Semantics : Primes and Universals: Primes and Universals (Google eBook)

Anna Wierzbicka

Oxford University Press, Mar 28, 1996 - 512 pages

This book provides a synthesis of Wierzbicka's theory of meaning, which is based on conceptual primitives and semantic universals, using empirical findings from a wide range of languages. While addressed primarily to linguists, the book deals with highly topical and controversial issues of central importance to several disciplines, including anthropology, psychology, and philosophy. - ;Conceptual primitives and semantic universals are the cornerstones of a semantic theory which Anna Wierzbicka has been developing for many years. Semantics: Primes and Universals is a major synthesis of her work, presenting a full and systematic exposition of that theory in a non-technical and readable way. It delineates a full set of universal concepts, as they have emerged from large-scale investigations across a wide range of languages undertaken by the author and her colleagues. On the basis of empirical cross-linguistic studies it vindicates the old notion of the 'psychic unity of mankind', while at the same time offering a framework for the rigorous description of different languages and cultures. - ;A major synthesis of Anna Wierzbicka's work -

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Ground-breaking book. A milestone in linguistic semantics.

Contents

• Introduction: 3
• What are the Uses of Theoretical Lexicography? Dictionaries 14 19923 4478: 6
• A Survey of Semantic Primitives: 35
• FAR and NEAR SIDE INSIDE HERE: 89
• A LONG TIME A SHORT TIME NOW: 97
• Semantic Rules Know no Exceptions Studies in Language 152 1991 37198: 98
• IF WOULD CAN MAYBE: 101
• WORD: 107
• Opposites and Converses: 108
• Conclusion: 110
• The Syntax of Universal Semantic Primitives: 112
• Preliminary Discussion: 113
• YOU I SOMEONE PEOPLE SOMETHING: 114
• THINK KNOW WANT FEEL SEE: 115
• HEAR: 119
• SAY: 120
• DO HAPPEN MOVE: 122
• BE THERE ISARE and LIVE: 124
• THIS THE SAME OTHER ONE TWO MANY MUCH SOME ALL: 126
• MORE: 129
• GOOD and BAD: 130
• BIG and SMALL: 131
• WHERE FAR NEAR UNDER ABOVE SIDE INSIDE HERE: 133
• BECAUSE IF IF WOULD: 137
• NOT and MAYBE: 139
• Metapredicate CAN: 140
• VERY: 141
• LIKE: 143
• General Discussion: 144
• Prototypes and Invariants: 148
• Some Illustrations: 149
• Some Illustrations: 160
• Conclusion: 167
• Semantic Primitives and Semantic Fields: 170
• A Semantic Basis for Grammatical Typology In Werner Abraham Talmy Givon: 179
• Semantics and Primitive Thought: 184
• Semantic Complexity and the Role of Ostension in: 211
• Against Against Definitions: 237
• Semantics and Lexicography: 258
• Saying Something that is not True: 260
• Saying Something that is Superfluous: 261
• Confusing Meaning with Knowledge: 262
• Definitions which are too Broad: 263
• Capturing the Invariant: 264
• Standing Firmly on the Ground of Discreteness: 267
• Distinguishing Polysemy from Vagueness: 270
• Avoiding Circularity: 274
• Relying on Indefinables: 278
• Using Simple Language: 282
• Exploring New Models of Definition: 283
• Conclusion: 286
• The Meaning of Colour Terms and the Universals of Seeing: 287
• Meaning and Scientific Knowledge: 290
• Meaning and Colour Charts: 294
• Meaning and Psychological Reality: 297
• Colour Terms as Quotations: 298
• Black and White Dark and Light: 301
• Green gwyrdd Welsh latuy Hanunoo: 306
• Blue niebieski Polish goluboj and sinij Russian aoi Japanese andda Thai: 309
• Red and Yellow: 314
• Macrowhite and Macroblack: 318
• Macrored and Grue: 322
• Names of Mixed Colours: 325
• Brown: 327
• Names of Specific Locally Salient Referents: 329
• Chromatology Cognition and Culture: 330
• The Semantics of Natural Kinds: 335
• Abstract Concepts and Concrete Concepts: 337
• Scientific Knowledge versus Everyday Knowledge: 338
• Folk Mice versus Scientific Mice: 340
• The Evidence for the Folk Concept: 344
• General Discussion: 347
• Conclusion: 349
• Semantics and Ethnobiology: 351
• Tools and Methods: 353
• Types of Linguistic Evidence: 355
• Life Forms in English Folk Zoology: 358
• Are there Monogeneric Life Forms?: 360
• Life Forms in English Folk Botany: 361
• Polytypic Genera: 365
• Gestalts and Distinctive Features: 366
• Hidden Natures and Proper Names: 367
• Similar or Radically Different?: 370
• Conclusion: 374
• THE SEMANTICS OF GRAMMAR: 377
• Semantic Rules in Grammar: 379
• The Past Practice: 381
• Dual Nouns and Absolute Predictiveness: 383
• Evidence for Different Conceptualizations: 386
• The Mystery of Scales: 387
• Predictiveness and Different Languages: 390
• Different Cultures Different Conceptualizations: 395
• The Semantics of Gender: 397
• The Unconscious Character of Semantic Rules: 399
• Conclusion: 400
• Transitivity and Reflexives: 402
• The Uniqueness of Grammatical and Semantic Systems: 404
• Typology and Semantics: 407
• Reflexive Constructions: 409
• Transitive Constructions: 420
• Conclusion: 425
• The Semantics of Evidentials: 427
• Kashaya: 428
• Quechua: 434
• Wintu: 439
• Maricopa: 446
• Bulgarian and Macedonian: 451
• Conclusion: 456
• A Summary of the Formulae: 457
• References: 459
• The Meaning of Evidentials in a Crosslinguistic: 463
• Index: 488

Bibliographic information

• Title: Semantics : Primes and Universals: Primes and Universals
• Author: Anna Wierzbicka
• Publisher: Oxford University Press, 1996
• ISBN: 0191588598, 9780191588594
• Length: 512 pages