Lexicology: Short Introduction, A

Description:
This readable introductory textbook presents a concise survey of lexicology. The first section of the book is a survey of the study of words, providing students with an overview of basic issues in defining and understanding the word as a unit of language. This section also examines the history of lexicology, the evolution of dictionaries and recent developments in the field. The second section extends this study of lexicology into the relationship between words and meaning, etymology, prescription, language as social phenomenon and translation. 'Lexicology: A Short Introduction' will be of interest to undergraduate students of linguistics.

Table of Contents:
1. Lexicology - M. A. K. Halliday; 1.1. What is a Word?; 1.2. Methods in Lexicology: the Dictionary; 1.3. Methods in Lexicology: the Thesaurus; 1.4. History of Lexicology: India, China, the Islamic World, Europe; 1.5. Evolution of the Dictionary and Thesaurus in England; 1.6. Recent Developments in Lexicology; 1.7. Sources and Resources; 2. Words and Meaning - Colin Yallop; 2.1 Words in Language; 2.2 Words and Meaning; 2.3 Etymology; 2.4 Prescription; 2.5 A Social View of Language and Meaning; 2.6 Saussure and Firth; 2.7 Cognitive Linguistics; 2.8 Language and Reality; 2.9 Language and Languages; 2.10 Translation; Bibliography.

Author Biography:
Professor M. A. K. Halliday (b. 1925) was Foundation Professor of Linguistics at the University of Sydney, Australia, until his retirement and has taught as a Visiting Professor around the world. As a self-styled 'generalist' he has published in many branches of linguistics. Colin Yallop is Adjunct Professor at Macquarie University, Australia.