Modern Linguistics: The Results of Chomsky's Revolution

Buy from the Bunny, crease in spine, but other than that great condition, tight corners

Reference

Smith, N. V.

Words, Language & Grammar

Indiana Univ. Pr

`It is a very elegant achievement. Each chapter carries the reader from simple, appealing examples that should arouse curiosity and surprise, not only to insights of some depth into language and psychology, but also to a sense of the nature of rational enquiry more generally, and to interesting thoughts about questions of much human significance. The presentation is lucid and well-argued, the selected materials, drawn from varied sources and fields, are pertinent and illuminating. It is popularization of science in the very best sense, a feat not easy to achieve. I read through it with pleasure and anticipation, and I expect that others will as well, over a wide range of backgrounds and familiarity with the topics addressed.' Noam Chomsky This unique book provides an introductory overview of modern theoretical linguistics which manages to be both accessible and humorous without sacrificing either scholarship or insight. In a series of magisterial vignettes Smith emphasizes the perennial necessity of appealing to linguistic theory if we are to gain any real understanding of the phenomena of language. However profound or however trivial the questions we raise and try to answer - what exactly does one have to know to count as a speaker of a language? What would it mean for a language to have no vowels? Why do little children call lorries `lollies'? Precisely what with this sentence is wrong? - we need recourse to a theory even to make them coherent. In particular, the author argues that we can find solutions to our puzzles, and explanations for these phenomena, if we exploit on the one hand Chomsky's theory of Generative Grammar, and on the other Sperber and Wilson's theory of Relevance. The issues discussed are drawn from an extremely wide range: not only from the linguist's daily fare of syntax and phonology, but also from the philosophy, psychology and even the politics of language. The examples and analyses used to illustrate these issues come from a comparably broad area, from `The Devil's Dictionary' to Shaw and Shakespeare; from Darwin's correspondence to Einstein's theory of relativity; from science fiction to science fact and the scienctific theory that linguistics is beginning to emulate.

The Twitter Machine: Reflections on Language

Foreign Language Study & Reference

Blackwell Pub.

<p>Savants are people who are mentally and often physically impaired but who have one dazzling talent. The authors describe one such individual, Christopher, who, despite being unable to take care of himself because he has difficulty with everyday tasks that most people take for granted, can read, write, translate, and communicate in 15 to 20 different languages. Beyond illuminating the mind of one unique individual, the authors, both linguists, also cast light on the nature of language and thought in general. Annotation copyright Book News, Inc. Portland, Or.</p>

The Mind of a Savant: Language Learning and Modularity

Tsimpli, Ianthi-Maria

<p>“Come down here,” Triangle says to Square. “Why don’t you come up her?” Square says to Triangle. And so it goes, on and on, as each one tries to convince the other that where he is at is the absolute best place to be. Stopping at nothing, they plead their cases from who has the better friend to which one has the best treat to eat. Up or down, which is better? Will Triangle give in and go up there where Square is or will Square come down to where Triangle is? Join them and find out who wins. Triangle or Square?</p>

Triangle & Square!

Children's Books

Literature & Fiction

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