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This book steers a middle course between the logical and cognitive approaches to semantics. Patrick Duffley argues for a radical revision of the semantics/pragmatics interface, proposing that the dividing line be drawn between content that is linguistically encoded and content that is not encoded but still communicated.
List of contents
- 1: Introductory remarks on the question of the autonomy of syntax
- 2: The truth-conditional approach to meaning
- 3: Sign-based semantics: Meaning as linguistically-signified cognitive content
- 4: Cognitive semantics and the semiological function of language
- 5: A final comparison with the Columbia School approach to meaning
- 6: Concluding reflections on natural language and embodiment
About the author
Patrick Duffley is Professor of English Linguistics at Université Laval in Quebec City. His research uses concepts inspired by cognitive grammar and Guillaumian psychomechanical theory to develop a properly linguistic-semantic approach to grammar and syntax. He has published monographs on the English infinitive and gerund-participle, as well as numerous articles on modal auxiliaries, wh-words, negative polarity, indefinite determiners, and both full verb and auxiliary inversion. His most recent book, Reclaiming Control as a Semantic and Pragmatic Phenomenon, was published by John Benjamins in 2014.
Summary
This book steers a middle course between the logical and cognitive approaches to semantics. Patrick Duffley argues for a radical revision of the semantics/pragmatics interface, proposing that the dividing line be drawn between content that is linguistically encoded and content that is not encoded but still communicated.
Additional text
With Duffley's innovative view of meaning instantiated by substantial case studies from real discourse situations, the monograph is an impressive undertaking which opens more space to the discussion of meaning. In this regard, this book comes highly recommended to researchers interested in semantics, pragmatics and various approaches to the study of meaning. It may also be of interest to those concerned with the application of such a view of meaning to second language acquisition.
