Semantic Analysis: A Practical Introduction (Oxford Textbooks in Linguistics)

An introduction to the study of meaning in language, and to the language-culture connection, this work covers essential background on traditional and contemporary issues and approaches, and then takes the reader through a series of case studies in descriptive semantics. It includes topics such as emotions, speech acts, colours, concrete objects, motion, causative verbs, and grammatical categories. The author draws on a range of material from a diversity of languages, including Arrernte, Ewe, Japanese, Malay, Polish, Spanish, and Yankunytjatjara. The main method used is reductive paraphrase in natural language, an approach which is rigorous yet accessible, and each chapter has a selection of exercises to involve students in practical semantic analysis.