This volume provides an engaging introduction to semantics for readers new to the subject.
The book has three sections. Part I is concerned with the place of semantics within linguistics and its relation with the disciplines of philosophy and psychology. Part II introduces central topics in the description of word and sentence meaning. Part III reviews the three main current theoretical approaches to semantics: componential theory, formal semantics and cognitive semantics. The book discusses semantic phenomena from a wide range of languages. Each chapter contains exercises to allow the reader to explorethe issues raised, and suggestions fro further readings.