Semantics looks at what words are and how they have multiple meanings and forms. It discusses groupings of lexical items, approaches to analysing the semantic structure of words, and the relationship of meanings to syntactic structure. How can it be used? As a reference book and as a text on linguistics courses Who is it for? Teachers, linguistics students, or lay readers * A short, accessible introduction to this key area of language study by a respected expert in the field. * Describes some of the creative processes by which new senses develop for words and phrases. * Informs the reader about current thinking and acts as a guide for further enquiry.