This encyclopaedia of one of the major fields of language studies is a continuously updated source of state-of-the-art information for anyone interested in language use. It provides easy access - for scholars with widely divergent backgrounds but with convergent interests in the use and functioning of language - to the different topics, traditions and methods which together make up the field of Pragmatics, broadly conceived as "the cognitive, social and cultural study of language and communication".

The Handbook of Pragmatics is a unique reference work for researchers: the main body of the Handbook is produced in loose-leaf format in 3-ring binders and is accompanied by the bound Manual which contains all necessary background information and user guidelines. The loose-leaf Handbook forms the basis of the Handbook proper giving an overview of the subfields, traditions, methodologies and concepts of Pragmatics.

The Handbook is used as a basis for the online version: the Handbook of Pragmatics Online is being expanded and revised annually as of 2003. Future versions will add further records and will include updates, rewritings and extensive revisions of already existing records. The Handbook of Pragmatics Online is available from www.benjamins.com/online as well as a free 90-day trial. The Handbook is also available in combination with the Bibliography of Pragmatics Online at a discounted rate.

Table of contents

Traditions update Revision: Cognitive science Seana Coulson and Teenie Matlock Revision: Componential analysis Cliff Goddard Revision: Phenomenology Peter Reynaert and Jef Verschueren Revision: Rhetoric Manfred Kienpointner Methods update Revision: Corpus analysis Jan Aarts Handbook A-Z Franz Boas Regna Darnell Conventions of language Yueguo Gu Revision: Deixis Jack Sidnell Erving Goffman Jim O'Driscoll Revision: Humor Salvatore Attardo Literacy Jenny Cook-Gumperz Revision: Mass media Andreas H. Jucker Metonymy Klaus-Uwe Panther and Günter Radden Harvey Sacks Rod Watson