Books like Semantics by James R. Hurford

A satirical dictionary compiling witty and biting definitions of English words, first published in a newspaper in 1881 and later revised into book form.

Semantics, 4th Edition by John I. Saeed offers a concise introduction to meaning in language, covering core concepts, methods, and major contemporary theories.

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The most comprehensive, easy-to-use guide to idioms used in Spanish and EnglishIdioms are the heart and soul of a language as it's actually used, and Spanish has thousands of these mystifying expressions--most of which you won't find in any bilingual dictionary. With The Big Red Book of Spanish Idioms you'll never be in the dark about the meanings of idioms and colloquialisms used across the Spanish-speaking world. And you'll never be at a loss for the right turn of phrase when speaking or writing Spanish.The Big Red Book of Spanish Idioms is filled with:4,000 idioms arranged according to Spanish keywords 1,800 Spanish keywords and their English equivalents 1,800 example sentences for guidance in usage 8,000 matching English expressions An English-Spanish Index--to steer you to the right idioms, instantly Extensive cross-referencing that lets you access material in either language By matching Spanish idioms with English expressions of a similar tone or register, this dictionary makes an ideal reference not only for students of Spanish but also for Spanish-speaking learners of English.

In recent years, the Internet has come to dominate our lives. E-mail, instant messaging and chat are rapidly replacing conventional forms of correspondence, and the Web has become the first port of call for both information enquiry and leisure activity. How is this affecting language? There is a widespread view that as 'technospeak' comes to rule, standards will be lost. In this book, David Crystal argues the reverse: that the Internet has encouraged a dramatic expansion in the variety and creativity of language. Covering a range of Internet genres, including e-mail, chat, and the Web, this is a revealing account of how the Internet is radically changing the way we use language. This second edition has been thoroughly updated to account for more recent phenomena, with a brand new chapter on blogging and instant messaging. Engaging and accessible, it will continue to fascinate anyone who has ever used the Internet.

"This book provides a clear and accessible introduction to formal, and especially Montague, semantics within a linguistic framework. It presupposes no previous background in logic, but takes the student step-by-step from simple predicate/argument structures and their interpretation through to Montague's intensional logic. It covers all the major aspects, including set theory, propositional logic, type theory, lambda abstraction, traditional and generalised quantifiers, inference, tense and aspect, possible worlds semantics, and intensionality. Throughout the emphasis is on the use of logical tools for linguistic semantics, rather than on purely logical topics, and the introductory chapter situates formal semantics within the general framework of linguistic semantics. It assumes some basic knowledge of linguistics, but aims to be as non-technical as possible within a technical subject. Formal semantics will be welcomed by students of linguistics, artificial intelligence and cognitive science alike."--Jacket.

An excellent overview of how all the world's main languages interconnect where they do. It also gives samples of the language with translation for a large number of languages.

English Grammar: A University Course for Students and Teachers

Introducing English Semantics is a comprehensive and accessible introduction to the study of meaning.Charles W. Kreidler presents the basic principles of this discipline. He explores how languages organize and express meanings through words, parts of words and sentences.Introducing English Semantics:* deals with relations of words to other words, and sentences to other sentences* illustrates the importance of 'tone of voice' and 'body language' in face-to-face exchanges, and the role of context in any communication* makes random comparisons of features in other languages* explores the knowledge speakers of a language must have in common to enable them to communicate* discusses the nature of language; the structure of discourse; the distinction between lexical and grammatical meaning* examines such relations as synonymy, antonymy, and hyponymy; ambiguity; implication; factivity; aspect; and modalityWritten in a clear, accessible style, Introducing English Semantics will be an essential text for any student following an introductory course in semantics. Assuming no prior knowledge of linguistics, all technical terms are clearly defined in an accompanying glossary and active participation is encouraged through numerous exercises.

English Grammar: A Comprehensive Guide to Understanding and Applying Grammatical Concepts in English Language Usage and Composition, Suitable for Teachers, Students, and Non-Fiction Readers alike, with Exercises and Text Analysis Tools for Practice and Improvement.