Language Turned on Itself: The Semantics and Pragmatics of Metalinguistic Discourse - Softcover

Cappelen, Herman; Lepore, Ernest

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0199575525 ISBN 13: 9780199575527

Publisher: Oxford University Press, 2010

Synopsis

Language Turned on Itself examines what happens when language becomes self-reflexive; when language is used to talk about language. Those who think, talk, and write about language are habitual users of various metalinguistic devices, but reliance on these devices begins early: kids are told, 'That's called a "rabbit"'. It's not implausible that a primitive capacity for the meta-linguistic kicks in at the beginning stages of language acquisition. But no matter when or how frequently these devices are invoked, one thing is clear: they present theorists of language with a complex data pattern. Herman Cappelen and Ernest Lepore show that the study of these devices and patterns not only represents an interesting and neglected project in the philosophy of language, but also carries important consequences for other parts of philosophy.

Part I is devoted to presenting data about various aspects of our metalinguistic practices. In Part II, the authors examine and reject the four leading metalinguistic theories, and offer a new account of our use of quotation in a variety of different contexts. But the primary goal of this book is not to promote one theory over another. Rather, it is to present a deeply puzzling set of problems and explain their significance

About this title

About the Author

Herman Cappelen is Arché Professor of Philosophy at the University of St Andrews.

Ernie Lepore is Professor of Philosophy at Rutgers University

Review

It is particularly gratifying to have this lively compact monograph by Herman Cappelen and Ernie Lepore...With their usual flair C&L explain why we should study quotation; they lay out the leading issues in the literature; they criticize prior theories, including the demonstrative theory they are so well known for; they introduce a new version of the identity-function theory; and they offer a valuable essay on an unduly neglected topic in philosophy of language, that of the metaphysics of signs. * Paul Saka, Protosociology *

Edition details

• Publisher: Oxford University Press
• Publication date: 2010
• ISBN 10: 0199575525
• ISBN 13: 9780199575527
• Binding: Paperback
• Language: English
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 182