The book is concerned with frame theory, which in recent years has experienced an immense growth in interest, not only in Germanic Linguistics. Frames are knowledge structures in the long-term memory which are of relevance for understanding expressions in language. Thus, for example, the gratuity frame makes knowledge available about eating in a restaurant. Frames can also be deployed as analytical tools. This is demonstrated using the metaphor of "financial investors as locusts" coined by the then-SPD Minister of Labour Franz Müntefering.

Alexander Ziem, Universität Basel, Schweiz.