Words in the Mind: An Introduction to the Mental Lexicon

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John Wiley & Sons, Feb 21, 2012 - Language Arts & Disciplines - 352 pages
Featuring new coverage of the brain and language, and lexical corpora, the 4th edition of Words in the Mind offers readers the latest thinking about the ways in which we learn words, remember them, understand them, and find the ones we want to use.
  • Explores the latest insights into the complex relationship between language, words, and the human mind, creating a rich and revealing resource for students and non-specialists alike
  • Addresses the structure and content of the human word-store – the ‘mental lexicon’ – with particular reference to the spoken language of native English speakers
  • Features a wealth of new material, including an all-new chapter focusing exclusively on the brain and language, and enhanced coverage of lexical corpora – computerized databases – and on lexical change of meaning
  • Incorporates numerous updates throughout, including expansion of many notes and suggestions for further reading
  • Comprises state-of-the-art research, yet remains accessible and student-friendly

 

Contents

Links in the Chain
18
Programming Dumbella
32
Brainy Matters
42
Basic Ingredients
51
Bad Birds and Better Birds
66
Whispering Chambers of the Imagination
80
The Primordial Atomic Globule Hunt
90
Wordwebs
99
Newcomers
169
Interpreting Icecream Cones
182
What is a Bongaloo Daddy?
209
Aggergog Miggers Wips and Gucks
222
The Overall Picture
235
Organized Guesswork
248
Odd Arrangements and Funny Solutions
261
References
292

Close Companions
113
Verb Power
131
Bits of Words
145

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About the author (2012)

Jean Aitchison is Emeritus Rupert Murdoch Professor of Language and Communication at the University of Oxford. She is the author of numerous books on language, including Language Change: Progress or Decay? (Third Edition, 2001), The Word Weavers: Newshounds and Wordsmiths (2007), Aitchison's Linguistics (Seventh Edition, 2010), and The Articulate Mammal (Routledge Classics Edition, 2011).

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