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Semantics, Culture, and Cognition: Universal Human Concepts in Culture-Specific Configurations - Couverture souple

Wierzbicka, Anna

 
9780195073263: Semantics, Culture, and Cognition: Universal Human Concepts in Culture-Specific Configurations
Couverture souple
ISBN 10 : 0195073266 ISBN 13 : 9780195073263
Editeur : Oxford University Press, 1992

Synopsis

To what extent are languages 'essentially the same'? Is every word in our language translatable into every other language, or are some of our words and concepts 'culture specific'? In this innovative study, Wierzbicka ranges across a wide variety of languages and cultures, attempting to identify concepts which are truly universal, while at the same time arguing that every language constitutes a different 'guide to reality'. The lexicons of different languages, she shows, do indeed suggest different conceptual universes. Not everything that can be said in one language can be said in another, and this is not just a matter of certain things being easier to say in one language than in another.

Wierzbicka focuses on a few specific classes of words. One chapter looks at the language of emotion across cultures, and finds that there are numerous culture-specific words for feelings and emotions which have no analogues in other cultures. Another chapter considers moral concepts across cultures. A third examines names and titles. In her concluding chapter, Wierzbicka analyses the ways in which the Russian language and Australian English serve as mirrors of their respective cultures and 'national characters'.

Clearly and accessibly written, this important new study will be of great interest to scholars working in a wide range of disciplines, including linguistics, anthropology, philosophy, psychology and literary studies.

Les informations fournies dans la section « Synopsis » peuvent faire référence à une autre édition de ce titre.

Revue de presse

Excellent cross-linguistic, cross-cultural penetration into how the mind works. Fascinating analysis of language as a mirror into the workings of the human soul. (Richard L. Wright, Howard University)

Les informations fournies dans la section « A propos du livre » peuvent faire référence à une autre édition de ce titre.

Éditeur
Oxford University Press
Date d'édition
1992
Langue
anglais
ISBN 10 
0195073266
ISBN 13 
9780195073263
Reliure
Broché
Nombre de pages
498
Coordonnées du fabricant
non disponible
Personne responsable
Ufficio Anagrafiche Messaggerie
ufficio.anagrafiche@meli.it

Via Verdi, 8
Assago Milano
20090
Italie