Negation is a central feature of language and cognition, interacting with all areas of grammar as well as with the philosophy of language. Whereas there is a cross-linguistic uniformity in logical and semantic aspects of negation, there is a diversity of syntactic and morphological forms and rules. This asymmetry in function and form poses problems for syntactic and universal grammar theory and for the study of the interface between syntax and discourse. It is particularly evident in negative polarity-words and phrases which can appear only in negative sentences. The exploration of negation and negative polarity phenomena and their implications for linguistic theory are the main themes of this book.

About the Author
Laurence R. Horn is Professor and Director of Undergraduate Studies in the Department of Linguistics at Yale University. His primary research interest is located within the union (if not the intersection) of traditional logic, neo-Gricean pragmatic theory, lexical semantics, and the analysis of negation.

Reviews
this volume succeeds in generating a lively internal debate * Steve Nicolle, SIL International Book Reviews *



Book Information
ISBN 9780198238737
Author Laurence R. Horn
Format Paperback
Page Count 282
Imprint Oxford University Press
Publisher Oxford University Press
Weight(grams) 419g
Dimensions(mm) 235mm * 156mm * 16mm