Linguistic Semantics

This volume is a comprehensive, up-to-date, and readable introduction to linguistic meaning. While partial to conceptual and typological approaches, the book also presents results from formal approaches. Throughout, the focus is on grammatical meaning — the way languages delineate universal semantic space and encode it in grammatical form. Subjects covered by the author include: the domain of linguistic semantics and the basic tools, assumptions, and issues of semantic analysis; semantic properties of entities, events, and thematic roles; language and space; tense, aspect, and the internal structure and temporal ordering of events; modality, negation, and the epistemology of the speaker; and modification and attribution. In contrast to most current treatments of semantics, this book is accessible to the beginning student of semantics and linguistics and also useful to the advanced practitioner. A textbook and reference work in a single volume, it can be used in a number of disciplines: psychology, computer science, and anthropology as well as linguistics. Content: Cover Title Page Copyright Page Dedication Table of Contents INTRODUCTION 1 SEMANTICS AND LINGUISTIC SEMANTICS: TOWARD GRAMMATICAL MEANING 1.1 Introduction 1.2 Grammatical Meaning: An Introduction and Illustration 1.3 Philosophical Semantics and Linguistic Semantics 1.4 Grammatical Meaning Revisited 2 FIVE APPROACHES TO MEANING 2.1 Introduction 2.2 Approach 1: Meaning as Reference 2.3 Approach 2: Meaning as Logical Form 2.4 Approach 3: Meaning as Context and Use 2.5 Approach 4: Meaning as Culture 2.6 Approach 5: Meaning as Conceptual Structure. 2.7 Postscript: Some Notes on Definition3 ENTITIES 3.1 Introduction 3.2 Eight Classes of Semantic Properties of Entities 3.3 Unifying the Semantic Properties of Entities 4 EVENTS 4.1 Introduction 4.2 Four Kinds of Events: Acts, States, Causes, and Motion 4.3 Using and Expanding the Semantic Representation of Events: Transfer and Possession 4.4 Typologies of Events 5 THEMATIC ROLES 5.1 Introduction 5.2 Twelve Thematic Roles 5.3 Unified Treatments of Thematic Roles: Localism, Macroroles, and Linking Theory 6 SPACE 6.1 Introduction 6.2 Location 6.3 Deixis. 6.4 Unifying the Semantics of Space7 ASPECT 7.1 Introduction 7.2 Six Major Aspects 7.3 Five Minor Aspects 7.4 Unified Treatments of Aspect 8 TENSE AND TIME 8.1 Introduction 8.2 Tense Structure and Tense Systems 8.3 Unified Treatments of Tense 9 MODALITY AND NEGATION 9.1 Introduction 9.2 Negation 9.3 Epistemic Modality 9.4 Deontic Modality 9.5 The Development of Modality 10 MODIFICATION 10.1 Introduction 10.2 Six Classes of Property Concepts 10.3 Modifier Order AUTHOR INDEX LANGUAGE INDEX SUBJECT INDEX. This volume provides an introduction to linguistic meaning. Throughout, the focus is on grammatical meaning - the way languages delineate universal semantic space and encode it in grammatical form. The author also covers topics such as the temporal ordering of events and themantic roles. William Frawley. Includes Bibliographical References And Indexes.