Medieval Life of Language

Mark Amsler has taught medieval and comparative literature, linguistics, and writing at universities in the US and New Zealand. He is author of Etymology and Grammatical Discourse, Affective Literacies, and numerous essays on medieval literature, history of linguistics, English linguistics, and critical theory.

“[...] Amsler’s book offers a persuasive demonstration not only of the existence of a medieval pragmatics avant la lettre but also of the fresh analyses of familiar medieval texts that the terminology of modern pragmatics can facilitate.” - Rory G. Critten, Anglia, Vol. 140, Iss. 3-4 "[...] an interesting collection of case-studies under an over-arching thematic framework of Bakhtinian dialogism and pragmatics. [...] this is a hugely stimulating volume and I found myself constantly thinking of examples from within my own field which would benefit from these types of analysis." - Paul Russell, Language & History, Vol. 65, Iss. 2 "the book’s overall achievement... is to develop out of a winningly clear and detailed analysis of medieval linguistic thought a well-stocked toolkit for prising out the “pragmatic thinking” (Amsler’s apt phrase) embedded in literature, testimony, and life-writing" Christopher Cannon, Speculum: A Journal of Medieval Studies, volume 98, number 2

• Acknowledgements Abbreviations Introduction: Where is Medieval Pragmatics? 1 Medieval Pragmatics: Philosophical and Grammatical Contexts Three Terms and a Theory Roger Bacon’s Semiotics and Pragmatics Peter (of) John Olivi: Pragmatics and the Will to Speak 2 Interjections: Does Affect have Grammar? 3 Allas Context Allas: A Case for Context 4 Alisoun’s Giggle, or the Miller Does Pragmatics Does a Giggle Mean? Impoliteness, Hedging, and Textual Pragmatics Polysemy, Bullseyes, Misfires, or How Narrative Escapes Intention Centrifugal Narrative Contracts 5 How Heretics Talk, According to Bernard Gui and William Thorpe Pragmatic Talk, Pragmatic Action Bernard Gui’s Conversation Analysis and Institutional Discourse William Thorpe’s Relationship Pragmatics 6 Margery Kempe’s Strategic Vague Language Cooperate or Else Vaguing Pragmatics Kempe Comes to the Archbishop Kempe Tells a Tale One More Thing Bibliography Index