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THE OPPOSITION TO THE MOTHER TONGUE

An Introduction to the Bibliography on the Wolfson File

Maria Eugenia Uriburu

Association Recherches en psychanalyse | « Recherches en psychanalyse »

2013/1 n° 15 | pages 87a à 99a


ISSN 1767-5448
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Recherches en Psychanalyse – Research in Psychoanalysis 15│2013

15│2013 – Subject, Subjectivities, and Practices of the Body in the Contemporary World
Sujet, subjectivités et pratiques de corps dans le monde contemporain
Varia
The Opposition to the Mother Tongue
An Introduction to the Bibliography on the Wolfson File
L'opposition à la langue maternelle
Introduction à la bibliographie du dossier Wolfson
[Online] June 24, 2013

Maria Eugenia Uriburu

Abstract:
This article presents a complete indexed bibliography of Louis Wolfson and all the authors who have
looked at his productions over the last forty years. The author offers an exploration of some of the
epistemological and historical elements of the 1970 publication and examines the ethical effects of a
psychopathology – notably amongst the analytic community – that steps beyond the bounds of its
frontiers. She concludes in citing innovative experiments that came about by virtue of the publication of
this oeuvre.

Résumé:
Cet article présente l'indexation bibliographique complète de Louis Wolfson et de tous les auteurs qui
ont pu s'intéresser à ses productions au cours des quarante dernières années. L'auteure se propose
d'explorer quelques éléments épistémologiques et historiques de la publication de 1970 et s'interroge
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sur les effets éthiques d'une psychopathologie – notamment d'une partie de la communauté
analytique – qui déborde de ses frontières. Pour conclure, elle cite les expériences innovantes qui ont eu
lieu grâce à la publication de cette œuvre.

Keywords: Le Schizo et les langues, Louis Wolfson, mother tongue, applied psychoanalysis
Mots-clefs: Le Schizo et les langues, Louis Wolfson, langue maternelle, psychanalyse appliquée

Plan :
Bibliographic Essay
Books by Louis Wolfson
Extracts of Books by Louis Wolfson Published in Journals
Interview
Translation
Texts on Louis Wolfson
Theatrical Adaptations of Louis Wolfson’s Writings

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Recherches en Psychanalyse – Research in Psychoanalysis 15│2013

It seems to be possible to share out the attempt to construct one’s own language as a
figures of madness (one does not say dementia) quest for autonomy in certain young subjects
in accordance with two poles between which
the full set of its manifestation is, perhaps,
and the relationships this bears to bilingualism.
ordered. On one side there is a chatty discourse, Is Louis Wolfson the reflection of an era, of a
which is at other times more cautious, but manner of going about the performance of
which rarely fails to turn to writing for its savoir theory and psychopathology in psychoanalysis?
faire; this is, in its exemplary state, Schreber. At Does he prefigure a particular way of
the other pole, speech finds itself reduced to
almost nothing, presents itself as resolutely
approaching the frontiers of the disciplines?
conventional, and the madness seems to be Furthermore, this article seeks to give an account
wholly concentrated in the simple performance of the situation of the “case” of Louis Wolfson in
of the passage à l’acte. This shall be, in its the moment of French history that it embodies
exemplary state, the case of the Papin sisters. not only within the history of psychoanalysis but
Being overly written, the first figure is not (or
is seldom) read; being overly agitated, the
also in the epistemological relationships
second figure hardly allows for any grasp for between psychopathology, psychotherapy and
reading. Thus, while it is incontestable that both letters.
one and the other modes aim at making Lastly, rather than consider his life’s work
something known, this aim is never anything but merely as a psychopathological testimony, we
an attempt; and the fact of making something
known does not accede to the fact of saying, it
will be trying here in this article to distance
does not manage to find a welcome in the Other ourselves from the traditional tendency to close
which would make the mad person pass to his discourse within the register of a morbid
something other than this perpetually thwarted testimony of psychopathology and to leave a
attempt at the transmission of a knowledge. door open to the perspective of a case of
Each case of madness remains, fundamentally, a
1 solution by edition. Our approach is to take a
sword swipe in water.
fresh look at its theoretical tension. This tension
The Wolfson case represents a particular moment forms a pair with the following question: how is
in psychoanalysis with respect to the studies on one to go about criticizing without destroying?
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autobiographical texts. Taking up different How is one to go about diagnosing without
elements of the intellectual constellation of its classifying or reducing?
time allows us to think afresh about the We consider this to be a phenomenon of
different modes in which psychopathology ties psychoanalysis in the French speaking world (his
in epistemologically with psychoanalysis, and book came out in France, in Quebec, and in
how it inspires innovative clinical approaches. Belgium). Moreover, there exists no full translation
Carrying out research on the traces of the of the text in either Spanish, Portuguese or
various trajectories of the texts of Louis Wolfson English.2 Even though the publication of the
has led us to try to analyze his life’s work in its larger part of writings on or by Wolfson have
context. Rather than following the natural been entrusted to psychoanalytic editors, his
penchant for a “micro reading” of this case, here writings go beyond psychoanalytic psychopa-
we offer a “macro reading”. The interest of this thology and his texts are objects of interest for
analysis resides in part in the fact that Louis other disciplines, notably theatre studies. This
Wolfson is practically no less familiar a figure tendency has evolved since the publication in
today, despite the fact that his life’s work raises 2009 of the Gallimard text by Thomas Simonnet,
questions that are more pressing than ever. and again more recently by Attila Press. Until
These questions concern the relation to the fairly recently, the Wolfson case seemed to be
Other in psychosis, that is to say, the possibility exclusively a territory of theoretical reflection
of transference as well as the avatars which any on psychopathology.
subject suffers from by dint of his Being of Our goal is to show, on the basis of the
language. These questions also concern the multiplicity of texts, the marks that have turned

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Recherches en Psychanalyse – Research in Psychoanalysis 15│2013

L. W. into the author of a gripping text that has Jewish couple of Russian and Belarussian origin.
inspired different practices. We would like to The “schizophrenic student”, the “student of
know more about him but, since he is still alive, schizophrenic languages”, the “mentally ill
we have not broached this case in a “polemic” student”, the “student of demented idioms”,
manner. His identity would not have been able “our hero”, the “student of foreign languages”,
to remain concealed. the “anal epileptic”, “the fugitive”, all of these
Le Schizo et les langues came out in Gallimard terms are used by the author in this book to
Editions in Issue 14 of the collection “Connaissance name himself (1970). Throughout the entirety of
de l’Inconscient”, directed by J. B. Pontalis in this work, Louis Wolfson is “Him”, “L. W.”… In
1970. In that year, L. W. was thirty-nine years of his subsequent writings, he will call himself the
age. This enigmatic book on the young man as a “antihero”, the “hero”, the “future inmate”, the
“languages student” constitutes at once the “former victim of holy evil student” and the
point of access to the knowledge of one part of “schizophrenic”, the “unhinged high school
the unconscious of its author, and the start of student”, the “schizophrenic and ano-rectally
one part of the history of psychoanalysis. The epileptic son”, the “dilettante of languages”,
goal of this article is not to take apart this and finally, “I” (1984).
prestigious collection, but to resituate the In this book (1970), and in a highly original way,
“case” of Louis Wolfson within the history of the author offers a particular pluri-lingual
psychoanalysis. This singular issue of the said defense approach in the face of the language
collection has given rise to a great deal of that his mother always used and which,
writing across various different eras.3 according to him, is his “mother tongue”:
The critical reviews that look at the first book by English. We may quote here Jean-François
Louis Wolfson were published in literary criticism Chassay (professor of literature in Quebec) who,
journals (Critique, Les Cahiers du Chemin, The in his article Traduit de l’américain, distances
New York Review of Books including articles by himself from the “diagnosed diagnoser”
Alain Rey, 1970; by J. M. G. Le Clézio, 1970; and approach.4 (Cf. M. Thévoz, 1978)
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by Paul Auster, 1975), in psychoanalytic journals This author discovers that Le Schizo et les
(Topique: Piera Aulagnier, 1971; Ornicar ?: Serge langues and its author can be set out:
André, 1986; L’Unebévue: Albert Fontaine; as a limit case, but through its very
Mouvement Psychiatrique: Roland Gori, 1972, excessiveness, which is representative of a
1977, 1978, 1988, 1996), in philosophy journals phenomenon that runs through the whole
of the modern history of American
(Gilles Deleuze, 1970, 1993; Michel Foucault, literature. How can one manage to escape
1970) in both French and English. All the from the English language? This is the
commentators, both psychoanalysts and literary problem to which numerous writers have
scholars alike, are more or less in agreement on dedicated themselves, a problem which has
5
one point: their disagreement with any potential clear historical roots.
“psychopathologization” of the character, the These roots were still being defined, as were its
author / writer Louis Wolfson. Certainly the frontiers. This passing transfiguration of identity
situation has been favored by the text itself, and was its most important sign.
above all by a certain psychoanalytic reading Moreover, Louis Wolfson’s book and its
which has seen in this book a new “Schreber “procedure” fall in together and form an echo of
case”. After all, it does involve a text against the approach taken by certain famous French-
which we would rather tend to protect speaking authors who also in their time
ourselves. invented a procedure: Jean-Pierre Brisset and
Le Schizo et les langues is an autobiographical Raymond Roussel. For, even if they are both
book, written directly into French, by Louis authors who are French speaking and even
Wolfson, an American citizen, the son of a though their procedures are different, Deleuze

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showed great surprise at their similarities and moreover, the plural as well) what without a
their differences. Is Louis Wolfson the most doubt made this phoneme all the more striking
is the fact that it is at once the first sound and
French of all writers? 6
the only consonant of the English word “he”.
Louis Wolfson was born on April 3rd 1931 in New
York. Back in his first book (1970) he created (in Thereafter, he went beyond Le Schizo et les
opposition to his mother tongue which was uttered Langues, publishing some re-workings of his first
almost exclusively by his mother) a procedure, a book in Change (1978 & 1979) and a second
“system of translation” including four foreign book in 1984, Ma Mère musicienne est morte...
languages, and also offered a reshaped ortho- Behind the current silence there lies hidden a
graphy for the French language. tendency of psychoanalysis in the French-
The schizophrenic suspected, as has already speaking world to turn this author into a
been stated, that the third workman might have “psychopathological case”. This silence also
uttered under his breath the words: “He’s a conceals a tendency that is perhaps not very
screwball”. The English word “He” (hî), from the
productive and it may well be the case that we
contraction “he’s” is equivalent to the French il,
that is to say, it is the personal pronoun of the are looking at a phenomenon that is not very
masculine subject in the third person singular. fertile while being specific to the dubious realm
This “he” is a homonym of the personal of applied psychoanalysis.
pronoun of the subject in Hebrew, of the same Forty years have gone by since the first edition,
number and of the same person, but of the
and in spite of the many warnings, Wolfson is
other gender, or, in a word, in Hebrew this word
means “she”; and in spite of the difference in still being read as a “case”. Most of the authors
gender, the schizophrenic student found these who refer to him do not escape from the
two English and Hebrew pronouns to be fully revisions proposed by Roland Gori (1972, 1978,
analogous in their meaning. None the less, he 1988, 1996), by Angel Enciso-Bergé (1986), by
thought it better, most of the time, to think of
Serge André (1985, 1986), by Albert Fontaine
the Hebrew hou, which precisely means il and
whose initial is the same (both are aspirated) as (1993) and by Joseph Attie (2000), among
“he”, the latter translating, as has just been others (cf. J. B. Pontalis et al., 2009).
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said, as this second and indeed he would Within the limits of this introduction, we will not
remember immediately afterwards the (il) be able to cite all the psychoanalysts who have
whose vowel sound is common to “he”. Therefore,
worked on Louis Wolfson as a “case”. We shall
the student of schizophrenic languages could at
the same time easily associate this word be pausing over those whose analysis strikes us
(meaning il) from his own idiom with these two as being worthy of mention, all the more so
equivalent words as well, one from each of given that these different analyses possess
these two foreign languages (Hebrew and surprising points of coincidence that we would
French), and this by stretching out, so to speak,
like to bring out.
the English pronoun “he” by making two of
them, one followed immediately by the other, In effect, they each have in common the
one from the Hebrew and the other from the construction of psychopathological knowledge
French, to wit: hou-il! This procedure would as a nosographical construction, that is to say, a
calm him straightaway, angry as he might be at sort of labeling. If Wolfson had been their
having listened to the personal pronoun of the
patient, these constructions would be almost
subject in the masculine third person singular in
his mother tongue (he), which begins with the perfect. But when everything “tallies up” so
sound “h” (which is truly aspirated and felt in perfectly, one may legitimately wonder just
itself, and is, therefore, sometimes more or less what has taken place. We shall insist on this
abhorrent for the young mentally ill man) and point: we are not opposed to any of these
this masculine monosyllable had indeed
interpretations, but, if psychoanalysis practices
sometimes caused him such despair prior to the
time he started to study Hebrew in which, for the technique of interpretation “in Freud’s
both of the two genders, the personal pronoun style” or “in Lacan’s style”, it will automatically
of the subject in the third person singular (and, fall on the side of applied psychoanalysis, when

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this was not altogether the approach of either He introduces the epistemological and ethical
Freud or of Lacan in their “classical” cases of question of psychoanalysis when the analysis is
Schreber, of Joyce, of Aimée, and so on. conducted on the basis of a text and not upon
This transpires in a different way in the “Wolfson the speech of a subject in analysis.
case”. In spite of the fine analyses and the This time Gori affirms:
identification of the delusional metaphor (S. Here language [la langue] is also the
André), of the primordial signifier (A. Fontaine), anatomical organ. Wolfson tries to abstract the
of original phantoms and of the primal scene, in tangible qualities of language [la langue] via the
pretty much each example what we meet is a path of a translation that is subject to precise
structuralist reading. These readings take up the rules that are defined by linguistics as much as
they are determined by the delusion. This
case in an exemplary way “to the letter” as a misology on Wolfson’s part finds itself being
privileged testimony, even as the testimony of a associated with an odd investment in food […]
“writer / patient”. More to the point, for a long The strategy of exorcism is part and parcel of
while we did not even know if he was alive or the same process: to abstract, to de-vitalize, to
dead!7 purify the dangerous food by transforming it
into chemical or caloric formulae, into formal
Here, drawn from a passage by Max Dorra, is an schemes of knowledge. What interests me here
example of the way in which Wolfson gets read: in this novel is its value as a testimony of the
There is no metaphor in Le Schizo et les work that is necessary in order to turn
langues, it is asphyxia. There is just one way out, connaissance into savoir. In one word as in a
the book itself, which may well be entirely a hundred words, the “work” which Wolfson
metaphor, a body that has finally been bound forces himself to do constitutes the archaeology
together, that one can open and flick through as of scientific discourse. Science proceeds in the
one pleases, and which in turn flips through you same way. Through the work of drawing axioms
8 from concepts it strips the notions of common
and strips you bare.
language of their surplus of shared significations
Dorra adds: and reduces their value as signifiers, as loci that
harbor unconscious investments […].
His [Wolfson’s] method would consist then in The history of the sciences shows that
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finding words from the four languages that he is rationality is deployed dialectically between the
studying, words that include these two consonants two fundamental components of reason: the
and which refer back to the tree. With a concept and the myth, mathematical speculation
sophisticated and altogether delusional line of and mytho-poetical literature. The letter shows
reasoning, he ends up finding a word whose itself to be the point of interface between that
structure is founded upon these two consonants which tends towards the written and that which
[…], a kind of ethics seems to emerge for him 10
tends towards the spoken.
from this, which is confirmed some fifteen years
later in the interview that he gave to the Journal Piera Aulagnier makes reference (1971) to the
l’Âne, Issue 18: (citation from Wolfson) “this is Wolfson “case” as an example of a knowledge
perhaps the only meaning that can be given to about language [le langage] which lays bare
existence: to struggle. It may well be that one
always has to find something for which one
how language [la langue] allows for a
must struggle, and this makes for moments of knowledge about oneself to be re-appropriated.
both bother and happiness”. His own particular If Wolfson’s book is not, as he says it is
striving was to substitute a language idiom for not, a work that concerns above all else the
the mother tongue. And this is precisely the study of languages and which would be
9
trace of the subject. devoted to linguists, it is without a shadow
of a doubt a work that demonstrates to the
Let us pause now over the reading made by analyst that the relation that exists between
Roland Gori. In a first movement, he approaches his knowledge about madness, the madness
of knowledge, and the knowledge of
Le Schizo et les langues as an example of the
madness, remains the riddle that the psyche
real status of speech in the psychotic subject, poses him indefinitely. (P. Castoriadis
but a few years later he modifies his position. Aulagnier, 1971, 82)

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For P. Aulagnier, it is the possibility of finding were not a “new version” of Le Schizo et les
himself as an author that restores to Wolfson Langues but still the same re-worked text (the
his subjectivity. We shall add that the possibility text that L. W. had already sent to Gaillimard in
of restoring something of the order of 1974 but which had refused to publish it at the
subjectivity for Wolfson was to become much time as a new edition). Moreover, it is thanks to
deeper in the wake of the publication of further the correspondence between Pierre Jacerme
texts and would take on – this is our reading of and Louis Wolfson that the book Ma mère
the situation – the value of a mark of filiation. musicienne est morte… (1984) was published by
Thereafter, Wolfson was to be “other”, at least, Navarin. P. Jacerme considers this latter text to
notably, after having seen that the relationship be a true “masterpiece”.13
with his new “literary (re)presentative” (sic) – In terms of the ethnological clinical experience
one of whom was Pierre Jacerme – was not inspired by the text of Louis Wolfson, Maud
emerging in persecutory terms. Mannoni was the one to push things the
Wolfson had expressed his desire to be read by farthest. In effect, drawing inspiration from
the linguists, but alas, this happened from a Louis Wolfson and from his book Le Schizo et les
“psychiatric” perspective. There was a certain langues for an alternative clinical practice, she
tendency to slap a diagnostic label on his case. sent mute French children who were said to be
But, from the side of psychoanalysis, the most “autistic” to small colleges in the UK that had
astonishing thing is the almost natural assimilation been recommended by D. W. Winnicott, and
of this case with Schreber’s autobiography. this was done in an “ethnographic” capacity.
Furthermore, when one is familiar with the The autistic children who previously had been
context of the publications from Louis Wolfson bereft of language came back to France three
(L. Wolfson 1970, 1984) in French and in English months later speaking English fluently.
(Sémiotext(e), 1978) this allows one to see why This type of rich experience fell under the
he comes to embody something of the nineteen seal of prohibition with the agrément de
seventies in France and the French Theory Bonneuil by the social security services in
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moment in the United States (cf. F. Cusset, 2003 1975. These children did, however, come to
& 2009). As a matter of fact, Louis Wolfson was be attached to their mother tongue later
on, and, when they became adults, became
invited to read some extracts from his first book independent workers who did not depend
(1970) during the Schizo Colloquium organized on anyone. (M. Mannoni, 1998)
by Silvère Lotringer, the editor of Sémiotext(e)11
from Columbia University. On the side of During an interview in 1984, Louis Wolfson said:
linguistics, this was the time of the discoveries At least I have written a book – that, at
of the anagrams of Saussure (Starobinsky, 1978). least, is something. I have done something
In the case of Wolfson, writing and publishing in life: I’ve written two books – maybe I
have not been a complete loser. (Interview
allowed him to create his own language with A. Leguil Duquenne, 1984, 4)
[langage] and perhaps also to exist in a different
way, to make himself a name and, quite literally, The secondary literature on Louis Wolfson has
to place his diagnosis in inverted commas. In allowed us (M. E. Uriburu, 2009) to elucidate the
effect, on the occasion of the publication of the particular interest of psychoanalysis for
re-worked extracts from Le Schizo et les langues subjectivity in language [le langage].
in the journal Change, the author demanded We have also found that Louis Wolfson could be
that each time someone in this journal should a paradigmatic case of creative productions that
speak of him as a “schizophrenic madman” or a have given rise to discussion, albeit defensive
“mentally ill subject”, the editors should add discussion, but have also given rise to auto-
inverted commas. This was respected by Pierre inventive discussion in psychical space. It is this
Jacerme who underlines12 that these extracts aspect that has been approached from an inter-

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disciplinary perspective that has allowed us to the veil on these twists and turns in a collective
examine in adolescents and in some young text in 2009.14
people their “op-positions to the mother Wolfson’s battle was to be, in his first book, a
tongue” as an activity that might not be description of the procedure of translating
oppositional, but rather as a distancing from the against his mother tongue (English). We have
mother’s discourse, something closer to noted that, even though English was his mother
enunciative metamorphoses than to an ex nihilo tongue, his struggle was focused more against
creation of a code or of a language that is one the utterances of his mother’s voice. It was a
hundred per cent unintelligible. matter of the “forbidden” language, but above
To say that Louis Wolfson is a writer is not an all of a voice that expressed itself in a tone that
easy matter. Between literary madman and the sounded “let down and disdainful”, “as though it
author of a raw piece of writing or of an were dangerous”. This language which was an
autobiography of a genius, Louis Wolfson uses a adoptive language for his mother is described by
language that is the translation of his mother Louis Wolfson in Le Schizo et les langues
tongue, his constant struggle against the through the “procedures of translation” as a
language that he abhors. Even though his “defense”. His procedure is loyal to the
project crystallized in the writing of the book hat materiality of the letter. He changes neither the
was published in 1970, this book was essentially signification nor the meaning of the words of
a project for the phonetic reform of oral the statement, but instead modifies these
language. In effect, we consider his personal words so as to disguise them in real words, but
battle to have been an effort to be something words of another language which functions as a
other than a labeled schizophrenic. He “crutch”, that is “protective”, a language that is
manifests this, of course, through his activity of different from the invasive language that carries
writing. a particular “tone” (L. Wolfson, 1970). Wolfson
Are we to suppose that this idea does not exist says that that he has to protect himself from his
in a “true” writer? mother’s language because neither his ears nor
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First of all, even though any knowledge of his body can stand it. His malaise knows no
Wolfson’s procedure of transforming language bounds, as they he could not receive the words
starts off from the reading of a written text, this in a narrative envelope. At the same time, he
procedure is not very far removed from a makes use of an “invention”, a sort of primitive
vocation that is specific to oral language. prototype of the Walkman that came to
According to the commentary (Avertissement) prominence in the nineteen eighties, with a
by J. B. Pontalis, the project of this American “stethoscope” that is plugged into his tape
author was to transform his text completely by recorder so as to seal up his ears. In this sense,
carrying out a labor of the modification of Louis Wolfson was the “inventor of the
writing which would allow for a total Walkman.” (G. Pommier, 2000)
transparency of oral language, that is to say, a So it is that in this first text the author offers a
phonological writing of French – a reformed modification of the reformed orthography. He is
writing, a “reformulated orthography”. This a contemporary of Raymond Queneau, who also
project presented a certain illegibility for the claimed to the French people that “tirer la
readers of the “Connaissance de l’inconscient” langue” was his first reading and who spoke
collection and this refusal from the director of with a bilingualism that is inherent to the
the collection became one of the subjects of writing of the French language (or, we might
Wolfson’s “delusion of persection”. Wolfson cut say, of a first “foreign language effect” to go by
off relations to the extent that J. B. Pontalis lost G. Hierse15 – internal to the French language)
contact with him for almost forty years which is made manifest precisely in the
following the publication, before drawing back orthography (this second French language)

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Recherches en Psychanalyse – Research in Psychoanalysis 15│2013

which is so far removed from the phonetics of New York. I believe that both of them were
language. One of the literary “projects” of in some way frame-ups (“Entretien avec
Louis Wolfson”, L’âne Sept./Oct. 1984, Issue
Queneau was a reform of the French spelling 18. Le magazine freudien. Interview
conventions (see Les Enfants du limon [Children conducted by Anne Leguil-Duquenne. Paris,
of Clay]). p. 1.
For Rolan Gori, Wolfson’s autobiography (1970)
brings about a perfect figuration within symbolic Bibliographic Essay16
space of the imaginary dimensions and the
dimension of the drive that can be found within Books by Louis Wolfson
speech and language (R. Gori 1972, 1974 &
– Le schizo et les langues (1970). Preface by
1978).
Gilles Deleuze. Collection “Connaissance de
The magical procedures of the formulations, of
l’inconscient″ directed by J.-B. Pontalis. Paris :
the re-workings, and of the writing itself, are not
Gallimard, 269 p.
foreign to this appropriation of language that
– Ma mère, musicienne, est morte de maladie
leaves its own mark on subjects. This is the
maligne mardi à minuit au milieu du mois de
creation of the imaginary bond.
mai mille977 au mouroir Memorial à
Lastly, we may also add that Wolfson makes it
Manhattan : ou Exterminez l’Amérique, par Rose
known in his second book (1984) that he took
Minarsky & Louis Wolfson (1984). Paris :
exile in the French language and in a French-
Navarin, Collection “Supplément à Analytica.
speaking city (Montreal). This new destination
Cahiers du Champ freudien″ Issue 34, 219 p.
became possible from the moment that he
– Ma mère, musicienne, est morte de maladie
found his autonomy again (until then he had
maligne à minuit, mardi à mercredi, au milieu de
been under his mother’s guardianship). This
mai mille977 au mouroir Memorial à Manhattan
“new start” was made possible by his mother’s
(2012). Foreword by Frédéric Martin. Paris :
death – from illness (L. Wolfson, 1984). On the
Éditions Attila, 301 p. (Second Edition, Revised
trajectory and the choice of his new city, we
and Augmented by L. W.).
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may note that at the time of his chosen “exile”
Quebec was adopting the Law 101 (passed in Extracts of Books by Louis Wolfson Published in
1977) on the primacy of the French language on Journals
Quebec’s territory.
– “Le schizo et les langues ou La phonétique
He who finds asylum in a foreign language
finds again the exile that is specific to the
chez le Psychotique (Esquisses d’un Etudiant de
mother tongue in the exile from his own Langues schizophrénique)″. Les Temps
language. He speaks the language of exile in Modernes, Issue 218, July 1964, 40-99.
another language and the mother tongue – “L’épileptique sensoriel schizophrène et les
becomes strangely intimate, the language of langues étrangères ou Point final à une planète
inner asylum, the language of the nostalgia
of a future perfect. (René Major in Simon
infernale″. Fragments I et II. Change, Issue 32 /
Harel, 1999, 15) 33, October 1977, 119-130. [Re-worked extracts
from Le schizo et les langues.]
In an interview, Wolfson the language student – “L’épileptique sensoriel schizophrène : ‛La
says: rouquine’ suivi de ‛La bombe !’”. Change, Issue
I did not make any money with this book 34 / 35, March 1978, 156-73. [Further re-
[…]. In fact, my book did not enjoy great worked extracts from Le schizo et les langues.]
success. For example, there is a copy in the – “Full stop for an infernal planet or The
Central Library, and most of the time it is
still on the shelf. In everything that has to
Schizophrenic Sensorial Epileptic and Foreing
do with this book, I have received just two Languages″. Translated from the French by
letters, one from France, and another from George Richard Gardner Jr., Semiotexte: schizo-

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Recherches en Psychanalyse – Research in Psychoanalysis 15│2013

culture, vol. III, Issue 2, 1978, p. 44-46. [Last part Auster, P. (1992). “New York Babel”. Le carnet
of the new version of Point final à une planète rouge suivi de L’art de la faim, translated from
infernale with a presentation of the author in a American English to French by Christine Le
footnote singed by Sylvère Lotringer.] Bœuf. Paris : Actes Sud, p. 91-101. [First
– “Le Schizo et sa mère″ (1984). Ornicar ?, Issue published in The New York Review of Books en
28(1) 37-48. [Extracts from the book Ma mère, 1974.]
musicienne, est morte…″] Attie, J. (June 2000). “Incantation d’optimisme”.
École de la cause freudienne, La Lettre
Interview mensuelle, Issue 189, p. 18-22.
“Entretien avec Louis Wolfson″. Interview Bonneau, B. (2005). “Le miroir bilingue des
conducted by Anne Leguil-Duquenne. L’Âne structures cliniques”. Recherches en
Issue 18, September / October, 1984. Psychanalyse, Issue 4, p. 69-88.
Del Campo, E. (December 1999.). “Los escritos
Translation de Louis Wolfson (Un esquizofrénico). Una
Mia madre, musicista, e morta di malattia lectura lacaniana, desde la Wahndichtung
maligna martedi a mezzanotte nella meta di freudiana”. Acheronta, Issue 10, Buenos Aires.
maggio del mille977... ; con una intervista a (www.acherona.org).
Louis Wolfson di Anne Leguil-Duquenne ; traduit Calvet, L.-J. (2010). Le jeu du signe. Paris : Seuil,
du français par Giancarlo Pavanello, Milano, collection “Fiction & Cie″.*
Studio Editoriale, 1987, 209 p. Castoriadis-Aulagnier, P. (August / September
1971). “Le sens perdu (ou le schizo et la
Texts on Louis Wolfson signification)″, Topique, Issue 7-8, p. 49-83.
Hereunder the reader will find texts and articles Chassay, J.-F. (Fall / Winter 1992-1993). “Traduit
devoted exclusively to the writings of Wolfson. de l’américain”. Études Françaises, volume 28,
To this we have added texts and articles that Issue 2-3, p. 69-81.
simply make reference to them, are inspired by Le Clézio, J.M.G. (October 1970). “La tour de
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them, or which offer an adaptation of them. This babil”. Les Cahiers du Chemin, Issue 10, p. 139-
latter category is marked with an asterisk *. 152.
Courbis, A. (février 2007). “Wolfson, un Sisyphe
Alféri, P. (1999). Le cinéma des familles. Paris : acharné”. Cahiers Cliniques de Nice, Issue 6.
P.O.L..* Cusset, F. (2003). French Theory : Foucault,
Alféri, P. & Cadiot, O. (dir.) (1996/2). Digest. Derrida, Deleuze & Cie et les mutations de la vie
Revue de littérature générale. Paris : P.O.L..* intellectuelle aux États-Unis. Paris : La
Amati-Melher, J., Argentieri, S. & Canestri, J. Découverte, collection “Poche”, p. 82.*
(1994). La Babel de l’inconscient, langues Cusset, F. (2009). “Wolfson & Sons”. Collectif.
étrangères et psychanalyse. Translated from Dossier Wolfson : ou l’affaire du schizo et les
Italian to French by Maya Garbona. Paris : PUF, langues. Paris : Gallimard, collection “L’arbalète″,
p. 148, 183-188, 191, 217 et 281. [Original title: p.145-170.
La babele dell'inconscio. Lingua madre e lingue Delbart, A. R. (2005). Les exilés du langage : un
straniere nella dimensione psicoanalítica. siècle d’écrivains venus d’ailleurs, 1919-2000.
Cortina Raffaello, 1990.]* Limoges : Pulim, 2005, p. 112 & 207.*
André, S. (January / March 1986). “La pulsion Deleuze, G. (1970). “Schizologie″. Preface to
chez le schizophrène”. Ornicar ?, Issue 36, p. Louis Wolfson, Le Schizo et les langues. Paris :
103-110.* Gallimard, p. 5-23.
André, S. (September 1985). “La pulsion chez le Deleuze, G. (2 July 1970). Entretien
schizophrène. Réflexions à partir des ouvrages de radiophonique avec Jean Ristat à l’occasion de la
Louis Wolfson”. Quarto, Issue 20-21, p. 42-45. parution du Schizo et les langues, Radio France.

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[Transcription may be consulted on the website of Gori, R. (1978). “Wolfson ou la parole comme
L’Humanité, posted on the 28th of February 2006]. objet″. Le corps et le signe dans l’acte de parole.
Deleuze, G. (1993). “Louis Wolfson, ou le Paris : Dunod, p. 63-85.
procédé″. Critique et clinique. Paris : Les Éditions Gori, R. (1996). La preuve par la parole : Sur la
de Minuit, collection “Paradoxe″, p. 18-33. causalité en psychanalyse. Paris : PUF.*
[Second version of the Preface to Le Schizo et les Gori, R. (1997). “L’esprit de la langue″. Cliniques
langues with a commentary on Ma mère Méditerranéennes, Issue 55-56, p. 7-19.
musicienne...]. Irigaray, L. (1985). Parler n’est jamais neutre.
Deleuze, G. (1993). “Bartelby, ou la formule″. Paris : Les Éditions de Minuit, collection “Critique″.
Critique et clinique. Paris : Les Éditions de Jacerme, P. (1975). La folie. Paris : Bordas,
Minuit, collection “Paradoxe″, p. 89-114.* collection “Univers des Lettres Bordas″ p. 182-
Deleuze, G. (1993). “Un précurseur méconnu de 186. [Critical anthology of texts on madness
Heidegger, Alfred Jarry″. Critique et clinique. with extracts from Le Schizo et les langues].*
Paris : Les Éditions de Minuit, collection Jacerme, P. (October 1977). “La double version
“Paradoxe″, p. 115-125.* de Wolfson″. Change, Issue 32-33, p. 111-118.
Deleuze, G. & Dumery, H. (1995). Article : Kohn, M. (2005). “Louis Wolfson : une langue
“Schizophrénie et Société″. Paris : Encyclopædia c'est de la folie, et la folie est-ce que c'est une
Universalis.* langue ?″. Recherches en Psychanalyse, Issue 4,
Dorra, M. (automne 1990). “Un fou, un nombre, p. 113-121.
un analyste, des Tartares et des planètes…″. Lecouer, B. (juin 2007). “Les appuis corporels de
Nouvelle Revue de Psychanalyse, Issue 42, la lettre″. École de la Cause freudienne, La
p. 317-339.* Lettre en Ligne, Issue 67.
Enciso Bergé, A. (January / March 1986). “La [www.causefreudienne.net/publications/la-cause
langue maternelle dans la psychose. Code et -freudienne:n-67/lesappuis-corporels-de-la-lettre/
message chez Louis Wolfson″. Ornicar ?, consulted 11/07/2007].
Issue 36, p. 103-110. Lemoine-Luccioni, E. (1987). “Les troubles de la
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Fontaine, A. (October 1987). “Pour une lecture parole″. Psychanalyse pour la vie quotidienne.
de L. Wolfson″. Littoral, Issue 23-24, p. 73-101. Paris : Navarin.*
Fontaine, A. (Fall / Winter 1993). “L’implantation Mannoni, M. (17 mars 1998). “Ces enfants que
du signifiant dans le corps″. L’Unebévue, Issue 4, l’on appelle autistes″. L’Humanité.*
p. 81-100. Mary, B. (June 1993)., “Cryptogramme du réel
Fontevielle, C. (2001). “Une jouissance particulière chez Louis Wolfson″. Bulletin de l’École
de la langue″. Les Cahiers de la Section Clinique de Freudienne, Issue 42.
Clermont-Ferrand, Issue 3, p. 64-67. Mary, B. (20 et 21 May 2000 ). “Le schizo et sa
Foucault, M. (2001). “Sept propos sur le mère toute retournée″. Actes du colloque de
septième ange″. Preface to La Grammaire l’École freudienne de Paris : Pas tout sur la mère.
logique de Jean-Pierre Brisset (1970). Paris : Mehlman, J. (2007). “Sur Pontalis écrivain″.
Tchou. Preface re-printed separately in éditions Pontalis, J.-B. & al.. Passé présent : dialoguer avec
Fata Morgana (1985). And collected in Dits et J-B Pontalis. Paris : PUF, p. 59-69.
écrits, I, 1954-1975 (2001). Paris : Gallimard, Michels, A. (2005). “Quête de la langue
Quarto, p. 13-25. maternelle″. Recherches en Psychanalyse, Issue
Gori, R. (1972). “Wolfson ou la parole comme 4, p. 137-147.
objet″. Mouvement Psychiatrique, Issue 24, Mijolla-Mellor, S. (2007). La Paranoïa. Paris :
p. 19-27. PUF, Que sais-je ?.*
Gori, R. (1977). “Le code ou la machine à Mijolla-Mellor, S. (1998). Penser la Psychose.
signifier″. Psychanalyse et langage : du corps à Une lecture de l’œuvre de Piera Aulagnier. Paris :
la parole, Didier Anzieu & al.. Paris : Dunod.* Dunod.*

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Milner, J. (December 1976). “Langage et Langue yiddish″. Recherches en Psychanalyse, Issue 4,


– ou : De quoi rient les locuteurs″. Change, Issue p. 123-135.
29. Paris : Seghers/Laffont. Stitou, R. (February 2002). “La maladie d’amour
Milner, J. (October 1977). “Frontières de de l’étranger dans la langue. Wolfson ou la
Langue : De quoi rient les locuteurs ? (II)″. traduction éperdue″. Cahiers de Psychologie
Change, Issue 32-33, p. 131-162.* Clinique, Issue 19. Bruxelles.
Morel, G. (March 1994). “Les paris de Wolfson″. Tama, R. (2005). “Louis Wolfson dans le
Pas tant, Issue 23, p. 25-31. labyrinthe des langues et le yiddish : une langue
Morel, G. (January / March 1986). “Point Final à égarée-langue marrane″. Recherches en
une Planète infernale″. Ornicar ?, Issue 36, Psychanalyse, Issue 4, p. 149-157.
p. 82-93. Thevoz, M. (1978). Le Langage de la rupture.
Neddam, A. (1997). À propos de Rose Minarsky. Preface by Dubuffet, J. Paris : PUF, collection
Play based on Ma mère, musicienne… by Louis “Perspectives Critiques″.
Wolfson. Paris : E.P.E.L. [see below: theatrical Uriburu, M. E. (2007). État actuel sur la
adaptations of Wolfson’s writings]. bibliographie de l’écrivain Louis Wolfson :
Pasche, F. (July / September 2000). “D’une l’étudiant de langues étrangères. Mémoire de
fonction, méconnue (?) de la projection″. Revue Master Recherche, Université Paris VII, UFR
Française de Psychanalyse, Issue 3, Tome LXIV, Sciences Humaines et Cliniques.
p. 787-799. Vanier, A. & Zafiropoulos, M. (2005). Entretien
Pélissier, Y. (February 1993). “Un lettrage des avec Roland Gori. Synapse,217(9), 5-17.*
écrits de Wolfson″. Cahiers de lectures Vilela, I. (January 2007). “Au risque de (la)
freudiennes, Issue 3. langue : le langage est déstructurant comme
Pierssens, M. (1976). La Tour de babil : la fiction l’inconscient″. Langage et Inconscient, Issue 3,
du signe. Paris : Les éditions de Minuit, p. 121-139.*
collection “Critique″.* Walter, M. & Dejean, P. (March 1994). “Louis
Pommier, G. (January 2000). L’écriture comme Wolfson : un psychotique en quête d’auteur″.
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solution dans la psychose, Thesis. Laboratoire de Nervure, Cabinet de lecture, Issue 4.
psychopathologie clinique, Université Aix
Marseille I.* Theatrical Adaptations of Louis Wolfson’s
Pontalis, J.-B. (2007). “Réponse à Jeffrey Writings
Mehlman″. In Pontalis, J.-B. & al.. Passé présent : – Lo studente di lingue : ovvero punto finale a un
dialoguer avec J.-B. Pontalis. Paris : PUF, p. 71-76. pianeta infernale. Azione scenica di Nelo Risi dal
Poulet, E. (12 March 2007). “Louis Wolfson : testo originale di Louis Wolfson [Published in
l’étudiant de langues schizophrénique″. La the collection: Quaderni Della Fenice, Issue 34,
Revue des Ressources [The file “Littérature et Milano : Guanda, 1978].
folie” may be consulted at the website: – Ma mère musicienne est morte. Adaptation by
www.larevuedesressources.org]. Eugène Duriff in collaboration with Alain Neddam
Quare, F. (March 1982). “Les opérations et Patrick Pineau. Mise en scène by Alain
transformationnelles de Louis Wolfson″. Neddam. Théâtre en Actes, Paris, March 1990.
Psychanalyse et traduction, Meta, journal des – À propos de Rose Minarsky. A play by Allain
traducteurs, volume 27, Issue 1, Montréal. Neddam inspired by Ma mère, musicienne… by
Revel, J. (1995). “Deleuze, lecteur de Wolfson : Louis Wolfson. Perfomed on 26th February 1997
petites machines de guerre à l’usage des tribus à at the Théâtre Gérard Philippe de Saint-Denis
venir″. Futur Antérieur, Issue 25-26, p. 253-263. within the framework of “Cabaret Lucioles”.
Rey, A. (August / September 1970). “Le Mise en scène : Alain Neddam. Played by
Schizolexe″. Critique, Issue 279-280, p. 677-691. Marcial Di Fonzo Bo. [This adaptation was the
Samacher, R. (2005). “Louis Wolfson et le object of a publication, see above.]

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– OTTO. A spectacle / performance by the Italian – “Ce serait un samedi soir au commencement
collective Kinkaleri. Conception: Kinkaleri ; de juin : d’après Le Schizo et les langues de Louis
staging: Matteo Bambi, Luca Camilletti, Wolfson″. Mise en scène and adaptation by
Massimo Conti, Marco Mazzoni, Gina Monaco, Sylvie Reteuna. With Michel Jurowicz. Performed
Cristina Rizzo. Inspired by Le Schizo et les at the Théâtre Etoile du Nord, Paris, from the
langues et Ma mère, musicienne… by Louis 24th of July to the 4th of August 2007, then at
Wolfson. the Théâtre du Chaudron, la Cartoucherie de
Shown at the Centre Pompidou, “Les spectacles Vincennes, from the 13th to the 23rd December
vivants”, on the 29th and the 30th of January 2007, under the title Le Schizo et les langues,
2004. point final à une planète infernale.

Bibliography: Notes :
1
André, S. (1986). La pulsion chez le schizophrène. Dupré, F. (1984), La solution du passage à l’acte, Erès,
Ornicar ?, 36. p. 7.
2
Attie, J. (2000). Incantation d’optimisme. École de la There exists a version of Wolfson’s final book in Italian,
cause freudienne, La Lettre mensuelle, 189. Mia madre, musicista, e morta di malattia maligna a
Castoriadis-Aulagnier, P. (1971). Le sens perdu (ou le mezzanotte nella meta di maggio del mille977...
schizo et la signification). Topique, 7/8. (translated from the French by Giancardlo Pavanello,
Chassay, J.-F. (1992-1993). Traduit de l’américain. Études Milan, Studio Editoriale, 1987). There also exists a short
Françaises, 28, 2-3. translation in English of “Point final à une planète
Dorra, M. (1990). Un fou, un nombre, un analyste, des infernale”, a text that is later than Le Schizo et les Langues
Tartares et des planètes... Nouvelle Revue de and which is published in the special edition of the Journal
Psychanalyse, 42. Semiotext(e), a 1978 publication that was to accompany
Gori, R. (1996). La preuve par la parole : Sur la causalité the Schizo Colloquium organized by Silvère Lotringer at
en psychanalyse. Paris : PUF. Columbia University, with the participation of Louis
Jacerme, P. (1977). La double version de Wolfson. Wolfson himself.
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3
Change, 32-33. This is also a phenomenon specific to critical reviews of
Kohn, M. (2005). Louis Wolfson : une langue c'est de la an oeuvre that currently has not seen this kind of scale.
folie, et la folie est-ce que c'est une langue ?. Recherches But it may well be the same story for all the books from
en Psychanalyse, 4. this (magnificent) collection (which opened with the
Leguil-Duquenne, A. (1984). Entretien avec Louis Wolfson. Freud correspondence, and ensued with the first French
L’âne, 18. Le magazine freudien. Paris. translation of texts by Winnicott, by Binswagner, by
Les deux Saussures (1974). Recherches, 16. Pontalis, by Rosolato, to cite just a few of them).
Mannoni, M. (1998). Ces enfants que l’on appelle Furthermore, in the present day literature, Louis Wolfson
autistes. L’Humanité. is hardly ever mentioned. (The “Langues et Traduction”
Thévoz, M. (1978). Le langage de la rupture. Paris : PUF. issue of the journal Recherches en Psychanalyse 2004 / 5
Uriburu, M. E. (2009). Essai de bibliographie. In Collectif. of the ED 450, which includes an excellent file, was thus
Le Dossier Wolfson : ou l’affaire Le Schizo et les Langues. the only instance from the decade 2000-2010 of a
Paris : Gallimard. mention of him.
4
Wolfson, L. (1970). Le schizo et les langues. Paris : “The symmetrical incompatibility of the psychopa-
Gallimard. thological enquiry and the literary criticism piece. What
Wolfson, L. (1978). Full stop for an infernal planet or The the former envisages in terms of a symptom the latter
Schizophrenic Sensorial Epileptic and Foreing Languages. credits to the author as his ‘style’. Both one and the other
(Gardner, G. R. Transl.). Semiotexte: schizo-culture, III, 2. are, however, presupposing the possibility of a ‘neutral’
Wolfson, L. (1984). Ma mère, musicienne, est morte… de language, that is to say, of a level or of a norm that the
maladie maligne mardi à minuit au milieu du mois de mai raw writings precisely call radically into question.” (M.
mille977 au mouroir Memorial à Manhattan : ou Thévoz, 1978, 50)
5
Exterminez l’Amérique, par Rose Minarsky & Louis Chassay, J. F., “Traduit de l’américain”, in Études
Wolfson. Paris : Navarin Editeur. Supplément à Analytica. françaises, volume 28, Issue 2 / 3, Fall / Winter- 1992-
Cahiers du Champ freudien, 34. 1993, p. 70.

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6
Wolfson L. (1970). Le Schizo et les Langues, p. 185. The that was held from the 13th to the 16th of November,
full procedure on the phrase He’s a screwball is drawn out 1975, at Columbia University. This issue, put together by
up to and including page 187. (M.E.U.) Silvère Lotringer, gathers the textes of David Cooper,
7
It was only in May 2012 that we received news of L. W. Michel Foucault, Gilles Deleuze, and Jean-François Lyotard
because he had just reprinted Ma mère musicienne… in but also those of William Burroughs, John Cage and Louis
Attila Books and was filing a lawsuit against an American Wolfson, among others.
12
financial services company. These remarks are from a personal interview conducted
8
Dorra, M. (Fall 1990). “Un fou, un nombre, un analyste, in Paris on the 26th of March 2008 with Mr Pierre
des Tartares et des planètes...”, in Nouvelle Revue de Jacerme, holder of the Philosophy agrégé and a former
Psychanalyse, Issue 42, p. 322. professor at the École Normale of Saint-Cloud and the
9
Attié, J., “Incantation d'optimisme” p. 18 & 22. Or else Lycée Henri IV.
13
Serge André, who finds in Le Schizo et les langues the A new version of Ma mère musicienne est morte… was
delusional metaphor that is responsable for the stability published by Frédéric Martin, Attila Press, in May 2012.
14
of the psychotic signification. As if they were faced with a Collective, Le dossier Wolfson : ou l’affaire du Schizo et
clinical case, they analyse each morsel of the text so as to les langues, Gallimard, collection “L’arbalète”, 2009
construct a nosography and a precise diagnosis. One may (under the editorial direction of Thomas Simonnet)
15
wonder at both the consequences and the benefits for Cf. Infra.
16
psychoanalysis and clinical practice. This is an updated edition of the bibliography first published
10
Gori, R. (1996). p. 221. in Dossier Wolfson : ou L’affaire du Schizo et les langues, a
11
Schizo Culture is the issue of Semiotext(e) vol. III, Issue 2, collective work under the direction of Thomas Simonnet, Paris,
1978 that reflects the spirit of the Schizo Culture colloquium Gallimard, collection “L’Arbalète”, 2009, p. 171-9.

The author: Electronic reference:

Maria Eugenia Uriburu, PhD Maria Eugenia Uriburu, “The Opposition to the
Clinical Psychologist. PhD, Fundamental & Mother Tongue – An Introduction to the
psychoanalytical psychopathology. Bibliography on the Wolfson File”, Research of
© Association Recherches en psychanalyse | Téléchargé le 21/04/2021 sur www.cairn.info (IP: 201.231.80.86)

© Association Recherches en psychanalyse | Téléchargé le 21/04/2021 sur www.cairn.info (IP: 201.231.80.86)


Lecturer (Psychoanalytic Studies), Paris-Diderot Psychoanalysis [Online], 15|2013 published
University (Sorbonne Paris Cité). June 24, 2013.
Université Paris VII Diderot
This article is a translation of L'opposition à la
Campus Paris Rive Gauche
langue maternelle – Introduction à la bibliographie
Bâtiment Olympe de Gouges
du dossier Wolfson.
11, rue Jean Antoine de Baïf
75013 Paris Full text
France
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Journal of Psychoanalytic Studies.
Hosted by the Department of Psychoanalytic Studies, Paris Diderot at Sorbonne Paris Cité University.

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