Imperatives: A Comprehensive Study of Semantic Theory and Pragmatics
This systematic linguistic analysis examines imperative sentences and their role across diverse speech acts including orders, requests, pleas, advice, permission grants, advertisements, good wishes, and conditional constructions. The book addresses the complex relationship between imperative forms and the wide range of speech acts in which they occur, providing clarity on how semantic theory should approach imperatives.
Empirical Analysis Across Multiple Languages
The first section presents data from an extensive set of languages, with significant focus on non-Indo-European language families. This cross-linguistic approach provides robust empirical evidence for understanding imperative usage patterns. The authors analyze controversial cases in detail, examining the full spectrum of uses to which imperatives are applied in natural language contexts.
Theoretical Framework and Semantic Analysis
The second section delivers an accessible yet comprehensive discussion of major theoretical accounts of imperative semantics and pragmatics. This in-depth treatment makes complex theoretical concepts understandable for graduate-level students and researchers while maintaining academic rigor. The analysis bridges the gap between empirical observations and theoretical frameworks, offering new perspectives on imperative sentence structures.
Expert Authorship in Linguistic Theory
Mark Jary, Reader in English Language and Linguistics at the University of Roehampton, brings extensive expertise in semantics, pragmatics, and philosophy of language. His previous work includes Assertion (2010). Co-author Mikhail Kissine, Assistant Professor of Linguistics at the Université Libre de Bruxelles, contributes his research background including From Utterances to Speech Acts (Cambridge University Press, 2013).
Academic Reference and Research Resource
Part of the Cambridge Key Topics in Semantics and Pragmatics series, this hardcover volume serves as an essential research reference for linguists, graduate students, and scholars working in semantic theory, pragmatic analysis, and language philosophy. The systematic approach to both data collection and theoretical discussion makes it a foundational text for understanding imperative constructions in linguistic theory.
