The Generic Book: The Semantics of Generics (Studies in Communication, Media, and Public Opinion) - Hardcover

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0226092917 ISBN 13: 9780226092911

Publisher: University of Chicago Press, 1995

Synopsis

In an attempt to address the theoretical gap between linguistics and philosophy, a group of semanticists, calling itself the Generic Group, has worked to develop a common view of genericity. Their research has resulted in this book, which consists of a substantive introduction and eleven original articles on important aspects of the interpretation of generic expressions. The introduction provides a clear overview of the issues and synthesizes the major analytical approaches to them. Taken together, the papers that follow reflect the current state of the art in the semantics of generics, and afford insight into various generic phenomena.

About this title

About the Author

Gregory N. Carlson is professor of linguistics, philosophy, and cognitive science at the University of Rochester. Francis Jeffry Pelletier is Canada Research Chair in cognitive science, professor of philosophy, and professor of linguistics at Simon Fraser University.

From the Back Cover

A generic noun phrase is one that denotes a kind; a generic sentence reports a regularity that summarizes groups of particular episodes or facts. Standard semantic theories of reference have much trouble accounting for generic sentences and noun phrases, and the lack of an acceptable theory of such expressions has posed a serious epistemological problem for linguistics and philosophy. In an attempt to address this theoretical gap, a group of semanticists, calling itself the Generic Group, has worked to develop a common view of genericity. Their research has resulted in this book, which consists of a substantive introduction and eleven original articles on important aspects of the interpretation of generic expressions. The introduction provides a clear overview of the issues and synthesizes the major analytical approaches to them. Taken together, the papers that follow reflect the current state of the art in the semantics of generics, and afford insight into various generic phenomena. The Generic Book will be a valuable source of facts and insights about generic constructions, and will appeal to linguists, logicians, and philosophers who are interested in genericity in language.

Edition details

• Publisher: University of Chicago Press
• Publication date: 1995
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0226092917
• ISBN 13: 9780226092911
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 474
• Editor: Carlson Gregory N., Pelletier Francis Jeffry