An Introduction to English Semantics and Pragmatics (Edinburgh Textbooks on the English Language) - Hardcover

Griffiths, Patrick

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0748616314 ISBN 13: 9780748616312

Publisher: Edinburgh University Press, 2006

Synopsis

This is an accessible undergraduate textbook for this key area of English linguistics. This introduction to the linguistic study of meaning outlines the meaning potential (semantics) of English and ways in which the potential is put to use (pragmatics). Readers will gain a systematic overview of meaning in English, as well as learning how to argue for analyses. The sense of a word is derived from the contributions it makes to the entailments carried by sentences. Patrick Griffiths presents sense relations, such as antonymy and hyponymy, as summarising patterns of entailment, integrating the idea of prototypes within them. Chapters cover adjective, noun and verb meanings, tense, aspect, modality, quantification, word-building affixes, figurative language, and focus. Explanations of entailment, compositionality and scope provide the basis for students wishing to progress to study of formal semantics. The main pragmatic notions included are: implicature, deixis, reference, definiteness, presupposition, illocutionary force and indirectness.

About this title

About the Author

Patrick Griffiths is a Professor of English at Beppu University, Japan.

From the Back Cover

‘This is an excellent self-contained introduction to the study of meaning. It is highly engaging, with a sensibly paced introduction of concepts and technical terms that are central to the study of semantics and pragmatics. This new edition provides an excellent update to the material while maintaining the accessible style of the original.’Ronnie Cann, University of EdinburghA clear and accessible introduction to the linguistic study of meaningThe second edition of this bestselling textbook outlines the meaning potential (semantics) of English and how language knowledge is put to use (pragmatics). Readers will gain a systematic overview of meaning in English and will learn how to frame semantic and pragmatic analyses. The significant concepts introduced include denotation, sense relations (such as antonymy and hyponymy), explicature, implicature, presupposition, metaphor, reference, speech acts and quantification.The new edition of this textbook is compact and self-contained, offering:•Extended exercises at the end of each chapter•Expanded coverage of English pragmatics both at the sentence and discourse level•A new chapter devoted to sense relations•A wide-ranging and theoretically informed approach to meaning•Detailed treatment of selected areas of English.The first edition of An Introduction to English Semantics and Pragmatics was written by Patrick Griffiths. The second edition has been revised by Chris Cummins.Cover design:[EUP logo]edinburghuniversitypress.comISBN [cover] 978-1-4744-1283-4ISBN [PPC] 978-1-4744-1281-0BarcodeCover design:[EUP logo]edinburghuniversitypress.comISBN [cover] 978-1-4744-1283-4ISBN [PPC] 978-1-4744-1281-0BarcodeCover design:[EUP logo]edinburghuniversitypress.comISBN [cover] 978-1-4744-1283-4ISBN [PPC] 978-1-4744-1281-0Barcode

Edition details

• Publisher: Edinburgh University Press
• Publication date: 2006
• ISBN 10: 0748616314
• ISBN 13: 9780748616312
• Binding: Hardcover
• Language: English
• Number of pages: 208