Communicative Efficiency: Language Structure and Use

ISBN-13: 9781108840798 / Angielski / Twarda / 2022

Natalia Levshina

Opis

Illustrated with rich examples, this book shows how language users can save effort by choosing efficient structures and word order.

Spis treści

List of Figures ; List of Tables; Preface; Acknowledgements; List of Abbreviations; Part I. Different Types of Efficiency in Language: 1. Communicative efficiency: main concepts; 2. Efficiency and formal length; 3. Efficiency and the order of meaningful elements; 4. Other ways of saving effort; Part II. Efficiency and Language Evolution: 5. Emergence of efficient language patterns; 6. From trade-offs to causal networks; Part III. Case Studies: 7. Efficient form-meaning mapping in causative constructions; 8. Differential case marking and efficiency; 9. Efficient use of function words in English alternations; 10. Conclusions and perspectives Appendices; References; Index.