Philosophy for Linguists

Book excerpt: Philosophy for Linguists provides students with a clear, concise introduction to the main topics in the philosophy of language. Focusing on what students of linguistics need to know and how philosophy relates to modern linguistics, the book is structured around key branches of the field: semantics, pragmatics, and language acquisition. Assuming no prior knowledge of philosophy, Siobhan Chapman traces the history and development of ideas in the philosophy of language and outlines the contributions of specific philosophers. The book is highly accessible and student-oriented and includes: a general introduction and introductions to each chapter numerous examples and quotations comprehensive suggestions for further reading an extensive glossary of linguistic terms.