Description

Book Synopsis
Sense and Sensitivity advances a novel research proposal in the nascent field of formal pragmatics, exploring in detail the semantics and pragmatics of focus in natural language discourse. The authors develop a new account of focus sensitivity, and show that what has hitherto been regarded as a uniform phenomenon in fact results from three different mechanisms. The book
  • Makes a major contribution to ongoing research in the area of focus sensitivity a field exploring interactions between sound and meaning, specifically the dependency some words have on the effects of focus, such as she only LIKES me (i.e. nothing deeper) compared to she only likes ME (i.e. nobody else)
  • Discusses the features of the QFC theory (Quasi association, Free association, and Conventional association), a new account of focus implying a tripartite typology of focus-sensitive expressions
  • Presents novel cross-linguistic data on focus and focus sensitivity that will be relevant ac

    Trade Review
    "Move over, Austen--and Austin. Prodigiously comprehensive and engagingly presented, Beaver and Clark's rich and subtle study of focus is essential reading on intonational meaning, scalar particles, implicature, presupposition, polarity licensing, and alternative semantics. This is sensitivity training of the highest order." Laurence Horn, Yale University "Sense and Sensitivity merits a close reading by anyone interested in contemporary pragmatic theory. It is clearly written and accessible, and offers a carefully reasoned case for lexical sensitivity to focus. Beaver and Clark's thesis is sure to serve as a touchstone for further work on the subject." Craige Roberts, Ohio State University

    Table of Contents
    1. Introduction.

    2. Intonation and Meaning.

    3. Three degrees of association.

    4. Compositional analysis of focus.

    5. Pragmatic Explanations of Focus.

    6. Association with Reduced Material.

    7. Extraction and Ellipsis.

    8. Monotonicity and Presupposition.

    9. Exclusives: facts and history.

    10. Exclusives: a discourse account.

    11. Conclusion

Sense and Sensitivity

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    £40.95

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    Order before 4pm today for delivery by Tue 30 Jun 2026.

    A Paperback / softback by David I. Beaver, Brady Z. Clark

    10 in stock


      View other formats and editions of Sense and Sensitivity by David I. Beaver

      Publisher: John Wiley and Sons Ltd
      Publication Date: 05/09/2008
      ISBN13: 9781405112642, 978-1405112642
      ISBN10: 1405112646
      Also in:
      Linguistics

      Description

      Book Synopsis
      Sense and Sensitivity advances a novel research proposal in the nascent field of formal pragmatics, exploring in detail the semantics and pragmatics of focus in natural language discourse. The authors develop a new account of focus sensitivity, and show that what has hitherto been regarded as a uniform phenomenon in fact results from three different mechanisms. The book
      • Makes a major contribution to ongoing research in the area of focus sensitivity a field exploring interactions between sound and meaning, specifically the dependency some words have on the effects of focus, such as she only LIKES me (i.e. nothing deeper) compared to she only likes ME (i.e. nobody else)
      • Discusses the features of the QFC theory (Quasi association, Free association, and Conventional association), a new account of focus implying a tripartite typology of focus-sensitive expressions
      • Presents novel cross-linguistic data on focus and focus sensitivity that will be relevant ac

        Trade Review
        "Move over, Austen--and Austin. Prodigiously comprehensive and engagingly presented, Beaver and Clark's rich and subtle study of focus is essential reading on intonational meaning, scalar particles, implicature, presupposition, polarity licensing, and alternative semantics. This is sensitivity training of the highest order." Laurence Horn, Yale University "Sense and Sensitivity merits a close reading by anyone interested in contemporary pragmatic theory. It is clearly written and accessible, and offers a carefully reasoned case for lexical sensitivity to focus. Beaver and Clark's thesis is sure to serve as a touchstone for further work on the subject." Craige Roberts, Ohio State University

        Table of Contents
        1. Introduction.

        2. Intonation and Meaning.

        3. Three degrees of association.

        4. Compositional analysis of focus.

        5. Pragmatic Explanations of Focus.

        6. Association with Reduced Material.

        7. Extraction and Ellipsis.

        8. Monotonicity and Presupposition.

        9. Exclusives: facts and history.

        10. Exclusives: a discourse account.

        11. Conclusion

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