Chapter 1 Introduction

Chapters in this book

1. Prelim pages i
2. Table of contents v
3. Preface vii
4. Frontis ix
5. Chapter 1 Introduction 1
6. Chapter 2 The historical origins of ‘thing’ words 5
7. Chapter 3 The semantics of ‘thing’ words 17
8. Chapter 4 The abstractness of ‘thing’ words 33
9. Chapter 5 The thing as gestalt 48
10. Chapter 6 Things in context 60
11. Chapter 7 Misplaced concreteness 74
12. Chapter 8 What ‘it’ refers to 94
13. Chapter 9 There’s something to it… 114
14. Chapter 10 Further functions of ‘thing’ and ‘something’ words 127
15. Chapter 11 The properties of things 134
16. Chapter 12 Philosophical and scientific approaches to ‘things’ 152
17. Chapter 13 The ‘thing’ in art 164
18. Chapter 14 The semantic source of ‘thing’ words revisited 181
19. Chapter 15 Conclusions 190
20. Abbreviations 197
21. References 198
22. Appendix 1 Words for body and animal 208
23. Appendix 2 Words for shape, form and figure 213
24. Subject index 215
25. Name index 217
26. Language index 219