvert the structure of language to create their unique effects.