Optimal communication / Reinhard Blutner, Helen de Hoop, Petra Hendriks.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Blutner, Reinhard.

Contributor:

Hoop, Helen de, 1964-

Hendriks, Petra, 1964-

Series:

CSLI lecture notes ; no. 177.

CSLI lecture notes ; no. 177

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Optimality theory (Linguistics).

Pragmatics.

Grammar, Comparative and general--Syntax.

Grammar, Comparative and general.

Physical Description:

x, 181 pages : illustrations ; 24 cm.

Place of Publication:

Stanford, Calif. : CSLI Publications, [2006]

Summary:

Conversation tends to be much more effective than would seem possible with the imprecise and ambiguous medium of language. This book, the first devoted to Optimality Theoretic Semantics and bidirectional Optimality Theory, shows how communication combines aspects of semantics and pragmatics such as compositionality, the role of speaker and hearer, and the acquisition of meanings.

Cutting-edge research results are presented within the areas of the syntax/semantics interface and formal semantics/pragmatics as this book provides an overview of recent developments within semantic theory. Applying ideas from Optimality Theory to the domain of interpretation, optimal meanings are viewed as the result of a process of conflict resolution between competing constraints.

Though not written as a textbook, this book can be central to graduate courses and advanced undergraduate courses in cognitive science, artificial intelligence, and linguistics generally but natural language semantics especially. Indeed portions of the manuscript already serve in such courses taught by the authors as they bring to the classroom their influential new approaches.

Contents:

Recoverability

Compositionality

Bidirectionality

Learning

Foundations.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages 161-171) and index.

ISBN:

1575865149

1575865130

OCLC:

61879197

Publisher Number:

9781575865133

9781575865140

Online:

Contributor biographical information

Publisher description