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Books > Language & Literature > Language & linguistics > Philosophy of language
This interesting and provocative work develops a new theological approach to language in the light of contemporary critical theory. eBook available with sample pages: 0203380797
New Media Language brings leading media figures and scholars together to debate the shifting relations between today's media and contemporary language. From newspapers and television to email, the internet and text messaging, there are ever increasing media conduits for the news. This book investigates how developments in world media have affected, and been affected by, language. Exploring a wide range of topics, from the globalization of communication to the vocabulary of terrorism and the language used in the wake of September 11, New Media Language looks at the important and wide-ranging implications of these changes. From Malcolm Gluck on wine writing to Naomi Baron on email, the authors provide authoritative and engaging insights into the ways in which language is changing, and in turn, changes us. With a foreword by Simon Jenkins, New Media Language is essential reading for anyone with an interest in today's complex and expanding media.
New Media Language brings leading media figures and scholars together to debate the shifting relations between today's media and contemporary language. From newspapers and television to email, the internet and text messaging, there are ever increasing media conduits for the news. This book investigates how developments in world media have affected, and been affected by, language. Exploring a wide range of topics, from the globalization of communication to the vocabulary of terrorism and the language used in the wake of September 11, New Media Language looks at the important and wide-ranging implications of these changes. From Malcolm Gluck on wine writing to Naomi Baron on email, the authors provide authoritative and engaging insights into the ways in which language is changing, and in turn, changes us. With a foreword by Simon Jenkins, New Media Language is essential reading for anyone with an interest in today's complex and expanding media.
Contents: Introduction. 1. Philosophy of language 2. Formally oriented work in the philosophy of language 3. Metaphysics I (1900-45) 4. Metaphysics II (1945 onwards) 5. Ethics I (1900 - 1945) 6. Ethics II (1945 to the present) 7. Epistemology 8. Wittgenstein's later philosophy 9. Political philosophy 10. Feminist philosophy 11. Philosophy of law 12. Applied ethics 13. Aesthetics 14. Philosophy of religion.
Bertrand Russell, G. E. Moore, and other analytic philosophers of
the early 20th century claimed to depart from the British idealists
who dominated philosophical debate from the 1870s onwards. The
nature and extent of this departure is now widely questioned as
philosophers return to the writings of Bernard Bosanquet, F. H.
Bradley, R. G. Collingwood, T. H. Green, J. M. E. McTaggart, and
others. Nowadays, the British idealist movement is mostly
remembered for its seminal contributions to metaphysics, ethics,
and political philosophy. The contributors to this volume explore
some of the movement's other, equally-insightful, contributions to
the philosophies of language, aesthetics and emotions. These
chapters cover core philosophical issues including the relationship
between the speech communities and the general will; the role of
emotions in the Absolute; key differences between leading British
idealists on the relationships between emotions and relations; the
nature of love; the historical re-enactment of imagination and
creativity; expressivism in art; and the actual idealism of the
British idealists' Italian counterparts. This book was originally
published as a special issue of the British Journal of the History
of Philosophy.
Professor Howard Lasnik is one of the world's leading theoretical linguists. He has produced influential and important work in areas such as syntactic theory, logical form, and learnability. This collection of essays draws together some of his best work from his substantial contribution to linguistic theory.
'Perhaps because he is a good novelist himself, Mr Lodge's subjection of various writers to detailed linguistic analysis is illuminating and exciting.' - Daily Telegraph
'Something of a milestone in English criticism. an important addition to English critical writing about the genre of the novel' - Tony Tanner, The Modern Language Review
This comprehensive volume examines the relationship between
revolutionary politics and the act of writing in modern South Asia.
Its pages feature a diverse cast of characters: rebel poets and
anxious legislators, party theoreticians and industrious
archivists, nostalgic novelists, enterprising journalists and more.
The authors interrogate the multiple forms and effects of
revolutionary storytelling in politics and public life, questioning
the easy distinction between 'words' and 'deeds' and considering
the distinct consequences of writing itself. While acknowledging
that the promise, fervour or threat of revolution is never
reducible to the written word, this collection explores how
manifestos, lyrics, legal documents, hagiographies and other
constellations of words and sentences articulate, contest and enact
revolutionary political practice in both colonial and post-colonial
South Asia. Emphasising the potential of writing to incite, contain
or reorient the present, this volume promises to provoke new
conversations at the intersection of historiography, politics and
literature in South Asia, urging scholars and activists to
interrogate their own storytelling practices and the relationship
of the contemporary moment to violent and contested pasts. This
book was originally published as a special issue of South Asia:
Journal of South Asian Studies.
God is infinite, but language finite; thus speech would seem to
condemn Him to finitude. In speaking of God, would the theologian
violate divine transcendence by reducing God to immanence, or
choose, rather, to remain silent? At stake in this argument is a
core problem of the conditions of divine revelation. How, in terms
of language and the limitations of human understanding, can
transcendence ever be made known? Does its very appearance not
undermine its transcendence, its condition of unknowability? Speech
and Theology posits that the paradigm for the encounter between the
material and the divine, or the immanent and transcendent, is found
in the Incarnation: God's voluntary self-immersion in the human
world as an expression of His love for His creation. By this key
act of grace, hinged upon Christs condescension to human finitude,
philosophy acquires the means not simply to speak of perfection,
which is to speak theologically, but to bridge the gap between word
and thing in general sense.
God is infinite, but language finite; thus speech would seem to
condemn Him to finitude. In speaking of God, would the theologian
violate divine transcendence by reducing God to immanence, or
choose, rather, to remain silent? At stake in this argument is a
core problem of the conditions of divine revelation. How, in terms
of language and the limitations of human understanding, can
transcendence ever be made known? Does its very appearance not
undermine its transcendence, its condition of unknowability?
Speech and Theology posits that the paradigm for the encounter
between the material and the divine, or the immanent and
transcendent, is found in the Incarnation: God's voluntary
self-immersion in the human world as an expression of His love for
His creation. By this key act of grace, hinged upon Christs
condescension to human finitude, philosophy acquires the means not
simply to speak of perfection, which is to speak theologically, but
to bridge the gap between word and thing in general sense.
This collection suggests that the disciplines of literature and anthropology are not static entities but instead fluid sites of shifting cultural currents and academic interests. The essays conclude that the origins, sources, and intersections of the two disciplines are constantly being revised, and reconceived, leading to new possibilities of understanding texts. The authors address the ways in which the language of social science fuses with that of the literary imagination. The essays fit excellently with the current interest in interdisciplinary studies and challenge students to see texts as parts of a larger global and cultural matrix. eBook available with sample pages: 0203218051
The 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.
One of the most influential contemporary philosophers, Hilary Putnam's involvement in philosophy spans philosophy of mind, philosophy of language, ontology and epistemology and logic. This specially commissioned collection discusses his contribution to the realist and pragmatist debate. Hilary Putnam comments on the issues raised in each article, making it invaluable for any scholar of his work.
Published in 1998, this book argues that in recent decades,
Anglo-American philosophy of language has been captivated by the
idea that the key to progress in this area of philosophy lies in
investigating the possibility of constructing a theory of meaning.
This text provides an in-depth critique of the Davidsonian
suggestion that Tarski's work on formal definitions of truth is an
important element in allowing us to understand the form that the
theory of meaning should take.
Landmarks in Linguistic Thought II introduces the major issues and themes that have determined the development of Western thinking about language, meaning and communication in the twentieth century. Each chapter contains an extract from a 'landmark' text followed by a commentary, which places the ideas in their social and intellectual context. The book is written in an accessible and non-technical manner. The book summarizes the contribution of the key thinkers who have shaped modern linguistics. These include Austin, Chomsky, Derrida, Firth, Goffman, Harris, Jakobson, Labov, Orwell, Sapir, Whorf and Wittgenstein. This second volume follows on from Landmarks in Linguistic Thought I, which introduces the key thinkers up to the twentieth century. The series is ideal for anyone with an interest in the history of linguistics or of ideas.
Creolization of Language and Culture is the first, fully revised, English edition of Robert Chaudenson's landmark text Des îles, des hommes, des langues. Referring to the main varieties of creole French, Chaudenson argues against the traditional account of the origins of creoles for a more sophisticated view which takes account of the peculiar linguistic and social factors at play in colonial societies. This is an accessible book which makes an important contribution to the study of pidgin and creole language varieties, as well as to the development of contemporary European languages outside Europe. Key features include: *Analysis of current debates on the development of creoles *Discussion of many aspects of human culture including music, medicine, cooking, magic and folklore *Translation into English of all French sources from which Chaudenson quotes extensively
'Brilliant. Searching and profound' E.H. Carr, Times Literary
Supplement 'When reading Isaiah Berlin we breathe an altogether
different air' New York Review of Books 'Beautifully written' W. H.
Auden, New Yorker 'Ingenious. Exactly what good critical writing
should be' Max Beloff, Guardian The fox knows many things, but the
hedgehog knows one big thing. For Isaiah Berlin, there is a
fundamental distinction in mankind: those who are fascinated by the
infinite variety of things - foxes - and those who relate
everything to a central all-embracing system - hedgehogs. It can be
applied to the greatest creative minds: Dante, Ibsen and Proust are
hedgehogs, while Shakespeare, Aristotle and Joyce are foxes. Yet
when Berlin reaches the case of Tolstoy, he finds a fox by nature,
but a hedgehog by conviction; a duality which holds the key to
understanding Tolstoy's work, illuminating a paradox of his
philosophy of history and showing why he was frequently
misunderstood by his contemporaries and critics. With a foreword by
Michael Ignatieff A W&N Essential
Russell's "On Denoting" and Frege's "On Sense and Reference" are
now widely held to be two of the founding papers of 20th-century
philosophy and form the heart of the famous "linguistic turn". They
have generated a wealth of secondary literature and remain at the
forefront of contemporary discussion in philosophy of language,
thought and logic. This book challenges the accepted understanding
of these two seminal papers. It forces us to reconsider
contemporary approaches to the semantics of proper names and
definite descriptions through a historically sensitive
interpretation of Russell's and Frege's work on meaning. Gideon
Makin compares the work Russell did shortly before his famous essay
"On Denoting" with the essay itself and argues that this comparison
shows that the traditional view of the problem Russell was trying
to solve is untenable. Makin then examines Frege's classic essay
and argues that some of the less well-known views that Frege held
have radical implications for our understanding of this essay.
Russell's "On Denoting" and Frege's "On Sense and Reference" are
now widely held to be two of the founding papers of 20th-century
philosophy and form the heart of the famous "linguistic turn". They
have generated a wealth of secondary literature and remain at the
forefront of contemporary discussion in philosophy of language,
thought and logic. This book challenges the accepted understanding
of these two seminal papers. It forces us to reconsider
contemporary approaches to the semantics of proper names and
definite descriptions through a historically sensitive
interpretation of Russell's and Frege's work on meaning. Gideon
Makin compares the work Russell did shortly before his famous essay
"On Denoting" with the essay itself and argues that this comparison
shows that the traditional view of the problem Russell was trying
to solve is untenable. Makin then examines Frege's classic essay
and argues that some of the less well-known views that Frege held
have radical implications for our understanding of this essay.
This historical study investigates Ludwig Wittgenstein's early philosophy of logic and language, as it is presented in his Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus. Drawing on Wittgenstein's correspondence, and on his numerous pre-Tractatus manuscripts, the study makes a case for the Tractatus as an insightful critique of the philosophies of Bertrand Russell and Gottlob Frege - the Founding Fathers of analytic philosophy. The book urges a re-assessment of the relative influence of these philosophers on the early Wittgenstein. It argues that the current vogue for "Fregean" readings of the Tractatus has tended to obscure the true depth and importance of Wittgenstein's involvement with Russell's philosophy. This case is built through a series of detailed studies of central logico-linguistic topics including: tautology, logical assertion, the picture theory of the proposition and the deductive inference.
Contents: Preface 1. The Principle 1.1. Statement of the Principle 1.2 Alternative Formulations 1.3 Parallelism 1.4 Substitutivity 1.5 Functionality 1.6 Summary 2. Linguistic Semantics 2.1 Is Semantics Empirical 2.2 The First Dogma 2.3 The Second Dogma 2.4 Semantics without Epistemology 2.5 Semantics without Ontology 2.6 The Third Dogma 2.7 Summary 3. The Argument 3.1 The Argument from Understanding 3.2 Meaning and Understanding 3.3 The Strong Principle of Understanding 3.4 The Modest Principle of Understanding 3.5 Understanding and the Missing Shade of Blue 3.6 Summary 4. Adjectives in Context 4.1 The Context Thesis 4.2 The Color of a Painted Leaf 4.3 Problems of 'Good' 4.4 Ways of Being Good 4.5 Varieties of Incompleteness 4.6 Ways of Being Green? 4.7 Summary 5. Descriptions in Context 5.1 A Parallel 5.2 Referring and Quantifying Phrases 5.3 Two Objections to the Quantificational View 5.4 Replies to Donnellan's Objection 5.5 Replies to Heim's Objection 5.6 Methodological Considerations 5.7 Co-referring Phrases and File-Cards 5.8 Summary 6. In Place of a Conclusion Bibliography Index
Philosophy for Linguists provides students with a clear, concise introduction to the main topics in the philosophy of language. Focusing on what linguists need to know and how philosophy relates to modern linguistics, the book is structured around key branches of linguistics: semantics, pragmatics, and language acquisition. Assuming no prior knowledge of philosophy, Siobhan Chapman traces the history and development of ideas in the philosophy of language and outlines the contributions of specific philosophers. The book is highly accessible and student-oriented and includes: * a general introduction and introductions to each chapter * numerous examples and quotations * comprehensive suggestions for further reading * an extensive glossary of linguistic terms.
Spanish is now the third most widely spoken language in the world after English and Chinese. This book traces how and why Spanish has arrived at this position, examining its role in the diverse societies where it is spoken from Europe to the Americas. Providing a comprehensive survey of language issues in the Spanish-speaking world, the book outlines the historical roots of the emergence of Spanish or Castilian as the dominant language, analyzes the situation of minority language groups, and traces the role of Spanish and its colonial heritage in Latin America. The book is structured in four sections: * Spanish as a national language: conflict and hegemony * Legislation and the realities of linguistic diversity * Language and education * The future of Spanish. Throughout the book Clare Mar-Molinero asks probing questions such as: How does language relate to power? What is its link with identity? What is the role of language in nation-building? Who decides how language is taught? eBook available with sample pages: 0203443721
Philosophy for Linguists provides students with a clear, concise introduction to the main topics in the philosophy of language. Focusing on what linguists need to know and how philosophy relates to modern linguistics, the book is structured around key branches of linguistics: semantics, pragmatics, and language acquisition. Assuming no prior knowledge of philosophy, Siobhan Chapman traces the history and development of ideas in the philosophy of language and outlines the contributions of specific philosophers. The book is highly accessible and student-oriented and includes: * a general introduction and introductions to each chapter * numerous examples and quotations * comprehensive suggestions for further reading * an extensive glossary of linguistic terms.
Spanish is now the third most widely spoken language in the world after English and Chinese. This book traces how and why Spanish has arrived at this position, examining its role in the diverse societies where it is spoken from Europe to the Americas. Providing a comprehensive survey of language issues in the Spanish-speaking world, the book outlines the historical roots of the emergence of Spanish or Castilian as the dominant language, analyzes the situation of minority language groups, and traces the role of Spanish and its colonial heritage in Latin America. The book is structured in four sections: * Spanish as a national language: conflict and hegemony * Legislation and the realities of linguistic diversity * Language and education * The future of Spanish. Throughout the book Clare Mar-Molinero asks probing questions such as: How does language relate to power? What is its link with identity? What is the role of language in nation-building? Who decides how language is taught?
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