Philosophy of language Books

Book SynopsisWestern philosophy has often claimed for itself not just a distinct sphere of knowledge, but a distinct form of communication, set against ordinary speech. In Speaking Philosophically, Thomas Sutherland proposes that for some philosophers, authentic philosophizing demands a specific manner of speaking or writing, adoption of which enables one to gesture toward truths that propositional speech will never grasp. Drawing on a variety of thinkers Heraclitus, Plato, Kant, Fichte, Nietzsche, Kierkegaard, Weil, Foucault, and Irigaray Sutherland argues this emphasis on the form of philosophical communication can function as an exclusionary mechanism, determining who is deemed capable of speaking philosophically.Trade ReviewA stunningly original investigation of philosophical expression. Focused less on the content of Western systems of philosophy and more on the challenge of their communicability, the book raises fascinating questions about what philosophizing says, and cannot say, how it speaks, and what that tells us. * Garnet C. Butchart, Associate Professor, Duquesne University, USA *Drawn to an other without which thinking would remain mute, Speaking Philosophically is both a declaration of love and an appeal for a rethinking of philosophers’ relationship with language—a depth hermeneutics by which the “love of wisdom” is brought back to its discursive provenance as it engages speech and writing in perpetuity. * Briankle G. Chang, Professor of Communication, University of Massachusetts, US *Thomas Sutherland has produced an excellent book that interrogates the dynamic boundaries and intersections between language, philosophy, knowledge, and subjectivity. Whilst many students and scholars will already be familiar with the ideas of Plato, Kant, and Foucault, Sutherland masterfully weaves Fichte, Simone Weil, and other less famous thinkers into his brilliant narrative. The book makes a major contribution to our understanding of communication and reason today. * Darrow Schecter, Professor of Critical Theory & Modern European History, University of Sussex, UK *Table of ContentsIntroduction: A Philosophical Manner Of Speaking 1. Escaping The Noise Of The City: Heraclitus’ Logos 2. Speaking In The Presence Of Truth: Plato And Dialectic 3. Speaking Appropriately: The Philosophical Work Ethic In Immanuel Kant 4. The Foundation Within Us: J.G. Fichte On The Role Of The Scholar 5. A New Breed Of Philosophers: Friedrich Nietzsche’s Tyrannical Impulse 6. The Mark Of A True Christian: Søren Kierkegaard On Solitude 7. Aspiring To A Higher Good: Speaking Of Afbliction With Simone Weil 8. Writing At The Limits Of History: Michel Foucault And Unreason 9. Speaking With Borrowed Words: Strategic Mimesis In Luce Irigaray BIbliography Index

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Book SynopsisKobus Marais is Professor of Translation Studies at the University of the Free State, Bloemfontein, South Africa.Trade ReviewIn recent years, Kobus Marais has earned himself the reputation of “a disturber of the peace” in translation studies. This volume, featuring contributions from a broad range of disciplines, will no doubt create fresh waves in all things translational, spreading farther and wider than ever before. -- Piotr Blumczynski, Queen’s University Belfast, UKFor years we have been attempting to go beyond translation studies, with inter- and even transdisciplinary approaches. This book finally offers an example of how translation as a semiotic process can be studied in widely different fields and domains. This timely volume explores the multiplicity of forms of translational processes, from mathematics to biology and computer science to ecology, inviting us to consider the variety and complexity of translational phenomena. The book itself is a fascinating translation project! -- Siri Nergaard, University of South-Eastern Norway, NorwayTable of ContentsList of Figures List of Tables List of Contributors Introduction: What does it Mean to Translate? Kobus Marais (University of the Free State, South Africa) Part I. Translation in the Natural Sciences 1. Translating into and from Mathematics, Mihai Nadin (University of Texas, USA) 2. ‘Translating’ Geometric into Arithmetic Reasoning as a Case of Negentropic Semiotic Work, Michael H. G. Hoffmann (Georgia Institute of Technology, USA) 3. The ‘Carrying Over’ and Entanglement of Practices in the Computer Science and Translation Communities, David Vampola (SUNY Oswego, USA) 4. Biology of Translation: The Role of Agents, Alexei A. Sharov (National Institute on Aging, Baltimore, USA) 5. Translation in Medical Science and Biomedical Research, Steve Reid (University of Cape Town, South Africa) and Delva Shamley (University of Cape Town, South Africa) PART II. Translation in the Social Sciences 6. Interlingual, Intralingual and Intersemiotic Translation in Law, Agnieszka Doczekalska (Kozminski University, Poland) and Lucja Biel (University of Warsaw, Poland) 7. Translation Approaches Within Organisation Studies, Susanne Tietze (Sheffield Hallam University, UK), Rebecca Piekkari (Aalto University, Finland) and Kaisa Koskinen (University of Tampere, Finland) PART III. Translation in the Humanities 8. Literary Translation in Electronic Literature and Digital Humanities, Chris Tanasescu (University of Louvain, Belgium) and Raluca Tanasescu (University of Groningen, the Netherlands) 9. Translating Friendship Alternatively Through Disciplines, Epochs, and Cultures, Claus Emmeche (University of Copenhagen, Denmark) 10. Meaning-Making Processes in Religious Translation involving Sacred Space, Jacobus A. Naudé and Cynthia L. Miller-Naudé (University of the Free State, South Africa) 11. Translation between Non-Humans and Humans, Xany Jansen van Vuuren (University of the Free State, South Africa) 12. Translation in Intermedial Studies, João Queiroz (Federal University of Juiz de Fora, Brazil), Ana Paula Vitorio da Costa (University of the Free State, South Africa) and Ana Luiza Fernandes (Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) Index

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Book SynopsisWhat is astro-culture? In The Babylonian Planet it is unfolded as an aesthetic, an idea, a field of study, a position, and a practice. It helps to engineer the shift from a world view that is segregated to one that is integrated from global to planetary; from distance to intimacy and where closeness and cosmic distance live side-by-side.In this tour de force, Sonja Neef takes her cue from Edouard Glissant's vision of multilingualism and reignites the myth of the Tower of Babel to anticipate new forms of cultural encounter. For her, Babel is an organic construction site at which she fuses theoretical analysis and case studies of artists, writers and thinkers like William Kentridge, Orhan Pamuk and Immanuel Kant. Her skilful interrogations then allow her to paint a portrait of art and culture that abolishes the horizon as a barrier to vision and reclaims it as a place of contact and relation. By combining the Babylonian concept of the enTrade ReviewWe can now say that Sonja Neef’s thinking about and analysis of encounters in the era of globalisation was prophetic. When she wrote these essays, the sense of urgency about the care for the planet, and the importance of the intercultural encounters that the qualifier “Babylonion” habours, were not as keen as they are today. We miss her wisdom and insight, but at least we now have this book - a monument of sorts. * Mieke Bal, Professor of Cultural Analysis, Amsterdam School for Cultural Analysis (ASCA), The Netherlands *The Babylonian Planet rethinks human civilization in terms of its virtually planetary distribution in time and space. Its comprehensive narrative integrates millennial events of language, communication, mediation, and translation with significant and precisely denoted cultural forms and traces the intertextual lines of their historical transformations in the movement from globalization to planetization. * Bruce Clarke, Paul Whitfield Horn Distinguished Professor of Literature and Science, Texas Tech University, USA *The Babylonian Planet reinvents cultural studies under the prism of planetarization by the use of a creative and convincing methodology, mixing issues as diverse as mythology and deconstruction or cosmos and globalization, while underlining the essential need to thinking translation culturally. The ultimate work of a great figure of cultural studies too quickly disappeared, whose perspective remains of an extreme topicality. * Damien Ehrhardt, Associate Professor, University of Paris-Saclay in Evry, France *Table of ContentsPreface Chapter 1: The Babylonian Planet Chapter 2: Europe: Myth and Translation Chapter 3: On the Shores … of the Cité Nationale de l’Histoire de l’Immigration in Paris Chapter 4: Outre Mér(e) : Jacques Derrida and the Mediterranean Chapter 5: The Southern Cross: Planetarism of Alexander von Humboldt and François Arago Chapter 6: Sublunar: Star Friendship in Orhan Pamuk‘s The White Castle Chapter 7: In Orbit over the Earth: The Constellation of a Suitcase. Chapter 8: Intergalactic: Universal Translation: Immanuel Kant, Spaceship Enterprise, and the Circulation of the Planets Chapter 9: Heaven on Earth: Paul, a Cosmopolitan? Finally: East Pole and West Pole References

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Book SynopsisAgainst the background of often esoteric literature in semiotics, this book offers a fresh and rigorous new interpretation of how to approach the study of communication, signs and meaning. Grounded in a deductive theory of interacting systems, Piotr Sadowski''s book provides an accessible account of the hierarchy of communication.Divided into two parts, this book argues in the first section that a deductive semiotic theory generates communication situations of increasing complexity, from contiguous communication to indirect, referential forms based on indexical, iconic, and symbolic signs. Within this system, Sadowski explains how key concepts of the semiotic model such as information, parainformation and metainformation can account for degrees of cognitive complexity of communication processes, including the perception and interpretation of signs on literal and figurative levels. After this clear, step-by-step exposition of the theory of interacting systems, Systemic SeTrade ReviewSystemic Semiotics is grounded in the real world and delightful in its fresh exploration of the universe of communication and meaning. The discussion encompasses everything from rock carvings and body decoration in prehistory to current art, cinema, and language; it is always thoughtful and free from jargon. Sadowski opens the reader's eyes with a rich and provocative understanding of the dynamics of meaning and consciousness. -- Jeffrey L. Kallen, Fellow Emeritus and Visiting Research Fellow, Centre for Language and Communication Studies, Trinity College Dublin, IrelandThis fresh and innovative study displays a very confident and provocative reading of systemic semiotics, with insightful analysis of classic films including Blowup and its short story adaptation, together with the magic of The Purple Rose of Cairo that both scholars and students will find very stimulating. -- Pat Brereton, Professor in the School of Communications, Dublin City University, IrelandTable of ContentsList of Figures Acknowledgments Introduction Part I: Theory 1. Interaction as Communication 2. Types of Communication 3. Information and Levels of Meaning 4. Between Indexicality and Iconicity 5. The (Mostly) Symbolic Signs of Verbal Language Part II: Applications 6. Oscar Wilde and Dynamism of Character 7. The Esthetics of Light in Early Cinema 8. Photography and the Limitations of Indexicality in Michelangelo Antonioni’s Blowup (1966) 9. The Iconicity of the Pictorial Frame 10. The Iconic Magic of Cinema in Woody Allen’s The Purple Rose of Cairo (1985) Postscript Notes Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisSpanning the period between Wittgenstein's return to Cambridge in 1929 and the first version of Philosophical Investigations in 1936, Piotr Dehnel explores the middle stage in Ludwig Wittgenstein's philosophical development and identifies the major issues which engrossed him, including phenomenology, philosophy of mathematics and philosophy of language. Contrary to the dominant perspective, Dehnel argues that this period was intrinsically different from the early and late stages and should not be viewed as a mere transitional phase. The distinctiveness of Wittgenstein's middle work can be seen in his philosophical thinking as it unfolds in a non-linear trajectory: thoughts do not follow upon each other, ideas do not appear sequentially one by one, and insights do not form a straight chain. Dehnel portrays the diffused and multifarious quality of Wittgenstein's middle thinking, enabling readers to form a more comprehensive view of his entire philosophy and acquire a better grasp Trade ReviewThe book sheds an interesting new light on interpretations of Ludwig Wittgenstein’s philosophy as it offers one of the first explorations of his concepts between the Tractatus and the Philosophical Investigations. The author argues that, rather than developing in a linear sequence from insight to insight and from idea to idea, Wittgenstein’s thought in the middle period expands radially, unfolding in several directions at the same time. A must-read for Wittgenstein researchers, the book is certainly of profound interest to humanities scholars and social scientists alike. * Leszek Koczanowicz, Professor of Philosophy and Cultural Studies, SWPS University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Poland *This book offers broad hermeneutic explanations of Wittgenstein’s writings from 1929 to 1936. They are based on a thorough knowledge of the source material, which they place in the context of his thought and its philosophical environment. I am impressed with the scientific merit of the present work. * Herbert Hrachovec, Associate Professor at the Institute for Philosophy, University of Vienna, Austria *Table of ContentsIntroduction 1. The Phenomenological Turn 2. Verification: 1929-1932 3. Wittgenstein’s Critique of Frege in the Notes of 1929-1932 4. ‘A Clever Man got Caught in this Net of Language’: Wittgenstein’s Attack on Set Theory 5. The Big Typescript as a Work of the Middle Period 6. P.S. Understanding, Expecting, Wishing 7. Magic, Rituals and Philosophy: Wittgenstein on Frazer’s The Golden Bough 8. Wittgenstein as a Philosopher of Culture Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisBeyond Language (Oltre il Linguaggio) is one of Italian philosopher Emmanuele Severino's major works, wrestling with whether it's possible to think meaningfully outside of the restrictions of language. Increasingly recognised as a truly foundational thinker in the formation of contemporary theory, Severino's ideas around self-expression, forms of communication and the limitations of language continue are brought to the fore in this book. Beyond Language specifically opens the door to the themes that Severino developed in his later works, including the concrete meaning of self-being and the decline of language. The depth and breadth of Severino's philosophical insight is as profound today as it was when first penned in 1992, making this first English translation of a key work in the history of continental philosophy crucial reading for those engaged with contemporary theory.Table of ContentsForeword: Being Beyond Language, by Ines Testoni and Giulio Goggi Beyond Translation, by Damiano Sacco Part I 1. Violence and Salvation 2. Anxiety and Will to Power 3. Scientific Specialisation and Nothingness Part II 4. Nietzsche and Gentile 5. Problematicism and Actual Idealism 6. Socrates, Silenus, and Virtue Part III 7. On Identity and Difference 8. The Unfolding of Language and the Appearing of Destiny 9. Language and Destiny

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Book SynopsisConnecting poetry and philosophy of language, Philip Mills bridges the continental and analytical divide by bringing together the writings of Nietzsche and Wittgenstein. Through an expressivist philosophy of poetry, he argues that we can understand some of the core questions in the philosophy of language.Mills highlights the continuity of poetic language with ordinary language, and positions Nietzsche and Wittgenstein's thinking as the clearest way to expand the philosophy of poetry. By tracing the expressivist tradition of philosophy of language, this study locates its roots in German Romanticism right through to the work of contemporary expressivists such as Huw Price and Robert Brandom. Where poetry has been difficult to grasp with the traditional philosophical tools used by aestheticians, A Poetic Philosophy of Language operates at the crossroads between philosophy of art and language, proposing a new philosophy of poetry with wide-ranging potentialities.Trade ReviewMills’ central question is compelling: what might the core questions of a traditionally ‘representationalist’ philosophy of language look like when viewed through the lens of a ‘poetic expressivism’? The answer, drawing on Nietzsche and Wittgenstein, is no less compelling, and admirably negotiates analytic, continental and pragmatic philosophical traditions. Highly recommended. * Sean Bowden, Senior Lecturer in Philosophy, Deakin University, Australia *In a world of scarce resources and powerful technologies that are unequally shared, human life threatens to collapse into unavoidable, viciously competitive getting and spending. Philip Mills makes a powerful, urgent case that poetry can help us to see our lives otherwise. * Richard Eldridge, Charles and Harriett Cox McDowell Professor Emeritus of Philosophy, Swarthmore College, USA *Table of ContentsA Tale of Two Divides: Towards a Philosophy of Poetry 1.Language, Representation, and Metaphysics 2.German Philosophy of Language as Romantic Expressivism 3.Pragmatic Expressivism: Brandom, Price, Blackburn 4.From Wittgenstein to Nietzsche and Back 5.Poetry After Nietzsche and Wittgenstein 6.Towards a Perspectival Poetics Conclusion: A Poetic Philosophy of Language Notes Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisFree speech' has become central to discussions about racism, and is increasingly weaponised against anti-racist movements. This book argues that the weaponization of free speech' across the political spectrum, particularly by the far-right/alt-right, has been central to the resurgence, rehabilitation and normalisation of racism within the mainstream politics of western liberal democracies in the last decade. The dilemma then, for anti-racist movements, is how to respond to such a challenge for if free speech' allows racism, then it follows that the elimination of racism is not possible. Anshuman A. Mondal argues that liberalism has made it look as if there is something called free speech' when, in fact, speech is enabled by the structures of power within which we are all embedded. These structures determine who gets to say what, and whose voices are heard. They create and sustain racism, and anti-racism should look beyond the mythology of free speech' and focus instead on creating

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Book SynopsisWolfgang Spohn is one of the most distinguished analytic philosophers in Germany. His work covers a huge range including epistemology, metaphysics, and philosophy of science. This collection presents 15 of his most important essays on theoretical philosophy.Table of ContentsPreface Introduction Belief Ch. 1: Ordinal Conditional Functions. A Dynamic Theory of Epistemic States 30 pp. Causation Ch. 2: Direct and Indirect Causes ca. 36 pp. Ch. 3: Bayesian Nets Are All There Is To Causal Dependence 16 pp. Ch. 4: Causation: An Alternative ca. 28 pp. Ch. 5: Causal Laws are Objectifications of Inductive Schemes 30 pp. Laws Ch. 6: Laws, Ceteris Paribus Conditions, and the Dynamics of Belief 22 pp. Ch. 7: Enumerative Induction and Lawlikeness ca. 24 pp. Ch. 8: Chance and Necessity: From Humean Supervenience to Humean Projection ca. 36 pp. Coherence Ch. 9: A Reason for Explanation: Explanations Provide Stable Reasons 32 pp. Ch. 10: Two Coherence Principles 21 pp. Ch. 11: How to Understand the Foundations of Empirical Belief in a Coherentist Way 18 pp. Concepts Ch. 12: A Priori Reasons: Fresh Look at Dispositions ca. 24 pp. Ch. 13: The Character of Color Predicates: A Materialist View 29 pp. Ch. 14: Concepts Are Beliefs About Essences [with Ulrike Haas-Spohn] 30 pp. Ch. 15: The Intentional versus the Propositional Conception of the Objects of Belief ca. 26 pp. Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisIntroducing a new and ambitious position in the field, Kit Fine's Semantic Relationism is a major contribution to the philosophy of language.Trade Review"Combines careful, detailed argumentation with inspiration and synoptic vision for the bigger picture. ... One can reasonably expect Fine's book to be a spur for thinking about these issues for many years to come." (Mind, October 2009)Table of ContentsPreface. Introduction. 1. Coordination among Variables. A. The Desiderata. B. The Problem. C. The Contextualist Response. D. The Dismissive Response. E. The Instantial Approach. F. The Algebraic Approach. G. Relational Semantics for First-order Logic. 2. Coordination within Language. A. Frege’s Puzzle. B. Rejecting Compositionality. C. Semantic Fact. D. Closure. E. Referentialism Reconsidered. F. A Relational Semantics for Names. G. Transparency. 3. Coordination within Thought. A. Intentional Coordination. B. Strict Co-representation. C. The Content of Thought. D. The Cognitive Puzzle. 4. Coordination between Speakers. A. Kripke’s Puzzle. B. Some Related Puzzles. C. A Response. D. A Solution. E. A Deeper Puzzle. F. A Deeper Solution. G. The Role of Variables in Belief Reports. H. Some Semantical Morals. Postscript: Further Work. Index

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Book SynopsisDesigned for readers new to the subject, Reading Philosophy of Language presents key texts in the philosophy of language together with helpful editorial guidance. A concise collection of key texts in the philosophy of language Ideal for readers new to the subject. Features seminal texts by leading figures in the field, such as Austin, Chomsky, Davidson, Dummett and Searle. Presents three texts on each of five key topics: speech and performance; meaning and truth; knowledge of language; meaning and compositionality; and non-literal meaning. A volume introduction from the editors outlines the subject's principal concerns. Introductions to each chapter locate the pieces in context and explain relevant terminology and theories. Interactive commentaries help readers to engage with the texts. Trade Review"To get stuck in to this book is to taste the sort of intense learning experience that you might get if the editors were giving you personal tutorials. Those who teach philosophy of language to University undergraduates will regard Reading Philosophy of Language as a valuable addition to their armoury." Dr Andrew Woodfield, University of Bristol "This is an outstanding text, with a perfect blend of well-selected original works and excellent, interleaved commentary. I will immediately adopt it for my undergraduate Philosophy of Language course." David Shier, Washington State University Table of ContentsSources and Acknowledgements. Introduction. 1. Reference and Meaning:. Introduction. Introduction to Locke. John Locke, ‘Of Words’ (extracts from An Essay Concerning Human Understanding). Commentary on Locke. Introduction to Mill. J.S. Mill, ‘On Names’ (extracts from System of Logic). Commentary on Mill. Introduction to Frege. Gottlob Frege ‘On Sense and Reference’ (extract). Commentary on Frege. Conclusion. 2. Speech and Action:. Introduction. Introduction to Austin. J.L. Austin, ‘Performative Utterances’. Commentary on Austin. Introduction to Alston. William P. Alston, ‘Meaning and Use’. Commentary on Alston. Introduction to Searle. John R. Searle, ‘Meaning’ (extracts from Speech Acts). Commentary on Searle. Conclusion. 3. Meaning and Truth:. Introduction. Introduction to Davidson. Donald Davidson, ‘Radical Interpretation’. Commentary on Davidson. Introduction to Soames. Scott Soames, ‘Semantics and Semantic Competence’ (extract). Commentary on Soames. Introduction to Wright. Crispin Wright, ‘Theories of Meaning and Speakers’ Knowledge’ (extract). Commentary on Wright. Conclusion. Appendix: Tarski’s Truth-theoretic Machinery. 4. Knowledge of Language:. Introduction. Introduction to Chomsky. Noam Chomsky, ‘Knowledge of Language as a Focus of Inquiry’ (extracts from Knowledge of Language). Commentary on Chomsky. Introduction to Dummett. Michael Dummett, ‘What do I know when I know a language?’. Commentary on Dummett. Introduction to Campbell. John Campbell, ‘Knowledge and Understanding’. Commentary on Campbell. Conclusion. 5. Meaning and Compositionality:. Introduction. Introduction to Horwich. Paul Horwich, ‘The Composition of Meanings’ (extracts from Meaning). Commentary on Horwich. Introduction to Higginbotham. James Higginbotham, ‘A Perspective on Truth and Meaning’ (extracts). Commentary on Higginbotham. Introduction to Pietroski. Paul Pietroski, ‘The Undeflated Domain of Semantics’. Commentary on Pietroski. Conclusion. 6. Non-literal Meaning:. Introduction. Introduction to Bergmann. Merrie Bergmann, ‘Metaphorical Assertions’. Commentary on Bergmann. Introduction to Davies. Martin Davies, ‘Idiom and Metaphor’. Commentary on Davies. Introduction to Bach. Kent Bach, ‘Speaking Loosely: Sentence Non-Literality’. Commentary on Bach. Conclusion. Further Reading. Index

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Book SynopsisDesigned for readers new to the subject, Reading Philosophy of Language presents key texts in the philosophy of language together with helpful editorial guidance. A concise collection of key texts in the philosophy of language Ideal for readers new to the subject. Features seminal texts by leading figures in the field, such as Austin, Chomsky, Davidson, Dummett and Searle. Presents three texts on each of five key topics: speech and performance; meaning and truth; knowledge of language; meaning and compositionality; and non-literal meaning. A volume introduction from the editors outlines the subject's principal concerns. Introductions to each chapter locate the pieces in context and explain relevant terminology and theories. Interactive commentaries help readers to engage with the texts. Trade Review"To get stuck in to this book is to taste the sort of intense learning experience that you might get if the editors were giving you personal tutorials. Those who teach philosophy of language to University undergraduates will regard Reading Philosophy of Language as a valuable addition to their armoury." Dr Andrew Woodfield, University of Bristol "This is an outstanding text, with a perfect blend of well-selected original works and excellent, interleaved commentary. I will immediately adopt it for my undergraduate Philosophy of Language course." David Shier, Washington State University Table of ContentsSources and Acknowledgements ix Introduction 1 1. Reference and Meaning 7 2. Speech and Action 43 3. Meaning and Truth 89 4. Knowledge of Language 152 5. Meaning and Compositionality 215 6. Non-literal Meaning 249 Further Reading 306 Index 318

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Book SynopsisChallenges the pervasive view that the description theory of proper names is dead in the water. This title discusses several topics, including representation and information, two-dimensionalism, possible worlds, and broad versus narrow content.Table of ContentsPrologue. Lecture One: The Debate over the Theory of Reference for Proper Names. Lecture Two: Understanding, Representation, Information. Lecture Three: Ir-content and the Set of Worlds Where a Sentence is True. Lecture Four: Two Spaceism. Lecture Five: The Informational Value of Names. References. Index.

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Book SynopsisKit Fine argues for a fundamentally new approach to the study of representation in language and thought. His key idea is that there may be representational relationships between expressions or elements of thought that are not grounded in the intrinsic representational features of the expressions or elements themselves.Table of ContentsIntroduction 1. Coordination among Variables A. The Desiderata B. The Problem C. The Contextualist Response D. The Dismissive Response E. The Instantial Approach F. The Algebraic Approach G. Relational Semantics for First-order Logic 2. Coordination within Language A. Frege’s Puzzle B. Rejecting Compositionality C. Semantic Fact D. Closure E. Referentialism Reconsidered F. A Relational Semantics for Names G. Transparency 3. Coordination within Thought A. Intentional Coordination B. Strict Co-representation C. The Content of Thought D. The Cognitive Puzzle 4. Coordination between Speakers A. Kripke’s Puzzle B. Some Related Puzzles C. A Response D. A Solution E. A Deeper Puzzle F. A Deeper Solution G. The Role of Variables in Belief Reports H. Some Semantical Morals Postscript: Further Work Index

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Book SynopsisWhat might behaviorism, that debunked school of psychology, tell us about literature?If inanimate objects such as novels or poems have no mental properties of their own, then why do we talk about them as if they do? Why do we perceive the minds of characters, narrators, and speakers as if they were comparable to our own? In Behaviorism, Consciousness, and the Literary Mind, Joshua Gang offers a radical new approach to these questions, which are among the most challenging philosophical problems faced by literary study today. Recent cognitive criticism has tried to answer these questions by looking for similarities and analogies between literary form and the processes of the brain. In contrast, Gang turns to one of the twentieth century's most infamous psychological doctrines: behaviorism. Beginning in 1913, a range of psychologists and philosophersincluding John B. Watson, B. F. Skinner, and Gilbert Ryleargued that many of the things we talk about as mental phenomena aren't at all intTable of ContentsAcknowledgmentsIntroduction. Literary Experience and the Concept of Mind1. Behaviorism and the Beginnings of Close Reading2. Inner Sights3. Mental Acts4. The Form of ThoughtCoda. Observations and/or ReflectionsNotesWorks CitedIndex

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Book SynopsisWhat might behaviorism, that debunked school of psychology, tell us about literature?If inanimate objects such as novels or poems have no mental properties of their own, then why do we talk about them as if they do? Why do we perceive the minds of characters, narrators, and speakers as if they were comparable to our own? In Behaviorism, Consciousness, and the Literary Mind, Joshua Gang offers a radical new approach to these questions, which are among the most challenging philosophical problems faced by literary study today. Recent cognitive criticism has tried to answer these questions by looking for similarities and analogies between literary form and the processes of the brain. In contrast, Gang turns to one of the twentieth century's most infamous psychological doctrines: behaviorism. Beginning in 1913, a range of psychologists and philosophersincluding John B. Watson, B. F. Skinner, and Gilbert Ryleargued that many of the things we talk about as mental phenomena aren't at all intTable of ContentsAcknowledgmentsIntroduction. Literary Experience and the Concept of Mind1. Behaviorism and the Beginnings of Close Reading2. Inner Sights3. Mental Acts4. The Form of ThoughtCoda. Observations and/or ReflectionsNotesWorks CitedIndex

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Book SynopsisA short but engaging look at how questions shape our thinking. Why do we ask questions? In Questions, Pia Lauritzen explores the philosophy behind questions and probes how they function as both a development tool and a bridge to understanding. She speculates that the question is the essential characteristic that distinguishes human beings from animals and that it is the key to understanding why we think and act as we do. Basic human phenomena like surprise and doubt, ignorance and curiositywhich all articulate a questioning mode of dealing with the worldmay well be the reason why human beings developed language. Yet the diverse ways that different languages and cultures treat questions reflects and reinforces crucial cultural differences. Ultimately, Lauritzen argues, the question is the key to understanding the inner logic that links all major themes in the history of Western philosophy. In Reflections, a series copublished with Denmark's Aarhus University Press, scholars deliver 60Table of Contents1. Calling Questions Into Question?2. The First Question3. The History of the Question4. Questions And Being Human5. The Structure Of The Question6. Questions And Language

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Book SynopsisBrings the figure of the voice and the problem of mimesis in Heidegger and post-Heideggerian continental thought to bear on the dismissal of language by the affective and aesthetic turns of contemporary critical theory.

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Book SynopsisMichael Grenfell is Professor in the School of Education, Trinity College, University of Dublin, Ireland. He has researched and published extensively in Applied Linguistics and the Philosophy of Education. He had a longstanding association with Bourdieu and is author of four other books on his work, including Agent Provocateur (Continuum).Trade Review"If language is the medium of education, as Grenfell, and the authors of this book (and Bourdieu) would say, then this book is a must for all scholars of language in education, and those who would wish to understand and reflect on educational processes and practices. This book brings a passion, energy and commitment to that task that, as Bourdieu himself would do, challenges and contends with contemporary structures and debates in a lively and provocative manner. (Kate Pahl, Senior Lecturer in Education, School of Education, University of Sheffield, UK)"Table of Contents1. Introduction; Part I; 2. Bourdieu: A Theory of Practice, Michael Grenfell (Trinity College Dublin, Ireland); 3. Bourdieu, Language and Linguistics, Michael Grenfell (Trinity College Dublin, Ireland); Part II; 4. Language Variation (Phonetics and Phonology), Michael Grenfell (Trinity College Dublin, Ireland); 5. Language and Ideology, Robert Vann (Western Michigan University, USA); 6. Linguistic Ethnography, Adrian Blackledge (University of Birmingham, UK); 7. Language Policy, Stephen May (University of Waikato, New Zealand); 8. Language and Education, Cheryl Hardy (John Moores University, Liverpool, UK); Part III; 9. Towards a Bourdieusian Linguistics, Michael Grenfell (Trinity College Dublin, Ireland); 10. Conclusion Bibliography; Index.

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Trade ReviewThis is a lucid, engaging, but also rigorous, introduction to the philosophy of language. It will make an excellent undergraduate textbook and I recommend it very strongly to anyone looking for a clear introduction to this topic. -- Anthony Everett, Department of Philosophy, University of Bristol, UKAn outstanding introduction to the philosophy of language as well as to the thought of such major contributors to the area. Written with admirable clarity it will prove accessible to undergraduates encountering the subject for the first time. -- André Gallois, Professor of Philosophy, Syracuse University, New York, USAAn excellent introduction to the subject and its history. Written with Daly's characteristic lucidity, it covers the essential details of this technical discipline in a way that should be readily accessible to beginners. Advanced students and professionals, too, will benefit from Daly's sophisticated—yet eminently readable—presentation of the subject.I look forward to teaching this book. -- Paul Audi, Assistant Professor of Philosophy, University of Nebraska at Omaha, USAA chief virtue of Daly's book is that it's philosophically nuanced yet written in a way that complex ideas are accessible to students. I look forward to using this textbook in my own introduction to philosophy of language course. -- Kelly Trogdon, Assistant Professor, Philosophy Department, Lingnan University, Hong Kong, SAR ChinaTable of ContentsPreface \ Introduction \ 1. Frege on Names \ 2. Frege on Predication \ 3. Frege on Sentences \ 4. Frege on Force and Tone \ 5. Russell on Definite Descriptions \ 6. Grice on Meaning \ 7. Grice on Conversation \ 8. Quine on Meaning \ 9. Davidson on Extensional Theories of Meaning \ 10. Lewis on Intensional Theories of Meaning \ Conclusion \ Glossary \ References \ Index

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Book SynopsisIan Mueller is Emeritus Professor of Philosophy at the University of Chicago, USA.

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Book SynopsisBen Ware is a Visiting Research Fellow at the Institute of English Studies, School of Advanced Study, University of London, UK.Trade ReviewGiven the fierce complexity of Wittgenstein’s thought, Ware is to be praised for the clear exposition of his philosophy and for the many helpful suggestions he proffers for how the philosopher’s ideas might be relevant to those studying modernism. * Key Words *Overall, Benjamin Ware's dialectical reading of the Tractacus is a very stimulating and successful attempt to interpret the literature. I hope to read more from him! * Wittgenstein-Studien (Bloomsbury translation) *[Ware] broadens the context of existing discussions of the early Wittgenstein's relation to modernist critiques of culture in a very helpful way ... Anyone interested in the text will benefit from engaging with this stimulating work. * British Wittgenstein Society *Ben Ware’s superb study does not only offer a lucid and original reading of Wittgenstein’s Tractatus; it also situate it with admirable skill in the context of literary modernism and in doing so casts radical new light on this notoriously difficult philosophical text. * Terry Eagleton *Ben Ware writes a refreshing, opinionated book about Tractatus, in which Ezra Pound, Ludwig Uhland, Oswald Spengler, Thomas Mann and Julien Benda get a non-obvious place in a reading of Wittgenstein. (Bloomsbury translation) * Tijdschrift voor Filosofie *Departing from Wittgenstein's claim that the Tractatus is 'strictly philosophical and at the same time literary' Ben Ware succeeds in showing not only how it works as a contribution to literary modernism but also how this is inseparable from its philosophical achievement. He restores the strangeness to a text that we thought had become familiar and places it in the company of Kierkegaard, Nietzsche, Hofmannsthal and Kafka. It is sure to send readers back to the Tractatus with renewed wonder and curiosity. * Howard Caygill, Professor Of Modern European Philosophy, Kingston University, UK *Ludwig Wittgenstein notoriously wrote to Bertrand Russell that nobody would ever understand his Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus; for students of modernism and the avant-gardes this is no longer true, thanks to Ben Ware’s exciting new study. With a majestic authorial voice Ware leads his readers to appreciate Wittgenstein’s short text as a vital part of modern literary history. In a challenging reading of Kafka, Ware further shows how Wittgenstein’s book carries within itself a singular way of reading and experiencing literature, as well as oneself. There is little more one can expect from a scholar’s work. A formidable achievement. * Sascha Bru, Assistant Professor Modern Literature and Theory, University of Leuven, Belgium *Table of ContentsAcknowledgements Abbreviations Preface 1 Modernity-Modernism-Avant-Garde 2 Ethics and the Literary in Wittgenstein’s Tractatus 3 Modernity, Culture and the Question of Politics 4 The Tractatus, Modernism and the Limits of Language 5 Towards a Literary Use of Wittgenstein: The Tractatus and Kafka’s ‘Der Bau’ Notes References Index

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Book SynopsisAn important work by 20-century philosopher Hans Blumenberg, here translated into English for the first time, The Laughter of the Thracian Woman describes the reception history of an anecdote best known from Plato’s Theaetetus dialogue: while focused on observing the stars, the early astronomer and proto-philosopher Thales of Miletus fails to see a well directly in his path and tumbles down. A Thracian servant girl laughs, amused that he sought to understand what was above him when he was not mindful of what was right in front of him. Blumenberg sees the story as a highly sought substitute for our missing knowledge of the earliest historical events that would fit the label “theory.” By retelling the anecdote, philosophers reveal their distinctive values regarding absorption in curiosity, philosophy’s past, and the demand that theorists abide by sanctioned methods and procedures. In this work and others, Blumenberg demonstrates that philosophers’ most beloved images and anecdotes have become indispensable to philosophy as metaphors; that is, as representations whose meanings remain indefinite and invite frequent reinterpretation.Trade ReviewThis English translation of Das Lachen der Thrakerin, the original German of which first appeared with Suhrkamp in 1987, will no doubt intensify the impression among anglophone readers that Blumenberg is a decidedly historical and literary philosopher whose own thinking emerges from an almost obsessive level of engagement with the minutiae of Western intellectual history, including the genre of the philosophical anecdote ... Like many of Blumenberg's works, Das Lachen der Thrakerin demands a lot of the reader: a detailed knowledge of the Western tradition, not only of philosophy, but of letters in general, from the Presocratics to the present; and patience with an argumentative method which revels in the detours and the details, and which is thin on orienting summaries (here the highly informative Afterword and scholarly apparatus provided by Hawkins offer much historical context and orientation). * Modern Language Review *Greek astronomer Thales of Miletus was the original absent-minded professor. He was walking and studying the night sky, it is said, when he tripped and fell into a well, leading him to theorize that water—and not a god or gods—was the prime mover of reality. German-Jewish ‘philosophical anthropologist’ Blumenberg follows the myth of Thales through the ages to show that the scientific endeavor is necessary but also fundamentally ridiculous. It culminates with an attack on ‘incomprehensible arrogance’ as the most destructive human tendency, reaffirming modesty and skepticism. Today everything is made of data instead of water; Blumenberg, translated with great care by Spencer Hawkins, reminds me that we are still as ridiculous as Thales. -- David Auerbach * Slate Magazine *In its sweeping scope and singular focus, Hans Blumenberg’s The Laughter of the Thracian Woman provides a monadic history of how to read the beginning of thinking as located precisely at the nexus of storytelling and reflection, literature and philosophy. In Blumenberg’s series of relentless reconstructions and analyses, the telling and re-telling of the anecdote of Thales falling into a well – over and over again, from Plato to Heidegger, accompanied by the Thracian woman’s laughter – comes to form the central image for the tension within philosophy between theoretical reflection and intuitive insight. * Paul Fleming, Professor of German and Comparative Literature, Director, Institute for German Cultural Studies (IGCS), Cornell University, USA *Hans Blumenberg stands as one of the most important and innovative thinkers of the twentieth century. As a philosopher, historian of science, and literary scholar, his work has made indispensable contributions to a broad range of fields across the Humanities and the Social Sciences. This impeccably nuanced translation of The Laughter of the Thracian Woman promises to enhance our understanding of Blumenberg’s methodology and the theoretical premises that drive his thought, while offering key insights into the perennial tensions between theory and realism, contemplation and action, philosophical reflection and the Lebenswelt. * John T. Hamilton, William R. Kenan Professor of German and Comparative Literature, Chair, Germanic Languages and Literatures, Harvard University, USA *Table of ContentsIntroduction: Reading into the Distance About this book I. Theory as exotic behavior II. Socrates is shifted into protohistory III. Knowledge about heaven and capability on earth IV. The theorist between comedy and tragedy V. Reoccupations VI. Astrological predominance VII. Applause and scorn from the moralists VIII. As adopted by historical critique IX. From cursing sinners to scorn for the Creation X. Tycho Brahe's coachman and the earthquake in Lisbon XI. Absentmindednesses XII. In what matter Thales had failed according to Nietzsche XIII. How to recognize what matters IVX. Interdisciplinarity as repetition of protohistory Works Cited

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Book SynopsisThe way we communicate with people matters, and the way we communicate about people, and about the purpose and practice of social care and social work matters too. The words we use reflect our values and feelings which influences the way we think and behave. This is a book about language, and how the words we hear, read and choose to use both expose and perpetuate attitudes and behaviours. It's about the words that are too dominant in our narrative and practice, and the words that should dominate. It's also a book about change. Changing how we communicate about people. Changing how we understand and articulate the purpose of social care. Changing how we practice. And ultimately changing the story of social care. And mainly it's a book about being human. About recognising each other as equal, valued human beings, and about creating a more human, humane future for us all.

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Book SynopsisThe rule-following debate, in its concern with the metaphysics and epistemology of linguistic meaning and mental content, goes to the heart of the most fundamental questions of contemporary philosophy of mind and language. This volume gathers together the most important contributions to the topic, including papers by Simon Blackburn, Paul Boghossian, Graeme Forbes, Warren Goldfarb, Paul Horwich, John McDowell, Colin McGinn, Ruth Millikan, Philip Pettit, George Wilson, Crispin Wright, and Jose Zalabardo. The debate has centred on Saul Kripke's reading of the rule-following sections in Wittgenstein and his consequent posing of a sceptical paradox that threatens our everyday notions of linguistic meaning and mental content. These essays are attempts to respond to this challenge and represent some of the most important work in contemporary theory of meaning. With an introductory essay and a comprehensive guide to further reading this book is an excellent resource for courses in philosophy of mind, philosophy of language, Wittgenstein, and metaphysics, as well as for all philosophers, linguists, and cognitive scientists with interests in these areas.Trade Review"Addresses isssues of central importance to contemporary work in analytic philosophy of mind, language and metaphysics, and there is no other anthology on these issues that takes account of Kripke's work and the ensuing literature." - David Davies, McGill UniversityTable of Contents1. Introduction Alexander Miller 2. Scepticism and semantic knowledge Graeme Forbes 3. The individual strikes back Simon Blackburn 4. Wittgenstein on following a rule John McDowell 5. Wittgenstein, Kripke and nonreductionism about meaning Colin McGinn 6. Kripke on Wittgenstein on rules Warren Goldfarb 7. Critical notice of McGinn's "Wittgenstein on Meaning" Crispin Wright 8. Meaning and intention as judgement-dependent Crispin Wright 9. The rule-following considerations Paul Boghossian 10. The reality of rule-following Philip Pettit 11. Truth rules, hoverflies, and the Kripke-Wittgenstein paradox Ruth Millikan 12. Kripke on Wittgenstein on normativity George Wilson 13. Meaning, use and truth Paul Horwich 14. Kripke's normativity argument Jose Zalabardo Index

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Book SynopsisHuman thought and action is fundamentally shaped by a small set of cognitive categories, such as time, space, causality, or possession. It is not surprising, therefore, that all natural languages have developed many devices to express these categories. Temporality, for example, is reflected in the lexical meaning of verbs, in grammatical marking of tense and aspect, in time adverbials, in special particles, and in the application of discourse principles. Many of these devices have been the subject of intensive research across languages; but as a rule, this research focuses on particular aspects, it does not look at the expression of such a category as a whole, which is precisely the aim of the present series. The short volumes bring together what is known about the expression of a particular category in human language.

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Book SynopsisThe theory of signifying (significs), formulated and introduced by Victoria Welby for the first time in 1890s, is at the basis of much of twentieth-century linguistics, as well as in other language and communication sciences such as sociolinguistics, psycholinguistics, translation theory and semiotics. Indirectly, the origins of approaches, methods and categories elaborated by analytical philosophy, Wittgenstein himself, Anglo-American speech act theory, and pragmatics are largely found with Victoria Lady Welby. Indeed, it is no exaggeration to say, in addition, that Welby is the "founding mother" of semiotics. Some of Peirce's most innovative writings - for example, those on existential graphs - are effectively letters to Lady Welby. She was an esteemed correspondent of scholars such as Bertrand Russell, Charles K. Ogden, Herbert G. Wells, Ferdinand S. C. Schiller, Michel Bréal, André Lalande, the brothers Henry and William James, and Peirce, as well as Frederik van Eeden, Mary Everst Boole, Ferdinand Tönnies, and Giovanni Vailati. Her writings directly inspired the Signific Movement in the Netherlands, important for psycholinguistics, linguistics and semantics and inaugurated by van Eeden and developed by such authors as Gerrit Mannoury. This volume, containing introductions and commentaries, presents a selection from Welby's published and unpublished writings delineating the whole course of her research through to developments with the Significs Movement in the Netherlands and still other ramifications, contemporary and subsequent to her. A selection of essays by first-generation significians contributing to the Signific Movement in the Netherlands completes the collection, testifying to the progress of significs after Welby and even independently from her. This volume contributes to the reconstruction on both the historical and theoretical levels of an important period in the history of ideas. The aim of the volume is to convey a sense of the theoretical topicality of significs and its developments, especially in semiotics, and in particular its thematization of the question of values and the connection with signs, meaning, and understanding, therefore with human verbal and nonverbal behavior, language and communication.

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The Gongsun Longzi is often considered the only extant work of the Classical Chinese “School of Names”, an early intellectual tradition (trad. dated to the 4th cent. B.C.) mainly concerned with logic and the philosophy of language. The Gongsun Longzi is a heterogeneous collection of five chapters that include short treatises and largely fictive dialogues between an anonymous persuader and his opponent, which typically revolve around a paradoxical claim. Its value as a testimony to Early Chinese philosophy, however, is somewhat controversial due to the intricate textual history of the text and our limited knowledge about its intellectual backgrounds. This volume gathers contributions by leading specialists in the fields of Classical Chinese philosophy, philology, logic, and linguistics. Besides an overview of the scholarly literature on the topic and a detailed account of the reception of the text throughout time, it presents fresh insights into philological and philosophical problems raised by the Gongsun Longzi and other closely-related texts equally attributed to the “School of Names”.

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Book SynopsisRobert Radins Teaching English to Refugees does it all, weaving together memoir, philosophy of language, social-justice advocacy, and graphic narrative into a haunting meditation on what can happen when the least powerful among us escape oppression and seek refuge in the United States. With the unerring precision of both linguist and poet, Radin tells a story of teaching English to refugees from such troubled areas of the world as Iraq, Somalia, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. As he struggles to find ways to reach across languages and cultures so disparate they do not even seem to be part of the same world, a quieter story plays out -- his own, where multi-generational Jewish legacies get compressed into incisive and singular moments of prose you wont soon forget. Through it all, the voices of his Muslim students -- haltingly at first, and then with increasing confidence -- carve out a space for being all their own. Like Jenny Erpenbecks Go, Went, Gone, this spare, unsparing, and intrepid book takes a close, unwavering look at some of the hardest stories of our times until nothing is what it seems at first and students become teachers to us all. -- Katharine Haake, Professor of English, California State University Northridge, author of The Time of Quarantine and That Water, Those RocksTrade ReviewPart parable and part memoir, this powerful meditation on language and memory, teachers and students, has a mysterious and magical force to it. Its a beautiful gift from Robert Radin to his students, and to us, his fortunate readers. James E. Young, Distinguished University Professor Emeritus, University of Massachusetts Amherst, author of The Stages of Memory, At Memorys Edge, and The Texture of MemoryTable of ContentsPart One: The Color Blue; Part Two: Springfield 2011; Part Three: Rapture of the Deep; Credits; Acknowledgements.

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Book SynopsisThis past decade or so, the study of East Norse philology has been experiencing something of a renaissance. This volume contains twelve articles written by international scholars from seven different countries. Based on papers given at the Fourth International Conference for East Norse Philology held in Cologne in June 2019, this volume presents the latest research within areas such as Text Witness and Linguistics, Paleography as well as Codicology, Transmission, Adaptation, and Media Change. Three Crowns and Eleven Tears: East Norse Philology from Cologne is the fourth volume published by Selskab for Østnordisk Filologi Sällskap för östnordisk filologi, founded in Uppsala in 2013.

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Book SynopsisThis book is intended as counter-evidence to the perception that Linguistics is a domain of dusty schoolroom grammar. It follows that linguistics can be characterised differently than as proponents of theoretical orientations who spend their brief breaks from their bone-dry work bashing each other over the head with their different favourite abstractions. The discipline may appear to outsiders as fragmented and -- worse still -- lacking in relevance to the real world outside its gates. This book demonstrates that Linguistics, in all its varied branches, can be entertaining as well as thought-provoking, and that its domain is indeed a coherent one despite all the internecine squabbling. In an unconventional way Michael Fortescue introduces his subject as a kind of fable with a historical moral that professional linguists, as well as students, should enjoy as a useful commentary on the state of the discipline today.

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