This book presents a study of the connections between vagueness and gradability, and their different manifestations in adjectives (morphological gradability effects) and nouns (typicality effects). It addresses two opposing theoretical approaches from within formal semantics and cognitive psychology. These approaches rest on different, apparently contradictory pieces of data. For example, for psychologists nouns are linked with vague and gradable concepts, while for linguists they rarely are. This difference in approach has created an unfortunate gap between the semantic and psychological studies of the concepts denoted by nouns, as well as adjectives.
The book presents new and stimulating approaches to the study of language evolution and considers their implications for future research. Leading scholars from linguistics, primatology, anthroplogy, and cognitive science consider how language evolution can be understood by means of inference from the study of linked or analogous phenomena in language, animal behaviour, genetics, neurology, culture, and biology. In their introduction the editors show how these approaches can be interrelated and deployed together through their use of comparable forms of inference and the similar conditions they place on the use of evidence.
The Handbook of Discourse Analysis covers the major approaches to Discourse Analysis from Critical Discourse Analysis to Multimodal Discourse Analysis and their applications in key educational and institutional settings. The handbook is divided into six sections: Approaches to Discourse Analysis, Approaches to Spoken Discourse, Genres and Practices, Educational Applications, Institutional Applications, and Identity, Culture and Discourse.
In the era of information technology, the need to communicate data effetively and precisely has given a boost to research in terminology. This collection of 14 articles by experts from different backgrounds deals with linguistic problems and technical aspects of terminology; in addition, there are articles relating to terminology in specific subject fields -- lexicography, physical sciences, chemistry, social sciences and medicine. By presenting various approaches and applications, the volume raises fundamental questions about the use of concepts and the ordering of knowledge.
Four Approaches to Counselling and Psychotherapy provides an essential introduction to and overview of the main therapeutic approaches used in psychotherapy and counselling today. Written clearly and concisely, it will have international appeal as an ideal introductory text for all those embarking on psychotherapy and counselling courses.
