Words in the mind : an introduction to the mental lexicon / Jean Aitchison.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Aitchison, Jean, 1938-

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Lexicology--Psychological aspects.

Lexicology.

Psycholinguistics.

Physical Description:

xii, 335 pages : illustrations ; 23 cm

Edition:

Fourth edition.

Place of Publication:

Chichester, West Sussex ; Malden, MA : Wiley-Blackwell, 2012.

Summary:

Words in the Mind is all about words: how we learn them, remember them, understand them, and find the precise ones we wish to use. It also addresses the structure and content of the human word-store - the 'mental lexicon' - with particular reference to the spoken language of native English speakers. Great strides have been made in our understanding of the lexicon since the first three editions of Words in the Mind were published, and it has developed into a major interest of study among linguists, psychologists, sociologists, and those who teach English as a second language.

In addition to numerous updates and revisions, this latest edition features a wealth of new material, including an all-new chapter focusing exclusively on the brain and language. Enhanced coverage is also provided on lexical corpora - computerized databases - and on lexical change of meaning. Many of the notes and suggestions for further reading are also expanded and updated. Written by a true master of making scholarly concepts accessible, the fourth edition of Words in the Mind remains a rich and revealing resource for students and non-specialists alike, presenting the latest insights into the complex relationship between language, words, and the human mind. Book jacket.

Contents:

Part I Aims and Evidence 1

1 Welcome to Dictionopolis! 3

The human word-store

2 Links in the Chain 18

Assessing the evidence

3 Programming Dumbella 32

Modeling the mental lexicon

4 Brainy Matters 42

The physical underlay

Part II Basic Ingredients 51

5 Slippery Customers 53

Attempts to pin down the meaning of words

6 Bad Birds and Better Birds 66

Prototype theories

7 Whispering Chambers of the Imagination 80

Mental models

8 The Primordial Atomic Globule Hunt 90

The search for semantic primitives

9 Word-webs 99

Semantic networks

10 Close Companions 113

Words which cling together

11 Lexical All-sorts 119

Parts of speech

12 Verb Power 131

The role of verbs

13 Bits of Words 145

The internal architecture of words

14 Taking Care of the Sounds 157

Dealing with the sound patterns

Part III Newcomers 169

15 Multiple Meanings 171

The polysemy problem

16 Interpreting Ice-cream Cones 182

Metaphor and metonymy

17 Globbering Mattresses 194

Creating new words

18 What is a Bongaloo, Daddy? 209

How children learn the meaning of words

19 Aggergog Miggers, Wips and Gucks 222

How children cope with the sounds of words

Part IV The Overall Picture 235

20 Seeking and Finding 237

Selecting words

21 Organized Guesswork 248

Recognizing words

22 Odd Arrangements and Funny Solutions 261

The organization pf the mental lexicon

23 Last Word 267

Final comments and future questions.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN:

9780470656471

0470656476

OCLC:

748812909