Language about language. In this sense, virtually all of linguistics and all of literary criticism falls into the category of metalanguage inasmuch as both disciplines are essentially concerned with using language to write about and understand language use. Understood in this rather straightforward fashion the concept poses no real difficulties, but if one takes it literally, then as critics like Derrida, Jacques show, you have a real problem because how can language be outside of itself? It is in effect a logical fallacy to suggest it.