CONTENTS
List of figures and tables = ⅷ
Preface = xi
Acknowledgements = xiii
Part Ⅰ: In Search of the Sign: An Historical Overview = 1
1 The Saussurian background = 3
Linguistics and semiotics as separate disciplines = 3
The historical connection between linguistics and semiotics = 8
The sign-oriented approach = 13
2 Sign versus sentence = 23
Semiology versus Semiotics = 23
Linguistics as part of semiotics = 24
A search for a sign-oriented method = 26
Defining linguistics semiotically = 36
Defining the linguistic sign = 37
Part Ⅱ: lnvariance: An Overview = 45
3 Invariance and language synergy = 47
Defining language semiotically = 47
Defining language synergetically = 48
Meaning versus message = 51
Meaning versus message and function: The case of lost = 53
Language synergetics from the semiotic or sign-oriented approach = 58
The synergetic relationship between encoders and decoders = 58
The synergetic relationship between signals and meanings = 59
The synergetic relationship between lexicon and grammar = 62
Summary and conclusions = 64
4 Invariant meaning: variations on an invariant theme = 68
Sign versus sentence-oriented definitions of language = 68
Invariance in linguistic theory reviewed = 70
Invariance in Jakobsonian theory = 74
Invariance in Guillaumean theory = 77
Invariance in Diverian theory = 79
The concept of grammatical number = 81
Postulating invariant meanings for the dual number: = 82
The Jakobsonian approach = 82
The Guillaumean approach = 83
The Diverian approach = 84
Summary and conclusions = 85
Part Ⅲ: From Sign to System: Markedness and Distinctive Feature Theory = 89
5 The dual number: from sign to system = 91
The dual number: grammar or lexicon? = 91
Number systems across languages = 93
The dual number in Modern Hebrew = 100
The distribution of the dual in the lexicon = 101
The dual number and the communication factor = 106
The dual number and the human factor = 108
The interaction of the human and communication factors = 110
The plural versus the dual in spoken and written discourse = 111
The creative use of the dual in a literary text = 118
Summary and conclusions = 125
6 'If' versus 'whether': duality revisited = 125
The non-synonymy hypothesis = 126
The analysis: invariance and markedness = 127
The data = 130
Summary and conclusions = 145
Part Ⅳ: From Sign to Text: Sign: System: Context: Text: Working Our Way Up = 149
7 'Also' versus 'too': the sign as text = 151
The problem = 153
The analysis: invariance and markedness = 154
The data: Alice in Wonderland = 157
The data: Looking for Mr. Goodbar = 166
Discussion and conclusions = 186
The non-synonymy hypothesis = 186
The non-homonymy hypothesis = 187
Word order and iconicity = 187
Other non-traditional approaches to the problem = 189
Part Ⅴ: From Text to Sign: Text: Context: System: Sign: Working Our Way Down = 191
8 The English comparative system: the text as sign = 193
A semiotic presentation of the problem = 193
Traditional analyses of the problem = 195
The data = 202
The micro-level analysis = 204
The macro-level analysis = 212
'Curiouser and Curiouser' (Alice in Wonderland) = 213
'Darlingest' (Social Disease) = 221
'Worse - Worser - Worst' ('Summer Whine') = 237
The distribution of the forms = 239
Concluding remarks = 249
Bibliography = 253
Index = 277
