The Cambridge Handbook of Natural Linguistics

A definitive reference work on Natural Linguistics from the school's leading authors, showcasing its history and innovative developments.

A definitive collection from the leading scholars in the field of Natural Linguistics, this groundbreaking handbook provides the first comprehensive and current account of the theory. It offers students and researchers a thorough grounding in the theory's history and development, making it a foundational reference work for years to come.Written by a team of leading experts, this groundbreaking handbook provides the first comprehensive and current account of Natural Linguistics. It offers a state-of-the-art survey of the theoretical developments that have arisen from, or are related to, the framework of Natural Phonology – across subfields as diverse as phonology, morphology, morphophonology, syntax, pragmatics, and text linguistics. The handbook is split into five parts, with chapters covering the origins, foundational principles, semiotic, cognitive, and functional bases of Natural Linguistics, as well as external evidence for the theory, and a critical appraisal of its position amongst modern linguistic theories. It fills a gap in the available accounts of modern linguistic theories and demonstrates the potential of the theory to a wider audience, addressing both advocates of the school and those who are open to alternative approaches to linguistic science. It will be a definitive reference work on Natural Linguistics for years to come.