Essays in semantics and pragmatics Ed. by Masayoshi Shibatani and Sandra Thompson (review)

Abstract

BOOK NOTICES 901 (History of linguistic thought.) London & New York: Routledge, 1996. Pp. x, 218. $49.95. Frederick Newmeyer's work on the history of generative linguistic theory has often been controversial, but it remains unequaled in scope, in insight, and in influence. This collection ofhis studies ranges chronologically from the first edition of Linguistic theory in America (New York: Academic Press, 1980) to a response to Geoffrey Huck and John Goldsmith's Ideology and linguistic theory (London & New York: Routledge, 1995) written specifically for this volume (127-37). This fifteen year period ofhistoriographie writing is summarized in the 'Introduction' (1-7). Two chapters, on "The steps to' and 'The end of generative semantics (101-12, 113-26, respectively ), are reprinted from LTA, while of the remaining ten, three were unpublished at the time this collection was assembled, and seven appeared previously in journals and conference proceedings. Original publication information is thoroughly mangled in the 'Note on text' (ix-x). Six chapters comprise 'Part I: General trends', with N tracing 'issues in the history of generative grammar that span its entire history' (3). He focuses on the study of language, not the study of languages; on universal grammar, not on particular grammars; on principles, not on rules; and on theory and explanation , not description. This part opens with the previously unpublished 'Bloomfield, Jakobson, Chomsky, and the roots of generative grammar' (11-16) followed by N's 1990 paper for COSWL, 'The structure of the field and its consequences for women' (17-22), which, though reorganized, continues to reflect his admitted lack of background in the history of women in American linguistics. The well known and once controversial 'Has there been a "Chomskyan revolution" in linguistics?' is next (23-38), followed in turn by the longest and possibly most interesting chapter in the collection, 'Rules and principles in the historical development ofgenerative syntax' (39-65), where N argues for a cyclical interpretation ofthe history ofgenerative syntax, alternating in orientation between rules and principles, with stages prior to 1980 that 'ultimately degenerated into little more than a form of descriptive linguistics with a generative veneer' (64). N's disdain for descriptive linguistics comes through clearly here and elsewhere. Four times he disparagingly quotes a comment from George Lakoff on the desirability of a 'return to the tradition of informal descriptions of exotic languages ' (51, 82, 121, 149). 'Chomsky's 1962 programme for linguistics: A retrospective', co-authored with Stephen R. Anderson, Sandra Chung, and James McCloskey (66-79), and 'Linguistic diversity and universal grammar' (80-97) complete Part I. Part II, with the now tired title "The linguistic wars', reprints the two sections from LTA, the 'review ' of Huck and Goldsmith, and a brief review of a volume of papers from the Chicago Linguistic Society (138-42). 'Part III: Grammatical theory and second language learning' contains 'The ontogenesis of the field of second language learning research' co-authored with Steven H. Weinberger (145-54), 'The current convergence in linguistic theory' (155-68), and 'Competence vs. performance; theoretical vs. applied' (169-77), all presenting second language acquisition research, rather narrowly, as a derivative of formal grammatical theory. This is a thought-provoking collection, even where the chapters are familiar. There is very little on phonology , despite the title, and many readers may wish, as I do, that N had provided postscripts, retrospective notes, or a longer introductory essay to place these historiographie essays in greater historical perspective . But it is useful to have them together in one place and reading the volume through provides some of that perspective. [Julia S. Falk, Michigan State University.] Essays in semantics and pragmatics. In honor of Charles J. Fillmore. Ed. by Masayoshi Shibatani and Sandra Thompson. (Pragmatics and beyond, 32.) Amsterdam & Philadelphia: John Benjamins, 1995. Pp. x, 330. This is a collection of fourteen essays presented to Charles Fillmore in honor of his 65th birthday. Appropriately, it covers a nch variety of topics and subfields which have been at the focus of Fillmore's attention over the years—from lexical semantics to deixis to grammatical theory—and the book certainly doesjustice to the breadth ofhis research interests . One of the central themes of his work, the interaction among 'pure...