This book, which can be read independently, deals with more specifically linguistic problems in semantics and contains substantial original material.

‘Anyone who writes an up-to-date textbook of semantics has to be au fait with an extremely wide range of contemporary academic activity. John Lyons’s new book demonstrates a remarkable ability to achieve such catholicity of expertise … In Volume 2 he examines in detail all the main contemporary problem areas in the semantics of natural languages. Homonymy and polysemy, conversational implicature and polysemy, deixis and anaphora, tense and aspect, mood and illocutionary force - all such issues are discussed with patiently comprehensive discernment. Indeed it is this second part of the book that will be of primary interest to other linguists because of the originality of some of the things Professor Lyons says in it.’

Jonathan Cohen Source: The Times Literary Supplement

‘Volume 2 covers so wide a range of topics, and the detailed issues raised are often so complex and technical, that it is rather difficult to give an adequate impression of the subtle originality which permeates almost all its discussions … At any rate, volume 2 of Professor Lyons’ book will certainly have to be read with care by all who are professionally interested in the nature of language.’

Jonathan Cohen Source: The Times Literary Supplement