Publisher's Synopsis
This unconventional introduction to the linguistic discipline of semantics - and pragmatics - takes the form of a series of zany dialogues, each illustrating a particular topic. They do this by breaking the rules that govern language usage in such a way as to bring home their hidden existence with a jolt. The intention is to render the significance of these abstractions more tangible and to sharpen the reader's awareness of what lurks beneath the surface of more 'normal' human communication. The notion of context is crucial throughout: it is the key to understanding the richer meaning of both individual words and whole utterances. Following each dialogue there are some definitions and a brief discussion of the topics concerned, together with references for more serious reading. The collection arose from the author's experience as professor of linguistics at the University of Copenhagen, in particular with the functional and cognitive aspects of language.
