This practical coursebook introduces all the basics of semantics in a simple, step-by-step fashion. Each unit includes short sections of explanation with examples, followed by stimulating practice exercises to complete in the book. Feedback and comment sections follow each exercise to enable students to monitor their progress. No previous background in semantics is assumed, as students begin by discovering the value and fascination of the subject and then move through all key topics in the field, including sense and reference, simple logic, word meaning and interpersonal meaning. New study guides and exercises have been added to the end of each unit to help reinforce and test learning. A completely new unit on non-literal language and metaphor, plus updates throughout the text significantly expand the scope of the original edition to bring it up-to-date with modern teaching of semantics for introductory courses in linguistics as well as intermediate students.
Preface; Acknowledgements; Part I. Basic Ideas in Semantics: Unit 1. About semantics; Unit 2. Sentences, utterances, and propositions; Unit 3. Reference and sense; Part II. From Reference ...: Unit 4. Referring expressions; Unit 5. Predicates; Unit 6. Predicates, referring expressions, and universe of discourse; Unit 7. Deixis and definiteness; Unit 8. Words and things. Extensions and prototypes; Part III. ... To Sense: Unit 9. Sense properties and stereotypes; Unit 10. Sense relations (1); Unit 11. Sense relations (2); Part IV. Logic: Unit 12. About logic; Unit 13. A notation for simple propositions; Unit 14. Connectives. And and or; Unit 15. More connectives; Part V. Word Meaning: Unit 16. About dictionaries; Unit 17. Meaning postulates; Unit 18. Properties of predicates; Unit 19. Derivation; Unit 20. Participant roles; Part VI. Interpersonal and Non-Literal Meaning: Unit 21. Speech acts; Unit 22. Perlocutions and illocutions; Unit 23. Felicity conditions; Unit 24. Direct and indirect illocutions; Unit 25. Propositions and illocutions; Unit 26. Conversational implicature; Unit 27. Non-literal meaning: idioms, metaphor, and metonymy; Selected references and recommendations for further study; Index.
