Includes bibliographical references and index.

PART 1; Fundamental Notions; 1. Introduction; 2. Logical Matters; 3. Types and Dimensions of Meaning; 4. Compositionality; PART 2; Words and their Meanings; 5. Introduction to Lexical Semantics; 6. Contextual Variability of Word Meaning; 7. Word Meanings and Concepts; 8. Paradigmatic Sense Relations of Inclusion and Identity; 9. Paradigmatic Relations of Exclusion and Opposition; 10. Word Fields; 11. Extensions of Meaning; 12. Syntagmatic Relations; 13. Lexical Decomposition; 14. New Directions in Lexical Semantics; PART 3; Semantics and Grammar; 15. Grammatical Semantics; PART 4; Pragmatics; 16. Reference and Deixis; 17. Speech Acts; 18. Conversational Implicatures; Conclusion; Answers to questions

A comprehensive introduction to the ways in which meaning is conveyed in language. Alan Cruse covers semantic matters, but also deals with topics that are usually considered to fall under pragmatics. A major aim is to highlight the richness and subtlety of meaning phenomena, rather than to expound any particular theory. Rich in examples and exercises, Meaning in Language provides an invaluable descriptive approach to this area of linguistics for undergraduates and postgraduates alike.