English: Meaning and CultureIt is widely accepted that English is the first truly global language and lingua franca. Anna Wierzbicka, the distinguished linguist known for her theories of semantics, has written the first book that connects the English language with what she terms "Anglo" culture. Wierzbicka points out that language and culture are not just interconnected, but inseparable. She uses original research to investigate the "universe of meaning" within the English language (both grammar and vocabulary) and places it in historical and geographical perspective. This engrossing and fascinating work of scholarship should appeal not only to linguists and others concerned with language and culture, but the large group of scholars studying English and English as a second language. |
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addressee Anglo discourse Anglo English Anna Wierzbicka appears assumption Australian Australian English believe causee certainly chapter Clapham omnibus clearly Cliff Goddard Cobuild corpus collocations component concept consider context contrast conversational routines cooperation cross-cultural discourse markers discussed eighteenth century English language English word epistemic adverbs epistemic phrase ethics European languages evidence examples from Cobuild expect expression fact French German glish happen human idea illustrated implies interaction John Locke judgment justice justice as fairness knowledge let-constructions lingua franca linguistic linked Locke Locke's meaning modal modern Anglo culture modern English moral natural semantic metalanguage notion one’s opinion person philosophical presume probably question quote rational reasonable doubt reference reflected right and wrong Rihbany Russian say I know seen semantic sense sentence-initial someone speaker-oriented speaking speech suggest suppose tag question things thought tion true truth understand unfair unreasonable values verb want to say Wierzbicka word fair word reasonable