Realms of Meaning presents an accessible introduction to semantics. It provides an understanding of the way meaning works in natural languages, against a background of how we communicate with language. Avoiding theoretical terminology and linguistic theories it concentrates instead on the analysis of meaning, and looks in depth at such subjects as opposites and negatives, modal verbs, prepositions and word meanings. Examples are chosen mainly from English to provide material for the wider discussion of the principles of the subject, but European, East Asian and other languages also provide illuminating examples.

Thomas Hofmann

Preface 1. On Entering the Realms 2. Markedness 3. Opposites and Negatives 4. Deixis 5. Orientations 6. Modal Verbs 7. Time: Tense and Aspect 8. Limits to Events 9. Prepositions 10. Reference and Predication 11. Words and Sentences 12. Word Meanings 13. Combining Sentences 14. Meaning and Context 15. Afterwords Acknowledgements Index.