In this volume leading researchers present new work on the semantics
and pragmatics of adjectives and adverbs, and their interfaces with
syntax. Its concerns include the semantics of gradability; the
relationship between adjectival scales and verbal aspect; the
relationship between meaning and
the positions of adjectives and
adverbs in nominal and verbal projections; and the fine-grained
semantics of different subclasses of adverbs and adverbs. Its goals are
to provide a comprehensive vision of the linguistically significant
structural and interpretive properties of adjectives and
adverbs, to
highlight the similarities between these two categories, and to signal
the importance of a careful and detailed integration of lexical and
compositional semantics.
The editors open the book with an
overview of current research before introducing and contextualizing the
remaining chapters. The work is aimed at scholars and advanced students
of syntax, semantics, formal pragmatics, and discourse. It will also
appeal to researchers in philosophy,
psycholinguistics, and language acquisition interested in the syntax and semantics of adjectives and adverbs.
On the Pragmatics of Communication
Jürgen Habermas
Edited by Maeve Cooke
Jürgen Habermas's program in formal pragmatics fulfills two main functions. First, it serves as the theoretical underpinning for his theory of communicative action, a crucial element in his theory of society. Second, it contributes to ongoing philosophical discussion of problems concerning meaning, truth, rationality, and action. By the "pragmatic" dimensions of language, Habermas means those pertaining specifically to the employment of sentences in utterances. He makes clear that "formal" is to be understood in a tolerant sense to refer to the rational reconstruction of general intuitions or competences. Formal pragmatics, then, aims at a systematic reconstruction of the intuitive linguistic knowledge of competent subjects as it is used in everyday communicative practices. His program may thus be distinguished from empirical pragmatics--for example, sociolinguistics--which looks primarily at particular situations of use.
This anthology brings together for the first time, in revised or new translation, ten essays that present the main concerns of Habermas's program in formal pragmatics. Its aim is to convey a sense of the overall purpose of his linguistic investigations while introducing the reader to their specific details, in particular to his theories of meaning, truth, rationality, and action.
Pragmatics and Discourse
Joan Cutting is Reader in Applied Linguistics at the University of Sunderland, UK. She is editor of The Grammar of Spoken English and its Application to English for Academic Purposes, and author of Analysing the Language of Discourse Communities.
'This is an ideal book for anyone beginning the study of discourse and pragmatics; it is transparently written without being simplistic or patronising, and is thorough and detailed without being obscure or mystifying.'
Michael McCarthy, University of Nottingham.
'Joan Cutting's book provides an excellent introduction to one of the most intensively researched areas in linguistics and communication studies - pragmatics and discourse analysis. It offers the novice in the field exciting, creative and accessible ways in which to gain an understanding of the most important issues, and it also gives us old hands stimulating new food for thought.'
Richard Watts, University of Berne, Switzerland
The Handbook of Pragmatics is a collection of original articles that outline the central themes and challenges for current research in the field of linguistic pragmatics. The 32 articles, written by leading scholars, provide an authoritative and accessible introduction to the field, including an overview of the foundations of pragmatic theory and a detailed examination of the rich and varied theoretical and empircal subdomains of pragmatics.
In this volume leading researchers present new work on the semantics
and pragmatics of adjectives and adverbs, and their interfaces with
syntax. Its concerns include the semantics of gradability; the
relationship between adjectival scales and verbal aspect; the
relationship between meaning and
