This book is dealing with common English words that have different meanings. A certain word may have a certain meaning in a specific context,then the same word has a different meaning in another context.

How do children learn that the word "dog" refers not to all four-legged animals, and not just to Ralph, but to all members of a particular species? How do they learn the meanings of verbs like "think," adjectives like "good," and words for abstract entities such as "mortgage" and "story"? The acquisition of word meaning is one of the fundamental issues in the study of mind. According to Paul Bloom, children learn words through sophisticated cognitive abilities that exist for other purposes. These include the ability to infer others' intentions, the ability to acquire concepts, an appreciation of syntactic structure, and certain general learning and memory abilities. Although other researchers have associated word learning with some of these capacities, Bloom is the first to show how a complete explanation requires all of them. The acquisition of even simple nouns requires rich conceptual, social, and linguistic capacities interacting in complex ways. This book requires no background in psychology or linguistics and is written in a clear, engaging style. Topics include the effects of language on spatial reasoning, the origin of essentialist beliefs, and the young child's understanding of representational art. The book should appeal to general readers interested in language and cognition as well as to researchers in the field.

Part of an upper-intermediate stage English language learning course, which offers comprehensive coverage of major language items, language practice and open-ended exercises.

Offering a comprehensive approach to vocabulary instruction, this book is about how children learn the meanings of new words and how teachers can be strategic in deciding which words to teach, how to teach them, and which words not to teach at all. It covers the 'why to' and 'when to' as well as the 'how to' of teaching word meanings.

An argument as timely as it is timeless, Aldous Huxley's Words and Their Meanings argues the significance and power of words. A less well-known work originally published by The Ward Ritchie Press in 1940, Huxley's essay arrived at the end of the Great Depression and coincided with U.S. entry into WWII, a time when global relations were heavily impacted by the craft and manipulation of language. Words and Their Meanings was selected as one of the Western Books of 1940, which was a celebration and recognition of fine printing. Huxley wrote that "words are magical in the way they affect the minds of those who use them" while displaying his insight and proficiency with language. He blends accessible elements of linguistic theory, semiotics and philosophy with his erudite style. Alvin Lustig is recognized for introducing principles of modern art to graphic design, with contributions to book design, interior design, and typography. His abstract style and innovative approach to typeface design became a trademark of titles published by New Directions Publishing. RIT Press presents a privately printed, limited edition facsimile of this title. This fine edition has been produced in partnership with More Vang, Alexandria, Virginia and designed byAlvin Lustig. He is recognized for introducing principles of modern art to graphic design, with contributions to book design, interior design, and typography. ALDOUS HUXLEY was a novelist, poet, and philosopher who relocated from England to the U.S. in 1937. He lived in southern California where he initially worked as a Hollywood screenwriter, later achieving success with his short stories, poetry, essays, and novels, especially Brave New World (1932).

Over the centuries, English words have drifted from their original purposes and acquired vastly different meanings. Consider the word "bad," which today means "great." Or "tryst," now a romantic liaison, in the England of 500 years ago meant "a fair for black cattle, horses, and sheep." Author Jeffrey Kacirk, a man intrigued by words, has sifted through mountains of discarded meanings to arrive at the almost 1,500 entries in this fascinating romp through the ever-changing world of lexicography. His goal is to "leave the reader with a sense of where many modern usages may have come from, or in some cases, have strayed". Study the altered meanings in this fun book and you'll be able to "razzle-dazzle" (originally, a daylong drinking bout) your friends and acquaintances. Kacirk has collected current words and provided earlier definitions and their sources alphabetically, beginning with abandon ('to banish, to drive away' --John Phin, 1902) and ending with a zig-zag ('drunk' --Edward Fraser and John Gibbons, 1925). Kacirk's book is a flip-through find, perfect for everyone from lay word nerds to top-dollar scholars.