Le point de vue énonciatif dans l’<i>Encyclopédie</i> de Diderot et d’Alembert

The <i>viewpoint</i> concept is mainly related to the <i>Figurative system of human knowledge</i>, however its definition evolves along with the making of the <i>Encyclopedia</i>. As it initially involves the ability of human understanding to bring together several points of view, the viewpoint concept will also take into consideration the possibilities offered by language. Thus the points of view derived from language will be added to the points of view extracted from the matter of knowledge. Every point of view will finally be considered by the encyclopaedists in its link with a certain representation of the world, of which language preserves the memory or the history. <br> By supposing that there is a point of view on knowledge in every human being, Diderot defines the conditions of enunciation in the <i>Encyclopedia</i>. Enunciation will complement the representation of human knowledge in the form of a system. We will analyse the enunciative choices of the editors of the <i>Encyclopedia</i> and explain how, as a result, the encyclopedic discourse distinguishes itself gradually from the scientific discourse.