ABSTRACT

First published in 1959, this book aims to provide a practical introduction to semantics, relating the critical study of language to real-life situation, with a wealth of anecdotes and numerous illustrations drawn from everyday personal predicaments. This book provides much information and much material for profitable discussion, helping to make accessible what can be a highly academic subject comprehensible only to a minority. This book provides a highly valuable foundation for students of linguistics and will provide preparation for further study.

part |2 pages

PART I Understanding and Misunderstanding

chapter I|10 pages

WHAT ARE WORDS FOR?

chapter II|9 pages

THE KEY TO UNDERSTANDING

chapter III|14 pages

SOME CAUSES OF MISUNDERSTANDING

chapter IV|11 pages

VAGUE WORDS AND EXACT WORDS

chapter V|14 pages

LET US LOOK AT SOME WORDS

chapter VI|10 pages

WORDS THAT HAVE CHANGED

chapter VII|10 pages

INTERNATIONAL SEMANTICS

part |2 pages

PART II The Misuse of Language

chapter VIII|9 pages

ADVERTISING

chapter IX|10 pages

WHAT IS SENTIMENTALITY?

chapter X|11 pages

WHAT I TELL YOU THREE TIMES IS FALSE

chapter XI|9 pages

WHITEWASH LANGUAGE

chapter XII|9 pages

LANGUAGE OF QUARRELS

chapter XIII|8 pages

LYING TO OURSELVES

part |2 pages

PART III Literary Semantics

chapter XIV|15 pages

RHETORIC

chapter XV|13 pages

METAPHOR AND ASSOCIATION