The Function and Field of Speech and Language in Psychoanalysis is the inaugural text of Lacanianism. With this, Lacan became Lacan. Until his death, he continued to say: "I am primarily the one who articulated the Speech of Rome."

How can Lacan's effort in this text be characterized? It aims at the foundations of psychoanalysis. It does not make a partial critique at a particular point in the clinic. It calls into question the very conception of what acts in psychoanalysis and, at the same time, its own foundations.

It offers a new definition of the unconscious and a new theory for psychoanalytic therapy. Starting from this questioning of the foundations of psychoanalysis, it justifies its style, which it characterizes as "ironic." Why does he say ironic style? He contrasts it with the dogmatic style, which is precisely the style that does not call into question the foundations.

It is certainly a reference to Socratic irony, that is, a deeply dialectical irony, which consists of highlighting the contradictions in which the interlocutor falls. This is Lacan's method in this text, which is constantly combative and shows that we cannot justify the different aspects of Freud's work without taking the functions of speech as a basis.

[Excerpt from the text on the back cover of the edition]