Semantics: a coursebook, second edition
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| Prefaces
x into appropriate existing units of the text to maintain, as far as possible, the organization of the original edition of the book, which I think is quite clear and well-designed. Finally, I have also updated and expanded the recommen- dations for further study at the end of the book. Clarifying text, examples, and exercises have been added to the end of each unit. Michael B. Smith Department of Linguistics Oakland University PREFACE TO THE FIRST EDITION This book presents a standard and relatively orthodox view of modern linguis- tic semantics in what we hope is a clear, stimulating, and accessible format. Our emphasis is on getting the student at every stage to think for himself, and so to proceed through the development of concepts in semantics with the con fidence and conviction that comes from doing practical exercises with them. The student should not skim the practice exercises, but should try to write down the answers to each batch of questions before consulting the answers given in feed- back. The labelling in the text of de finitions, examples, comments, etc. should help the student to find his way around in our exposition with ease. The entry tests at the beginning of each unit should be taken seriously: they provide a way for the student to judge his own progress at each stage. The book is suitable for first-year undergraduates in linguistics and will probably be useful to somewhat more advanced students for revision purposes. We believe that it will also be possible for a person working independently to teach himself the elements of semantics with this book. For students in taught courses, each unit, or couple of units, could provide a good basis for small- group discussion. Students should complete the units first, and discussion can focus on developing interesting and/or problematic aspects of the material. No elementary textbook can cover everything that its authors would have wished to cover. We have been obliged to omit a number of interesting topics, including ‘thematic meaning’ (topic, comment, etc.), quanti fication in logic, tense and aspect, and the relation between syntax and semantics. We hope that the student’s appetite will be su fficiently whetted by what we have covered to lead him to take an active interest in these and other more advanced topics in semantics. xi ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS (SECOND EDITION) I would like to express my gratitude to the original authors, James R. Hurford and Brendan Heasley, for entrusting me with the revision and updating of their textbook. I would also like to thank Andrew Winnard and Cambridge University Press for inviting me to do the work in the first place. Michael B. Smith Department of Linguistics Oakland University ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS (FIRST EDITION) We wish to express our gratitude to: The Nu ffield Foundation for two grants of £3,000 which paid part of the salary of one of the authors for two years. The Edinburgh University Institute for Applied Language Studies and its Director, Dr Clive Criper, for generous material support in the production of this book. The Edinburgh University Faculty of Arts research fund for grants to pay for the typing of the book. Professor John Lyons for extremely careful and detailed critical comments on virtually the whole of the book, comments which, in the many cases where we have heeded them, de finitely improve the book. In the few cases where we have not followed his advice, we fear that we may yet regret it. The following colleagues and students, who have given helpful advice and comments: John Christie, Gill Brown, Charles Fillmore, Gerald Gazdar, Deirdre Wilson, Steve Pulman, Keith Brown. Jaime Lass for the drawings. xii HOW TO USE THIS BOOK For all Users The coursebook develops information on the subject cumulatively. Each unit builds on previous units, so it is wise to work through it systematically from the beginning. Skipping ahead, or dipping into later units, may work, but is less likely to build up a good solid foundation for understanding all the concepts involved. For the Student If you are new to semantics, take the practice exercises seriously, writing the answers in the spaces provided, and checking your answers with the feedback given. If there is a discrepancy between your answer and the feedback given, revisit the explanations in the book to try to understand where you went wrong. Semantics is not such a cut-and-dried subject as, say, chemistry or mathematics, so there is sometimes room for alternative answers and interpretations. But we have tried hard in this book to use unproblematic and uncontroversial examples, on which all advanced semanticists would be in broad agreement. It always helps understanding to talk about things, so if you can work through any problematic cases with a fellow student or with your teacher, we strongly advise you to do so. As authors, we occasionally get letters from students asking us to resolve disagreements about their answers. So it is clear that the exercises provoke discussion, and also that sometimes a student needs some outside help in seeing an issue clearly. (Most of our letters from users of this book, however, seem to show that it has been successful in getting its main concepts across.) For the Teacher We assume that you will be at least one step ahead of your students, and already familiar with more of the literature on semantics than just this book. This book is just a beginning. The further readings recommended at the end of the book open up the field to a host of intriguing questions, some of a very philosophical nature, and some of a more practical nature, to do with the study of meaning. Aim to get your students to see the concepts outlined in this book not just as ends in themselves, to be mastered rote-fashion, but as giving them a set of agreed-upon tools for discussing more advanced issues of meaning in language. Understanding the mechanisms of meaning is vital to successful human communication, so convey to your students the everyday signi ficance of the |